The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-14
VI

We must not think that our solar system
N the only organized and amir mated system
in the world There are SIX thousand stars
visible 90 the naked eve those. namely
that are classified IN the fret six orders
~ magnitude Good telescopes enable
us 10 see stars down 20 the eleventh mag
nitude and show several million stars in
the sky some So distant that II takes :. OD
years for a raw ~ light from them 10 reach
us In the midst 81 this swarm ~ worlds
the Milky Way alone gives VS. the impress
sion 81 continuity. appearing to us as an
immense ring. and apparently alone rep
-enting order in the chaos ~ the universe
In reality IL represents order more than
would appear from superficial examina-
tion In order To understand the Milky
Way il - necessary "a abandon the old
idea Of a spherical armament studded nh
stars and With the earth for is centre
The stars are IN reality assembled IN the
form 81 two rings. slightly inclined 20
each other. and We know only the in.
terror - these rings. which alone are aC.
resHibls to our most poN"rful optical in
str,imentS our solar svHtsn - situated
within these rings but does not occupy
tn. centre and pur sun II relatively
small unit in the stellar world. The two
rings Of stars appear Ia uz like two milky
trails. which seen from the position We
occupy rarity hide each other causing
one third ~ the VI ilkv Way 20 seem doubt.
Its stars appear 10 present the geometrical
regularity 81 system subject 10 n general
Law Of attraction. and the central sun con
trolling II has been located as Alcyone IN
the constellation ~ th" Pleiad.s Bu,
while this IL supposed 10 lie tho central
sun ~ our stellar system u ~ not tn he
as controlling the motions -
the universe ~ our sun controls the mo
tions % the planets which circl" round ~
A very great variety Of types IL found
in the sky. beginning with ~" ncbuIr.
which look hk" white milky clouds
About 500 Of them ara known and new
ones are discovered every year T. has
~ far heen impossible Ia measure their
from Is. which - certainly az
the ends Of the world. hut they have been
studied With the sT'ec'roscopr and appear
10 I've matter IN stat" ~ gas or vapor
and to constitute the primordal form ~
matter in cpurSe ~ condensation There
are many transition forms hetwcrn the
purely gaseous nehuls and the star PROP
erly 80 called Ono ~ the most remark
able forms IL the globular clusters which
look to the naked eye like single stars
hut which We ar" forced 10 regard a.
systems Then there are
differences ~ celebration. which appear 10
b. rotated To temperature Thus oue
group in Orion II composed NJ SIX STAR,
~ which two are white ono - blue. m
other wine rod. another dark red and one
pale gray. blue. white. green. yellow and
rod hcing tho successive stage ~ Cnol-
ing in the downward scale
But u ~ to tho study - IN" variable
bright stars that W owe "ur m.st stig-
s.,stive discoveries. Ieiter than airy other
i, lea y uA 20 reslils the ~ tcrsity ~ life
which Ar imAis- the plaIrs nj the hesve-s
Sometimes stars previously URN ovn
burst irto light there are ~" I'w ~
Temporary stars. ~ 'Ell-d cCruse icy
seem torn orb to i"T' or" estir gtIisl 81
Dr to hecnIn~ rarely Visr,l" Oth"rs.
Agair. vary Win ~ ~olut" regularity.
Nlgpl In tho cprst"llaion q Ferrous
icing one 80 thcre which follow, q law II
,Iiraine simplicity II b, . star 81 cnr-
.iart hrightrs-g, q f"rrupt"'i by 'ciIIr.~
JuTiug tw" days ard = half it, hrightr 49,
lO,s not vary and IL n 81 the second mag