New-York tribune., 1903-02-07
ASTRONOMICAL MYSTERIES.

In his recent presidential address TO the AStr0-
nomcal and Astrophysical Society OF America
Professor Simon Newcomb discussed at length
two unsolved problems. few years ago, ne
said, it was not supposed that any agencies ex-
cept gravtation and light could be felt across the
wide spaces that separate the planets and stars.
The astronomer and physicist are compelled,
however. to suspect the existence and opera
ton of others. Were these once revealed they
would not only prove interesting in themselves.
but also, by indicating the action Of one body
upon another, exhibit the universe as an organ
ism and possessing unity in hitherto un-
imagined fashion.
One of these mysterious forces is that which
causes magnets on the earth TO swing regularly
within narrow limits every day. and on rare
occasions to behave Historically. Since the
diurnal oscillation is wider and magnetic
storms more frequent and violent at times
of maximum abundance of sun spots, it is nat
ural to attribute the terrestrial phenomena to
solar causes. or else TO some external agency
that also produces the spots. Lord Kelvin
long ago expressed the belief that the sun does
not act directly as magnet, and Professor
NeWcomb accepts that doctrine, He cannot find
any outside force however which acts simul--
taneously on earth and SUM- He concludes,
then. that both the spots and the motion of the
magnets are due TO some cause acting within
the sun While it seems credible that R6ntgen
rays or Professor J. J. ThomsOns corpuscles-
particles much smaller than atoms and emitted
by heated 0bjeets-may be concerned in the two
sets of phenomena, no recorded observations
afford valid excuse for thinking so. Here is
line of investigation along which practically
nothing has yet been accomplished, and the
mere mention OF it will present a powerful
temptation to astrophyscists
Another occasion of profound perplexity is the
behavior of the nebula surrounding the latest
new star, the one which appeared nearly two
years ago in the constellation Perseus Photo
graphs taken at different periods last year
showed that the nebua had apparently expand
ed with amazing rapidity In short period
Whether the material composing the luminous
gauZy cloud actually spread out, as if in eense-
quence of an explosion Or whether il was some
form OF energy. such as heat or light that tray
eed, was question that promptly arose As
for the velocity itself. that could be computed
only by adopting some theory TO the distance
of the nova" from the earth. There are several
good reasons for thinking that all Of these new
stars have been as far off as the Milky Way.
and the average distance of the bodies compos-
ing it is put at 3,400 light years by Professor
Newcomb Accepting an estimate of only 300
or 1900. however, astonishing results are
reached. The observed movement in the nebula
IF Nova Persei not only vastly exceeds the
swiftest election of matter in solar eruptions
but also that of light 1t was ten times as
great the latter. possibly more. Besides light
travels in straight lines. and this motion was
along curved paths. What was il that moved?
Here. again, Professor Newcom5 shows the
influence which the new electron theory exerts
over his mind. He suggests that possibly the
solution TO this mystery may be found in the
emission Of eorpuseles, although Professor
Thomson does not think that these fly faster
than light Apparently it would be much easier
To- demonstrate the activity OF eieetrous in the
case of terrestrial magnetism than in the spread