Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-04-04
Billions Of Worlds in the Sky
aarrstt p. aervlas.

|
'- Garrett r. ssrviss
COME ono wants 70 know il the other suns stars
- that make in the unlvefao have planets feYoiY'
ing around thou Ike our sun believe that
they DO but my belief Is not based on direct visual
evidence, II Ia a matter Of inference and Of n high
degree n probability N on u summer night ! see
n swarm Of Insects circng around an electric iisat
ana down tho street ! perceive other electric light
feel justified in concluding that they too, are nfob-
ably surrounded by fascinated Insects although on
account u the distance the insects may not be w..
ible, So when we leok into the sky. we see REMOTE
suns diminished 10 starry points by distance, AMI
since our sun Is known 70 have attendant planets
hold IN their orbits by tho sums attraction, ~ IL fea'
sonabls to suppose that those other suns also arc
similarly onclrcod
This reasoning Ia based upon the known facts that
the stars ana The sun are similar IN their compost
ton that tho stars possess the same Rfavitatipna
attraction tha characterize our sun, that they ra'
dise light ana heat and other forms NJ onersy iurt
no sun does apd that thoy nll appear 10 have
originated according 10 ono general law ~ evolution,
differing only ~ details
Whether WI adopt the old tnplaesan theory ~
ths origin ~ solar systems, or tho later pangeH1e
theory the result Is virtually tho Same, FOR IN both
cases central body N sum ~ formed With subsl.
diary bodies revolving around ~
~ course tho comparison Of insects efelibg around
electric lights must not bo pushed TOO far The IN
scots are, IN ihor origin independent ~ tho lights
ana drawn 10 them by attraction different
from graduation, while the planets sprung from
tho original rotating swrling mass that gave
birth 10 their particular sun.
In tho process of condemnation that formed the sun
the materials NJ which the planets consist WIRE left
outside the central condemnation and hoy condensed
into smaller bodies which continue 10 sweep arouD1
ia aatD fail nj tHa
formation ~ the system, they acquired motions not
directed fBdally toward the common e9nter.
Il IL conceivable that there may DO stars that have
no planstB because, owing 10 special circumstances
al tho material outside this central condemnation WhA
gathered into A. Just 30 there might be electric
lights that had no insects flying around them be-
cause owing 10 local condition. there we're no IN
soctA In the nolRhborh0od
nut IL general, II IN safo 10 assume that tho stars
are The centsrs Of planetary systems Among tho
exceptions may be Tho large number Of stars which
are known N he double suns, eirolng around their
common cenar. Ike two daneers holding 0ne another
NJ arms enRth, In such sysem the oontending
attractions would probably draw all planets, or all
the materials from which planets might have been
formed into one or the otner Of The twinnod suns
our sun II q small one There are others hundreds
OF times afcotet Those gigantic suns may have Ays'
TENS of planets vasty Rrander than oufs. We arc
Inhabitants II th6tebed cottage In nero hamlet ~
space the bcinRa who live in those glorious solar
systems dwell In the palaces Of mighty capital
nut there Ia another fact about the stars when
should always be kept In mint and that IA that none
on them stands fast Tho whole universe u alive
With motion. All tho stars arc spinning through
space like hrong Of racing lceboas. gliding hlthsr
and thithor the frozen ezpanns o. lake
The gaam Of white sails, the glitter ~ steel rum
nerA the flash ~ Furnished rails, the swift, curve
ing paths thrown into oyals orclss,, ellpses para
bolas-s those animated scenes arc repeated by the
stars In tho heavens but only for the eye OF being
10 whom thousand years are m the tick OF sec
ond TO us the stars motionlsss IN their
spheres as the speeding iesboats seem motlonleas to
tho photographic plate nstantansoualy exposed but
when We link % the observations OF centuries WI
find that tho consultations are dissolvng ana re-
forming like clouds All those millions Of suns with
their hundreds OF millions or planets are 80 many
dancing notes in The sunshine 81 eternity
Sometimes dhough rarelyl, we have fenAon to be
leys one star crosses anothers path, bringing them
40 near together that N actual collision does not
occur their planets are sent dying Into new orbits
and Il ia possible that In such circumstances world
revolving on the outaklra Of Us system may be
snatehed away 10 become member Of another solar
family or the turmoil In the two aystena may be 10
great that many planets are sent crashing together
or hurled into the flames Of their own sun