The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-09-29
SPEED OF STARS
Through Heavens-SOme OF The Less
Luminous and Older Attain Amaz-
Ing Speed OF Two Hundred
Miles o Second.
New York Evening SUM-

New York Evening Sum-
So enormous are stellar distances
that casual observers of the heavens
would never suspect that the fixed"
stars, as they are often called, are ac-
tually moving, or rather rushing,
through the universe. with velocities
measured by miles per second and ex-
cceding the swiftest fight of a can
non ball.
A few exceptional stars spoken OF
as runaway" have the almost incon-
ceivable velocity of 100 to 200 miles
per second Stellar velocities from 10
to 20 miles Sc und are common, and
many stars, especially those that arc
extremely faint are moving with velo-
cities more than double this amount
There seems strong grounds for be-
lief that a decrease in the brightness
of the stars Is accompanied by in
crease of speed. The brighter and
younger stars are comparatively slug
gsh and as star increases in age
and passes its zenith of brightness its
luminosity falls away with cooling
temperature and its speed increases.
The dark stars, of whose existence we
now have many proofs, are doubtless
travelling through space much more
rapidly than their brilliant neighbors.
How Unreasonable must be the dis
lance that separates the stars from
each other and from us that they can
continue their journeys without inter
fering with each others motions in the
least It has been stated as a law OF
stellar motions that the stars pursue
their paths through the inverse in de-
pendently and uninfiuenced in the
main by each others presence.
OF course systems of double or null
tiple stars, and systems like our own
solar system, which consists of cen
trail sun encircled by dark satellites,
have their relative motions undisturb-
ed by the outward motion which is
shared by all. The entire system in
such case is translated through
space as a single unit.
Collisions between stars are rare.
1t is believed that the flashing forth of
Temporary" stars in caused by the
collision or near approach of stars or
possibly by the passage of star
through dark or family luminous neb-
ulous matter, but within the last 2,0O0
years not more than a score OF tenn
porary stars have been noted. So
stupendous is the scale upon which the
universe is fashioned that the millions
and millions of stars, nebulae and star
clusters that compose 1t evidently
pursue their journey onward cease
lessly and rapidly with no deviation
from a straight line and undisturbeG
in the slightest degree by neighborine
stars. Orbital revolutions exist in
double and multiple star systems, but
the motion onward through the stellar
universe OF these systems as well rs
single stars shows no tendency what
ever TO follow a closed curve. We have
not the slightest reason for suspectine
that there is a central sun in the stel-
lar system. All observed stellar mo-
lions. with no exceptions, are rectili
near or Straightforward. II is possible
that stars may at times actually col
Tide or approach so closely that they
are disintegrated but we would con-
clude from observation that such cases
are the exception rather than the
rule.