Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-11-22
PROBLEMS OF SPACE
eNIGMAs THAT SCIENCE IS STPIVNG
TO SOLVE.

The Question of an Inlnity of
Worlds and Their Distribution In
Infinity of Spacc-Distance of the
Nearest External Universe.
There can be no subject more cal
culated to impress mans mind with
his own insignificance compared with
the overwhelming power and glory of
his Creator than the study and con-
temptation of the armament in all its
boundless inhnity. 1t is not to be
wondered at that from the earliest
ages the subject has never failed to
exercise a fascination over men and
that those who by their genius and
learning have most nearly succeeded
IN solving its mysteries have always
been reverenced and esteemed TO be
among the wisest men of their day,
More has been done within the last
fifty years than in all the rest of the
worlds history toward the piercing Of
the veil which shuts off from our eyes
the beauties and mysteries of faroff
realms, and doubtless by means Of the
spectroscope and increased size in the
lenses Of our telescopes we shall be
enabled before long to unravel still
more secrets of the universe.
The question as to whether space is
finite or infinite can never be satisfac-
torly argued out or indeed even
thought OF, for the human mind is in
capable of grasping the existence Of a
limit to space, even In its most abb
stract form, but the question Of the in
finity of worlds and their distribution
In the infinity of space lies more close
ly within the scope of human intellect,
for we have many material facts and
calculations to go upon In discovering
the probable answer to this most fas-
cinating question.
Only as far back as the seventeenth
century astronomers placed the num-
Der of stars in the universe as little
over 1000, but this was absurd, as the
real number visible TO the naked eye Is
about 1000, and perhaps treble that
number can be seen by persons with
exceptionally good eyesight. When the
through a telescope the number of visi-
BILE stars is enormously increased. In
| fact. It has been calculated that the
most powerful reveals as many as
1OO0O0,000! Yet what is that vast
number compared with infnity? 1t
cannot even be likened to a grain Of
sand on the seashore, and yet IL we
think the matter out carefully we shall
see that the number Of visible stars
cannot really be infinite, for If they
were the heavens would be a complete
| blaze Of light This, Of course, We
know Is far from being the case, and
| indeed there cannot be any doubt that
In certain parts Of the heavens at least
the number of visible stars Is already
known, for even with the very stron-
gest telescopes there are blank spaces
which are absolutely devoid Of stars
below a certain magnitude or even the
yeriest trace of nebulous light.
These spaces are known to astrono-
mers by the name Of coal sacks
They contain no stars fainter than the
| twelfth magnitude and. In fact, appear
to mark those parts Of the universe
which are comparatively thin. On the
other hand. In other parts Of the heav-
ems we have not by any means reached
the limit Of telescope resOlvability. It
| is curious. though. that these intensely
dark holes" in the bright empyrean
are mostly to be found In those parts
of the heavens where most stars
abound. notably in the Milky Way.
These remarkable blank spots have
been a favorite theme Of discussion
and argument among all astronomers,
for whatever the real shape or dis
tribution of that universe may be, they
point to the almost certain inference
that in particular direction at least
there Is an actual limit to the number
of stars. and If there is limit in one
direction we have every right to sup
pose that such Is the case In others.
and that we have only to wait for
telescopes strong enough to resolve
those parts which are still unresolva-
Bile to discover that a point can be
reached when all the stars of the uni
verse are unfolded to our gaze.
IT. now. we admit that the number
of visible stars is limited, the next
question TO be asked IS. What IS the
order or shape of their distribution
Various astronomers have had various
theories about this matter. HerscheI
was inclined to think that the visible
universe was In the shape Of a disk
though his views in this direction were
considerably modified during the later
part of his life Struve considered that
the universe was in the shape Of disk
Of limited thickness, but infinite length
theory which is hard to support, as
unless the ultimate extinction Of light
In space is believed in, that part ol
the heavens which lay toward the
plane of the disk would necessarily
shine with the brightness Of the sun
Proctor though finding it impossible t(
define any particular shape for the Wis
ible universe. as a whole, was Of the
opinion that the brightest part Of 1t
namely, the Milky Way-was in th'
form Of a spiral This latter theory
| however, HAS ildllN OpJNNt'h9 W NNiA
tend with Other astronomers have
had different theories on this question
but ALL or nearly all, appear to admi
an ultimate limit to the size of the visi
BILE universe, or, in other words, believe
that the galaxy Of worlds which sur
round us form, IN fact but an islet II
the vast infinity of space.
1t would appear at first sight tha
any attempt to solve the question o
the existence Of external galaXles AM
their distance was absolutely futile, ye
such is not the case The result Of CA
culation IS that the nearest CXterna
universe is so far distant that ligh
from It travelling at the speed Of 1856
600 miles a second would take nearl