The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-08

plane Of the Milky Way. How far away
from It's caatre We are situated will not be
known wi.s Q fair approximation until the
Photographic charts OF the heavens, now
making, have boon finished and their data
discussed.
The venerable dean Of English science.
DR.. Alfred Russell Wallace, has very re-
Gently printed his reflections upon the fore
going results. He assumes that the earth
is at the centre Of the cosmos and that II.
alone, out Of all the planets, known and
unknown, il fitted TO be the abode OF human
beines, and draws the conclusion that the
supreme end and purpose Of all this vast
universe was the production Of the living
soul In the perishable body OF man. This
Ia a conclusion that makes . vivid appeal
to the vanity Of mankind and It Is sure TO
be seized upon with gladness now, just as
the pronouncement Of the Roman theo-
logiana that the earth was, in very truth,
the centre Of the solar system and that the
theory of Copernicus vas false and hercti-
cal, was hailed with JOY. What possible
virtue resides In the central point OF sphere
that may not equally reside In its circum-
ference! II. indeed, We happen to occupy
the centre Of the sphere at this moment
(Which is very doubtfuD We shall not long
continue TO do 30. The whole solar system
Ia moving through space at the rate of
twelve miles per second. about 100000
miles per annum. The earth has moved
a matter OF 10000 900 Don miles since
Christ was born In Bethlehem. Men have
lived upon the earth at least 100 900 years,
and their habitation has, In this urne, moved
through at least 81 0o0. 0oo 900 900 miles.
Ia not, then, the oontsntion OF DR.. Wallace
that the position Of the earth has aught to
do with the preSminencs Of man utterly
without signihcanoei
1t 10 very likely that DR.. Wallace Ia cor
rect in saying that only one Of the eight
planets Of our system 10 now At for human
habitation. But orr ain 10 only one among
at ,east ieosoA 90 90 other suns. IL IL
unlikely that thsss suns arc surrounded
with planetsi Suppose each such sun to
have eight planets Of its own: ID It unlikely
that among 90 1000 900 900 planets there
NAV be q thouaand--or hundred thousand
now At for human lifef
DR.. wallscs's contention may safely b
left to one side - speculative and unfounded
In the extreme.
The visible universe Ia. In all likelihood.
limited In extent; its boundary is somewhat
indefinite and irregular and lies at such .
distance that light requires about 5000
years to pass from that boundary to US: the
universe Of stars In In the general form Of
Q Hattsnsd disk. the total number OF stars
IL to be counted by hundreds OF millions
Such are some OF the most far-reaohing
conclusions snunciated in Prof. Newcomb's
mastery volume on The Stars" Each OF
them has its roots far In the past.
Not to speak Of the speculation Of the an
clients. the foundations were laid by Calico
Kepler. Hsrschsl. Kart, Lambert. Michel
before the nrst years Of the last century. A
host of workers has contributed 70 the edifice
since tbsn. each bringing q stone. until II
has reachsd Q consistent and massive i'm
pressivensss. II may b likened TO the
cyc.opean walls OF prehistoric times Re-