Evening star., 1909-03-04
GREAT CELESTIAL CAvERNS
DEPTHS IN THE SKY NO TELES-
COPE CAN FATHoM.
Straight Paths Through Space Along
Which No Stars Are Seen
to Shine.

From the Literary Digest
1t has been known to astronomers for
many years that there are depths in the
sky that no telescope can fathom. II
this means that there are stars in
these places, there must exist straight
starless paths through space. leading di-
rectly away from the earth, and these
must either be OF infinite length. or else
there is some medium in space capable
of absorbing light. This latter alterna-
tive astronomers have always been very
reluctant to admit. for "a light absorbing
medium would doubtless resist the mo-
tion OF the heavenly bodies. and We have
good evidence that such obstruction does
not take place. The latest theory seems
to be that these 'holes in the sky are
only apparently empty: that they are
really full OF what may be called dark
nebulae. says contributor TO the
Revue ScientitiQue.
Dark Void Spaces.
NO one can observe the starry sky.
through the telescope, on a clear night,
without being struck by the existence
of certain dark void spaces. which form.
here and there. large black spots in the
midst of the luminous star-dust, espec-
tally in the milky way
Various hypothesis have been advanc-
ed 10 explain these strange appearances
Inc simplest of all Is that we have here
celestial deserts, altogether without
stars Nevertheless, We learn from the
Bulletin of the French Astronomical So
clety that the eminent American astron-
omer r.. +. barnard of the Yerkes OBJ
servatory. has advanced another hypothe-
Sis. which is very interesting not only
because 1t is new. but because, in case
IL is verified by subsequent observation. it
VIII sensloly modify our ideas OF the
structure of the universe.
Theories of the Abysses.
Some astronomers have supposed that
these abysses are not only without stars.
but that they are darker than the sur
rounding sky. Others attribute this ap-
pearance to the effect of contrast. which
would cease if the nearer stars should
disappear. Now, according to Mr. Bar
nard. these abysses have objective exist.
ence. and are filled with nebulous matter
They are empty of stars, but not of SUBJ
stance, and reveal to us, in certain re-
glons OF space. the existence of dark.
nebulOuS SubStratum.
Since the hypothesis Of Laplace Uhe
nebular hypOthesis) has been opposed by
that of Lockyer. that is. by the meteoritic
hypothesis, according to which the neb-
ulae are not necessarily destined to de-
velop into suns. 1t seems probab BILE that
these sidereal formations of gaseous mat
ter, like the stars themselves. are not
eternal: that they are born and disappear.
and that after their death they may re
main obscure and invisible i'm the shades
OF space. except when their presence is
revealed to us by the absorption that they
exert on the light of more distant stars.
"On the other hand. the connection that
exists between the nebulae and the celes-
tial voids, the strange fact that the outer
layers of a nebula seem to melt into the
darkness of the sky. as if this obscurity
were something really tangible-ali these
peculiarities. even now little known.
will doubtless some day aid in revealing
to us the real constitution of the uni
verse;