The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1910-03-19
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SWIRL Of
Stars.
BY Garrett p. 5erviss.


| uuCe5 more ana more mafFelS TOT Oul
contemplation.
One OF the latest is suggested by
the discovery that there are in GER
tain parts OF the sky groups Of stars
which are all rushing headlong away
from the solar system In manner
which indicates that some extraord-
mary cause underlies their commu-
nifty OF motion. Thus Il has been
found that a large number OF stars
In the constellation Taurus are all
flying away from US like a flock OF
birds.
II is a question whether many OF
the star clusters that we see may
not have been formed by the attrac-
ton OF some huge invisible body
which has passed through the region
OF space where they are now seen,
and has drawn them together
We know that bodies OF that kind
exist In surprisingly great numbers,
and are undetected except through
their effects upon visible stars near
them. Some of these bodies seem TO
have captured bright stars and
made prisoners OF them SO that they
are unable to get away
There is reason to believe that
there is one OF these mysterious mon
sters OF space near the Pole Star,
forcing Il to revolve in great orbit
about It,
There is another close TO the star
Algol. which is partially eclipsed by
its dusly companion every two days.
Capella, one OF the most brilliant
stars in the sky. has dark neigh
Dor dragging 1t about, and there are
others in the same TX.
But II is possible that one OF these
immense projectiles OF space might,
in its rush, draw a large number OF
stars into it's wake, thus causing
them to drift together and form a
group
How this would come about can be
appreciated by any one who Will
place himself at the rear end OF a
fast express train and watch the dry |
leaves spinning In from all sides and
chasing after the train in a flying |
cloud
The rushing train sets up air cur
rents which suck in the leaves and |
dust The flying dark star effects
similar result by drawing other
smaller stars toward It. Their course
changes with the progress OF the
body that Is attracting them. It goes
on so swiftly that It has passed be-
yond before they can overtake Il,
and then they fall in behind It, all
obeyinr the impulse that II has Inn
parted 10 them, and drawing together
like the leaves following the train.
Seen from the earth, nearly along
the line that the passing body has
followed, they present the appearance
OF a group, or cluster and the
shows, by the shifting
OF their spectral lines. that they
are all flying away together. although
the body that set them in motion 10
invisible.
OF the existence OF such projectile
stars there is not the slightest doubt.
Some OF them are not dark, but
clearly Visible, and their speed Is
and unaccountaele.
One OF these Is the celebrated star
called 1880 Groombrldge." which Is
known TO be speeding straight
through space at a speed OF probably
800 miles per second.
A very remarkable one Is the star
Arcturus, which. according 20 some
measurements, Is flying ahead 200
miles per second. A body as mas
slye as Arcturus. which exceeds the
sun at least 1000 times, would In
passing through region OF space
where smaller stars abound, throw
them into swirl. and draw them
after II. although they would be I'M
able either TO arrest or to oyeriake