The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-11-13
NO GREAT CALAMITY WILL
RESULT FROM STAR GROUPING

The Plainvicw News, The Avail
anche and several other papers over
this section Of country published an
article recently that created quite
stir and much comment. This arti-
Gle predicted some dire results from
the effect Of the coming together OF
number Of the planets, which oc-
currence was predicted would be
about the 18th Of December.
One Of the News readers took the
pains 10 write to o. H. Truman, Of
the Lowell Observatory, at Flagstaff.
Arizona, as 10 the matter. Prof.
Truman is one OF the worlds most
eminent astronomers and presides
over one Of the greatest observator-
les in the world. His opinions are
more weighty on astronomical mat
tiers than any or all Of the so-called
weather prophets. Prof. Humans
letter is dated Nov. and is as fol-
lows:
IL had not heard Of the article by
Foster to which you refer, but have
/ lust answered some similar inquiries
TO yours in regard to another article
/ BY a man named Porter, along the
same lines as Fosters.
I at is fact that on Dec. II, and
/ for some days before and after that
date. six Of the planets, Neptune, Sa-
turn, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and
/ Venus, will be roughly in the same
direction from the sun, Uranus in
/ the opposite direction and the earth
somewhere near at right angles.
L.. -. a la
grouping, though nothing but cal
culation which it would take too long
TO make would tell how often II oc-
ours. should think, nevertheless,
that this grouping or others equally
remarkable must have happened sew
eral times in the course of recorded
history.
However, no bad results are to
be feared from it. There is no evil
dence Of any influence Of the planets
either upon the sun or the earth; ;
no evidence that they produce sun
spots, for example; and 1t is highly
improbable that they do. And sun
spots have no influence on the wealth
er Of the earth, of which anyone
knows Great spots have often hap
pened, without any bad effects.
"Sun spots occur most frequently
at times averaging about i years
apart; at these times there is a gen
eral increased activity in the sun, Of
which the spots are only symptom;
there is a slightly greater emission
Of heat; Northern Lights on the
earth are frequent; magnetic
storms" by which il meant not
thunder storms, but unusual varia-
lions in the magnetism Of the earth,
are common; and occasionally the
electric currents set up in the earth
are such as TO put the wire telegraph
out of commission for hours at a
time. | remember one case, for ex-
ample, where the east and west wires
in eastern Canada could not be work
ed at all for several hours, while the
north and south lines were not af-
fected Then as the solar maximum
passes, all these activities slowly die
down: and in due time build them
selves up again for the next maxi
mum. But nothing dangerous or de-
structive happens.
Il think il is too bad that such
stories as that you read gain wide
circulation People believe them
they have no reason to do anything
else; and IL no other harm results,
when these terrifying predictions fail
TO materialize, science as whole is
discredited There are as many dis
reputable men in proportion IN the
scientific world or at least posing as
scientists. as there are any place else
and no more.
II am glad you gave me a chance
to in some degree remove the bad
effects Of such an article"