The National tribune., 1909-04-01
ASTRONOMICAL FACTS.
Past Department Commander Fair
back SURVEYS the Heavens.

Editor National Tribune: Around tt.haa
Sun centers the Solar system of worlds,
both the inner as well as the outer
planets. The neares. to the Sun are
Mercury, Venus, our small Earth, Mars,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
All Of these worlds revolve around our
Sun as regular as any clock. The fact
is that our Sun never sets,-but our
Earth in its movements on its orbits
produces night, day, and seasons.
The Sun, which gives US light, life and
heat is our reservoir of radiant energy.
The Sun gives us as much light as 6o0,-
600 full moons or two and a half bill
lions of the most powerful electric
lights; it is $500 times brighter and 81
times hotter than white hot pour
from Bessemer converter. 1t
travels with a velocity of 10000 miles
second. If its heat were distributed
uniformly in all latitudes it would an
nually. melt complete ice jacket ITO
feet thick. 1t is estimated by astrono-
mers that it's mass is 745 times that of
ali the planets in our solar system. 1t
is 900 miles in diameter, its surface
is 1000 times its volume, 100000 that
of the world on which we live; its
weight is equal to 332,0 of our Earth.
The Suns composition is largely made
up Of iron and metals more hard to dis
solve. The Suns gravity is 2,716 more
powerful than our planet; its distance
from our world between 92 and SO mil
lion miles. All of our Moons light, no
matter whether quarter or full Moon,
comes from the Suns rays. The Suns
entire composition is one heated mass
at all times in caldron of electric ac-
tvity. About every IL years on the
Suns surface appear openings so large
that our Earth could fall therein with
out touching the sides. The Suns func-
ton to the worlds of our Solar System
keeps them within their space distance.
In the heavens no orbs or satellites can
exist that are dead, for all dead matter
of whatever nature is drawn to the
Suns furnace for consumption, for the
Suns powerful magnetic attraction
keeps the worlds in their assigned
space. and has for billions of years and
will continue. All planets have within
them the fire and heat of gaseous mat
ter. A balloon when full of gas ascends
up in the air. When the gas is eX-
hausted it falls to the Earth. So would
dead moon or world fall TO the fiery
furnace of the Sun and be consumed.
Our Moon is 23S,000 miles distant from
us. 1t is not a dead planet. Its size is
one-thirteenth time as large as our
world. yet it has VOLCANOES, with noun
tains as high as the Rockies and Sea of
Moria 100000 miles in extent.
Our Satelllte is the first OF the inner
of the Solar System. Mars has two,
Neptune five, while Saturn has nine.
All of these orbs circulate within the at
mosphere of their mother planets, as
lapdog follow its mistress. There are
millions of suns and solar systems. The
nearest star or sun in the astronomers
calculation is Cyrus, $4,000. .000, 900
miles from us. 1t is the millions of suns
that light up the Milky Way, and but
for them the heavens at night would be
as dark and black as coal. The question
is, Are there more inhabited worlds
aside from ours? Why not, for Mars
Saturn, Neptune, the greater and larger
planets, have atmospheres, water, vege-
tation, all lighted, heated and provided
with as much of Gods conditions, so
that life. human and vegetable, can
exist as on our Earth.-Henry Fair
back. Past Department Commander,
$3.50 North Grand Avenue, st. Louis,
Mo.