The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-14
7Z1t1 lZ4/P AHE NrW CulzU nc HM
fpopynshs, 1910, ~ ". q. chspnSn,,
tCopyrighs ~ poublsday = Mcclure company)

+ was On the nrst day Of the
-kl ~ that the announcement naads, almost
HN u simultaneously from three pbservatories
a - Inst the motion Of tho planet Neptune.
the outermost Of all the planets that
6G1{3oA wheeled about the sun. had become orr
y2eT9AH rattle ogilvy had already called attsn-
ton to suspected retardation 10 its
veiscity Ia Dscsmber. Such piece OF news was
scarceiy caicuisted 70 interest world greater
portion Of whose Inhabitants were unaware Of the
existence OF the planet Neptune. nor outside the
profession did the subsequent discovery
Of faint remote speck of light In the region OF the
psrturbed planet cause any great excitement
Scientific people. found the intelligence re-
marksble enough, before II became known that
the body rapidly growing larger and brighter
that motion was quite different from the orderly
progress OF the planets. and that the detection OF
Neptune and Its satellite becoming now. OF an
unprecedented kind.
Few people without q training in science
alike the huge isolation solar system The sun
is impapabie comets swins in vacant immensely
that almost defeats the Imagination Beyond the orbit
es Neptune there L. spsce-yaeant 50 far as human
observation has penetrated. without warmth or Hight
sound, blank emptiness for twenty million times
million miles. That Is the smallest estimate Of the
distances to be travefsed before the nearest Of the
stars Is attained. And. saving few comets more
unsubstaniia than the thinnest flame, matter had
to human knowledge crossed this gulf of
until early In the tweneth century this strange wan
derer appeared
vast mass Of matter II vas. bulky. heavy. rush
Ing Without warming out OF tfie black mystery OF t
sky into the radiance Of the sum- BY the second day
1t clearly visible decent instrument a
.peck with barely sensible diameter. In the
steiation Leo Regulus. In little while opera
glass could attain 1t.
On the third day OF the year the newspaper
readers OF two hemispheres were made for the
hrst time OF the real Importance OF this unusual
partition In the heavens. A Planetary Collision.
London paper headed the news and proclaimed Du-
ehaine's opinion that this strange planet would
probably collide with Neptune. The leader writer's
enlarged upon the topic So that In most Of the
ltais Of the world. Jan. 3, there expecta-
lion, however vague. Of imminent phenomenon
the sky: and the night followed the
round the globe thousands of turned their eyes
skyward to see-the old familiar stars just they
had always been.
Until 1t dawn In London and Poiiux setting. ana
the stars overhead grown pale The winters dawn 1t
sicky altering accumulation OF daylight, and
the light of and candies shone yellow in
windows show where people astir. But
yawning policeman the thing. the busy crowds
In the market stopped agape. workmen going
work betmes milkmen the drivers OF news Carts
sipaton going home iaacd and pale homeless wan.
aesers, senttnels their heats. and the eoantry
iaborers trudgng nneid. poachers sinking home.
the dusky auickening eountry II caua he aee--
and out at by seamen watching for tie Gpy -
great white star, suddcnly te t.as, SARA
sky.