The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-08-06
JGPACE U NOT
EMPTY. SAYS SEE
Vast Resisting Medium OF
Nebulosity Causes Vari-
able Stars

IT was announced yesterday by Prof.
T. j. ]. See, United States navy. as
tronomer in charge OF the naval OBJ
servatory at Mare island, that he had
succeeded In establishing the general
cause of variable stars For the last
two years Professor See has been Occu-
pied with extensive researches in COS
rpical evolution. which have given an
entirely new aspect to the nebular by
pothesis and have become celebrated
under the name of the capture theory.
A great astronomical work by him,
which has been in preparation for
many years. is nearing completion.
The main cause invoked to explain
the round form of planetary orbits and
other heavenly motions is a resisting
medium. of nebulous material which Is
shown to be dirused everywhere in
space.
Within the last 10 years many hun.
bred variable stars have been discov-
cred in star clusters, especially at Har-
ward college observatory by Pickering
and Bailey. Some of these have been
critically studied by Barnard Of the
Yerkes observatory at Chicago. and the
periods of the light variation found to
be as regular as motion OF the most
perfect clock, so that the huctuation Of
light OF these variables could be used
to measure time almost as accurately as
the rotation of the earth about its axis.
In certain clusters the variables are to
be counted by hundreds, while in others
very few can be found.
Heretofore this fact has been very
perplexing to astronomers. After care
fully investigating all facts Professor
See finds that cluster variablss are suns
attended by planets which revolve
in proximity IN short periods and
every time they pass through peri
helion plunge into a resisting medium
OF nebuiosity so that the light sudden
ly blazes up and afterward dies down
more gradually. When the planet Is
sweeping over the aphelion portion of
It's eccentric orbit the light OF the vari-
able Is normal, but the eonhagration
is repeated every time 1t returns 10
perihelion. Some clusters are full OF
nebuIosity. while others are quite free
from it. and, according to Professor See.
this accounts for the abundance of
variables in certain clusters and their
almost total absence in others.
The cluster variables are the antithe-
sis of algol variables, where a dark
satellite cuts OFF light. and they have
| therefore been called antalgol vartables
| by the German astronomer Hartwig
| Professor See says he had established
| also the cause Of the new stars which
now and then blaze forth in the heav-
| ems. The new stars blaze forth in con-
| sequence OF actual collisions with plan
cts revolving about them. The fixed
stars generally are now proved to be
attended by systems OF planets similar
to those which revolve about the sun.
All these results have been carefully
| investigated by Professor See He
shows by mathematical calculation that
any star, such as our sun, will in the
| long run have collision once in a hun
| dred billion years.
| The great length of the periods be-
! tween these collisions shows that in
| general such catastrophes do not affect
| the safety of the universe.