The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-05-27
ARE THE STARS NUMBERLESS7
amis query - Answered An the Mega
dive BY Authorities on Astro-
nomIcnl Matters.

1t has often, been suggested that Ina
stars are infinite in number and that
the stellar universe is therefore in
finite III extent; and if the preponder-
ance Of evidence pointed in this direc-
tion our inquiry would be useless, be-
cause as regards infinity there can
be no difference of position. In what
ever part Of it we may be situated
that part can be no nearer the center
than any other part, says the Inde-
pendent,
AS the telescope increased in eff
cheney it was found that every increase
of power greatly increased the NUM-
ber Of visible stars, and this increase
went on with approximate equality
Of rate till the largest modern tele-
scopes were nearly reached. But lat
terly increased size and power has re-
vealed new stars in smaller and small
er proportion, indicating that we are
approaching the outer limits of the
starry system. This conclusion is fur
ther enforced by the fact that the nu-
merous dark patches in the heavens
where hardly any stars are visible, and
those seen are projected on intensely
dark background, as in the coal
sacks" of the southern hemisphere and
riffs and channels in the Milky Way
itself, continue to present the same
features in telescopes Of the very high
est powers as they do in those Of very
moderate size This could not pos
sibly happen if stars were infinite in
number, or even if they extended in
similar profusion into spaces very
much greater than those to which our
telescopes can reach, because in that
case these dark backgrounds could be
Illuminated by the light Of millions Of
stars SO distant as TO be separately in
visible, as in the case Of the Milky Way
itself.
The only other explanation would be
that the star system is penetrated in
several directions by perfectly straight
tunnels Of enormous length compared
with their diameter in which no stars
exist, and this is considered to be soim-
probable as to be unworthy Of consid-
GRAFTON.
But perhaps the most striking proof
of the limited extent of the universe
of luminous stars is that dependent on
the laws Of light This has been long
known to astronomers, and it has been
very clearly and briefly stated by Prof.
Simon Newcomb, one of the profound
est of mathematical astronomers. He
tells us to imagine a series Of concen-
trio spheres, each the same distance
apart from the first, which includes
only the stars visible to the naked eye.
The space between each pair Of these
spheres will be in extent proportional
to the squares of the diameter of the
sphere that limits it; and as the light
we receive from each star is inversely
proportional tosits distance from us,
it follows that if each region were
equally strewn with stars of the same
average brightness then we should re-
ceive the same amount of light from
each region, the diminution Of light
from each star being exactly compen-
sated by the vastly greater numbers in
each successfully larger sphere. Hence
it follows that if these concentric
spheres were infinite we should re-
ceive an infinite amount of light from
them, and even if we make an ample
allowance for stoppage Of light by in
tervening dark bodies, or by cosmic
dust or by imperfect Transparency Of
the ether, we should at least receive
quite as much light from them as the
sun gives us at monday.