Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-25
Awful Majesty of the Stars

TT NBwcoMB's estimate Of the position Of the
i apex OF the suns motion, about -four degrees
from VEGA, is Substantially correct then that
star IL. at the present moment about fourteen
times a. far from US as Il is perpendoulsrly. from
the path Of the sun. extended in a straight line
through space.
supposing Vega either 20 stand fast and walt for
us. move In direction along q line parallel
TO the track OF the SUM- Il would. at its point Of
nearest approach. be about fourteen times nearer
than II 10 now. and since the intensity OF light varies
inversely the Of the distance, Vega would
then be 1ixl4 1856 times as bright a. Il s at pres
ent That would make It nearly forty times as
bright Sirius. the most brilliant star now visible
TO In the entire sky
It's heat radiation and ts gravitstional influence
upon the earth would be increased In the same
ratio But neither Of the two last named effects
would be noticeable. although II would be possible
10 with delicate instruments the amount OF
heat received from Vega, indeed. II is possible
even at its present distance.
But in fact the motion OF Vega, although II has
large component directed toward us, is, as whole
not parallel TO the suns path. that II Will never
approach close the calculation above shows.
Even IL It did the would not become its
satellite. notwithstanding the fact that Vega Is prob
ably many times massive than the But
very careful observations might show how much tho
sun swayed frem its steady course by the great
stars attraction Every star IN the universe sxerts
some Influence upon every other star Many are
united in close unions doublets. triplets, quad
but yet IL Of the virtually independent
wanderers.
2-Dven if Vega we're at the nearest point above
calculated it would still be about - 1000 900 miles
away equal TO 6oooOoo times its diameter giving
the latter its highest probable vaiue) so that Its
angular diameter 20 the eye would be only one
thirteth Of second OF or less than 600OOth
OF the angular diameter Of the moon. II would far
outshne every other star. but yet II would be only
a starry point Of amazing briianco
3-The fact that the most swiftly moving stars
the Oldest Is OF the newest discoveries of
tronomy The for II Is obscure perhaps the
most probable explanation is that the older stars
have been longer subject TO the aoceeration grav
ity produced by the attraction Of their eompeers.
Investigations Of the grandest character are now
under way concerning the equilibrium of the entire
universe under the play OF its myriad-handed internal
forces. Most fascinating giimpses OF stellar
Citations have already been obtained through these
studies
There appear TO be societies among the star 3;
travelling companions found in the star depths,
sometimes separated, from the EARTH by the
entire breadth OF the sky. but ali along the same
way In space, n linked by invisible chains or
governed by some acknowledged principle of common
destiny. Sirius has its company. Of which by virtue
OF it's brightness, it may be called leader, and
some Of whose members are as far away. a star
chart Ursa Major
Algenb, or Alpha Persel. is in a similar sense
the leader Of another band OF star Argonauts Many
Of the stars OF the constellation Taurus form another
hhsoclatlon, whose members are notable for their
great relative size. company OF big fellows thirty.
nine In number.
I'm the vicinity of the SUM-" says A. s. Edding-
ton. we have nothing to compare with this collection
OF magnificent orbs" The smallest Is ten times IA
bright as the sun and the largest a hundred times
This cluster Is moving away from us now Elghl
hundred thousand years ago Il was twice as near al
Il is at present; in @.ooooo years It will be a giim-
msrins speek in distant space bit Of starry gauge
covering an area less than half that filled by the
moons disk.
The motions going in the universe about IA
are stupendous beyond thought. The suns swing IN
orbits OF ncaleulabe magnitude and form ana vet
all goes ON orderly, systematically INCREASINGLY Ana
In the midst Of the mighty eddies drives the earth
Ike speck OF dust dropped the glttering ocean