The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-15
To STUDY SOLAR SYSTEM
PURPOSE OF AMERICAN AsTRoNo-
MERs ON THE WAY To CHILE.
VIII Observe stars of Southern Hem
isphere to Determine whittier
We Are Drifting.

Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 12.-In what d.
rection is our solar system speeding through
space. and how fast?
To probe this fascinating problem ID. o.
Mills, millionaire New York banker has
Just sent an expedition of American astron-
omers to Santiago. Chile. The party sailed
last Saturday for the southern hemisphere
under the leadership of Prof. William II.
Wright. Of the Lick Observatory.
That the sun is darting through ether at
tremendous speed and carrying little earth
N well as all OF the other planets along
with 10 IN an amazing fact recently proved
By science. Astronomers have gone so far
rs 10 estimate both the direction and speed
OF this motion, but their estimates are
based only upon observations OF stars visi-
BILE from the northern hemisphere. One ap-
preaching the south pole sees the vast
sheet OF the heavens unroll itself more and
more. Above the southern horizon gradual
ly peep up clusters Of far-off stars. each.
doubtless, the central orb in a group OF
dark planets, like our own.
Our solar system is dashing straightway
toward the bright star Vega, according to
the northern hemisphere observations Of
these astronomers, who are on their way to
Chile to make further measurements.
Twelve and a half miles a second Is the
furious speed at which the mighty. blazing
cannon ball and the surrounding lesser
shot-this volley Of missiles which we call
our solar system-are whizzing toward
their luminous target In the skies.
When shall we strike? This question
opens our eyes to the Importance Of the
problem which Mr.. Afills's millions will
probe during the next two years. 1t will
be of greater moment to posterity than
TO US.
Vega is 10000. ocO. 100000 OF miles away.
This is the nearest approximation which
astronomers can make. 1t is one Of those
stars so far away that anything like ac-
curate measurement of its distance is i'm
possible. BUTT is estimated that ray of
light consumes twenty-five years in travel
Ing from Vega to earth. In other words, If
we see Vega tonight in the sky we do not
see her as she now is, but she was
twenty-five years ago. In other words, If
Vega had dropped from the heavens and
had gone out in the year 1878 we would
Just be missing her about now.
The speed OF the solar system through
space is $500 miles per hour. just about
1000 times as fast as that of the average
trains of to-day. Every year the sun covers
about 4ooooo.Ooo miles in its mad race
through the luminiferous ether.
WILL ARRIVE A. ID. $4,000.
A. d. S76sO0 will be the date of our COL
lision with Vega. If all of these figures and
prophecies be true. But there will be no
Immediate occasion for our lying awake Of
nights to worry about an event $4,000 years
in the future, Nevertheless, there prob
ably are some people I'm the world who will
find even this representation a source of
unhappiness.
But suppose we strike some other system
of worlds nearer than that of which Vega
Is the central luminaryi The nearest of the
fixed stars. Alpha Centauri. is about q. 000.-
100000. 0C0 OF miles away from us, or one
sixth of the distance of Vega Hence. IL we
were aimed directly at this nearest star
we would reach 1t, approximately. in about
$500 years. The celestial track. there
fore, il clear. 50 far as we can see through
the vista OF the near future.
Vega Is the brightest star In the constel-
lation of the Tyre or harp. It is brilliant
and blue. being above the first magnitude
in brightness. alpha Lyrae'' is its scien-
tific name. The Tyre is one OF the great
Northern consultations. At this time of
the year 1t falls below the horizon before
the sun sets. but in August it shines re-
splendent above our heads. Vega beams
at the upper end Of the constellation. Be-
low and to the left is a parallelogram of
four smaller stars.
These FIVE luminaries from the celestial
Tyre upon which Orpheus discoursed such
ravishing music that wild beasts forgot
their ferocity and gathered about him to
listen. while the rivers ceased to flow and
the very rocks and trees stood entranced.
Such powers were attributed to Orpheus's
harp by the ancient Greeks. Sut little did
they dream that the silen. melody of its
bejeweled strings could be so seductive as
to tempt our entire system of worlds to
follow IL onward. from millennium's end to
millennium's end. In their blissful ignor-
ance they believed the earth to be a fiat
disk. upon whose edges the solid dome OF
heaven shut snugiy down.
But how did the brain OF man ever learn
20 measure this motion of the solar sys-
TEN through space?
Sch a feat does not appear impossible
II we believe that astronomers are
now tracing the paths Of those far-distani
suns which we call stars.
To all appearances these suns of other
solar systems are themselves at rest In
the heavens. but observations OF their
positions made through generation and gen.
erations indicated that many have slow
straightforward motions. These invisible
motions are measured by Analysing the
light which they send to US. Light reall,
consists OF minute vibrations or waves il
the ether which fills all space. In tn,
length Of an inch there are from 10000 tC
10000 of these waves. Their speed is 81
rapid that they could encircle our eartl
seven times between two beats OF the clock
yet some vibrate more rapidly than others
HOW THEY WILL DO IT
Astronomers have perfected wonderful
instrument. known as the spectroscope
which analyses the light OF a given star
also the lengths OF certain of its ligh
waves.
Suppose that YOU are upon the platform
OF a railway station facing man who 1.
standing upon the rear OF a train The
man has tuning fork or organ pipe with
which he sounds constant note Thai
note sounds constant 10 you so long as the
train stands still. But II the train is NOV
ing away from you the note. though con
slant. sounds lower as IL reaches your ear,
because less waves per second are reachins
you. Now, II the train should stop ant
back toward you the note would grow high.