Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-07-20
WORLD OF STARS
ISHAT FORMED
So Says Prof. Turner-Mlky
Way Is Equatorial
Belt

WASHINGTON, juno 21-A new
and amazing theory of The universe is
put forward by Pref i. II. Turner OF
the Royal Astronomical Society OF
England. He holds that the whole
community of ars. numbering. he
estimates. about 1000 900. 900. is sus-
pended in srsee in the shape of a
somewhat flattered globe. with the
Milky way for its equatorial belt.
Astronomers az the National Obser-
vatory here are engrossed by Prof.
Turner's view. which. they say. ex-
plains in a new way Prof. Kapetyn.s
theory that the universe is composed
of two vast parallel streams of stars
moving in opposite directions.
"If," SAYS PREF Turner, ..the earth's
distance from the sun De represented
by one inch, the nearest fixed star
would be aocut five miles away. The
whole community IF stars would then
be about the present size of our
earth and would contain about thou
sand million Stars III al. scattered
at distances soT'e miles apart, more
closely near the center and more
widely near the surface.
! Real Equator of Stars.
The general shape is. not SPHERE
| CAL Our earth is Hattened at the
poles, aud the star community is prob
ably more fattcned. But more Ser.
/, ious difference is tina; whereas the
earth has for equator only an imas-
mary line, the star community has a
/. very real and magnificent belt of ex-
| ira stars, which we call the Milky
Way.
Turning from dimensions and
shape to internal history we shall
| find a NOSE convenient contrast in
the solar system. We are accus-
toned to the absolute tyranny of the
sun. to whose control we all submit,
keeping at assigned distances from
him and receiving benefits in the
shape of light and heat But the star
community is pure democracy,
where control is vested in the con-
munity at large, though it's effective
seat is in their center.
mo particular light or heat eman-
ates from the seat o. government
which is. however, occupied for a
brief spell by every star In turn The
outermost are urged toward the cen,
ter by a unanimous vote; but as they
respond to the behest they gradually
become Indifferent to the contrary
calls of the outer stars and are at
fected only by those nearer the center
than themselves. The center Is, how.
ever, only reached to be abandoned.
and the journey continues to the other
side of the cluster, when the return
commences.
Smaller Excursions. sls
But the majority 40f the stars do
not make this extreme Journey They.
are content with smaller excursions
from side to side.b Our sun is one of
these, and probably never strays fur
Their than a quarter OF the far limits
Our whole oscillation, if we may trust
precarious estimates. - -aoeuts 60;;-
600 900 years, and we passed near the
which - m the constella-
ton Taurus, s "a distance of about
ninety light years from US somethins
more than a million years ago. In
this more crowded region did We
meet with vicissitudes of interest to
GeologistS?'
According to Prof Turner'S idea,
the stars with their satellites and
planetary systems. travel back and
forth from one side to the other OF
the star community not in ordinary
elliptical orbits, but in very much
flattened ellipses, and their pendulum
like swing is due to the preponder-
ating attraction of the star masses
at the center of the star community.
His notion that no particular light
or heat emanates from the seat OF
government" that is, the central part
Of the star community, raises a query
which no astronomer here is come !,
tent to answer.
Little Chance of Smash.
What then is there at the center OF !
the universe? May it De the throne
of Supreme Intelligence that rules
creation? There is at least no evi-
dence to the contrary.
The chance that any two of the
billion stars will smash into each
other in their oscillations is very
small. Prof. Turner thinks. AS to the
actual dimensions of the star COM
munity. the mileage is too stupendOus
for the common mind to contemplate.
The diameter of The community would
95,00a.00O million miles
1.-THE distance from the earth to- the
sum K $3.50 (the number of inches
in a mile) < 5000 1.-THE diameter Of
the earth = 1888 200, 600, 100000, or
over :forty-eight quintillion miles
The distances in the universe are
so vast that no telescope has ever
actually revealed the disc of fixed
star. All that is shown in the most
reflector is mere point OF
light without any definite outline.
Each fixed star is regarded by a.
tronomers as a sun, the center of its
,,rrr planetary system b