The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-15
SCIENCE.

II has been known for a considerable time
that the cathode rays are, In a sense. material.
and that they are capable Of being detected
by a magnet. The glow which Is visible In
tho interior OF n vacuum tube l. caused by
of atoms %lmpInging on tho glass
with a velocity about half that of light. The
X-rays arc OF the same general nature. These
are so minute that somo even
make their way through the pores OF the
glass and come out into the air surrounding
IL. All hot bodies emit such rays In certain
amounts. and the new substance. radium.
and others OF is class emit them even when
cold. The rays appear 10 consist Of atomic
fragments highly charged with electricity.
and when they impinge on air. not too
dense TO obstruct them nor too rarihed
IN permit them 20 pass entirely without
obstruction. tho bombarded air particles
emit a phosphorescent light. as can be beau
tifully shown by experiment. Since all hot
bodies emit such rays. the sun must neces-
snrily send them forth on a huge scale and as
they strike the outer, layers OF. the earth's
know as the Aurora. Why should these
phenomena appear at the earth's poles as
the Northern and southern Auroras and not
all over the surface? The rays in question
are detected in direction by a magnet and
the earth's magnetic lines OF force are so
In long splrals toward the two terrestrial
poles above the upper atmosphere. AZ the
poles they become visible. This explanation
Is due to the Swedish physicist Arrhenius.
AN EXPLANATION or THE PHENOMENA OF
TEMPORARY STARS.
The Presidents address to the annual
meeting OF tho British Astronomical Asso-
citation quotes some views OF Lord Kelvin's
on the collisions Of celestial bodies that
have direct bearing on the outburst OF the
new star OF 1901 Perssi. Imagine
two cool solid globes. each equal In diane
ter 10 half the solar diameter and OF the same
density as the earth. Suppose them 20 be
at res; ut n distance apart equal to the diam
eter OF the earth's orbit. Let gravitation
now act and they will collide IN half n year.
and will be converted into a violently agi-
tated incandescent mass Of fluid flying out
ward from tho line OF collision. 1t Is i'm
possible to say exactly how far utward
tho fluid will be proye cted but an approx
innate calculation shows that the extreme
distance reached by tho circular fringe OF
the nuid mass would probably be much lHss
than tho distance fallen through by each
mass before collision. because the trans
lational motion OF the molecules consti-
tuting tho heat into which the whole energy
OF the original fall is Transformed is only
about three-nfths OF tho whole amount OF
that energy. That Is, three-ffths OF The
kinetio eneTsy before collision Is c1nVs 1rfoi
endowed with the remaining .two-ffths.
lord Kelvin adds that the time, OF flying out
would probably b be ltss bs sehn h pa fan q yi ia again again
towards the axis. In something less than
a year. after the first collision the fluid VII
EVEN more Violently a%sita,ed than at hrsti
i viii again fy outward but axially toward
the two places Originally occupied by we
colidins bodies, It will again fall Inward
and after a rapidly subsidine series OF oscil-
lations, IL will subside, probably IN the
nV,ru NJ turn nr three lpQrR. into "a glOnnlhT
star similar TO our sun IN Dimensions. heat
and brightness. The temperature wGuld
a oo axpIosion. $50 soon relieved. however. by
rapid expansion or the gases.
TIKI THEORY or THE LUMIsIFEnous ETHER.
In the Presidential address Just cited
there are certain consideration on the ether
which deserve quotation. II Is only n short
while since Il was considered necessary to
imagine the ether TO be an exceedingly rigid
body. but the modern views OF Kelvin and
Stokes allow US to conceive Il as a material
elastic Medium OF vanishingly small density
and Of like innnltesimSl rigidity. Its con-
stitution IL moro jelly-lika thhn gaseous.
and tho vibrations 81 light NAV then take
Mace perpendicularlv Co the direction Of
It, propagation. Tn" modern view allows
9 satisfactory explanation to be ioImuiated
fer t fsry%d iirma e@ik S'P PepSinp For insfanOe,
how shall we account for the alteration %
lghtF IN IHft, DHloIf an hlNfHlIb ~ Hsuh'
20 explaiu alteration Il is necessary 60 asshin"
the ether to be AZ rest and that all bodies
pass through Il as docs a charge Of shot
through air, or else 70 ASSUME, that "a bodies
move thoy carry portions OF the ncighhoring
ether with them. But this l. tho very CruN
Of the matter. Fresnel,s explanation OF
liberation assumes the ether 20 be- generally
u rest. except in the Interior Of Transparent
bodies. aud this explanation ft- the case Of
astronomical alteration But Il docs not
agree With the experiments u Nicholson
and Morley made In 1851. which indlcat"
that the ether through Which the earth Ia
moving Is by no meas a rcSt The as
the address IA question T. In is plain state
nont Of Fundamental diflculties stil re
curing explanation.
II FRANCE
The statistics OF divorces I'm Franc" during
tho last civil year yield some curious results
During tho year the courts received 1850
requests for divorce and al 10 make a pre-
vious decree Of separation absolute. 80 that
e.s2i Gases were considered Demands for
Simple separation 60 n" number Of 1850
we're also received Tho following tables
relate 60 the u. $50 cases I'm question