Evening star., 1937-06-26
NEW CLOUD SHEDS
LIGHT ON CREATION
Great Celestial Body OF
Stars Discovered by
Lowell Scientist.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Study of the most remarkable
cloud Of exGra- -galactic nebulae so far
experienced" was reported to the
American Association for the Ad-
vancement OF Science meeting in Den
yer today by DR.. Clyde w. Tombaugh
Of the Lowell Observatory.
DR.. Tombaugh, discoverer OF the
new planet, Pluto, came upon this
celestial cloud, whose particles are
stars and systems of stars, while max
ing a systematic Photographic survey
OF the northern heavens. Parts Of IT
have been noted before, but he was
able to determine its true shape and
magnitude for the first time.
The existence of such concentra-
ton with relatively easy observing
distance. DR.. Tombaugh said, offers
an opportunity for obtaining definite
evidence on philosophical problem
which hitherto has been unsolvable
There are two schools of thought. he
said, regading the origins Of things
One holds that creation as it now ex-
tsts-the millions OF galaxies Of stars
tilling all space-had a definite be-
ginning. Once, it is maintained, mat
ter was equally distributed through
out space which must have been
very close to vacuum. Then, for
some unknown reason, it began to
condense about certain points, and
from these condensations resulted
stars, planets and the great galaxies
themselves. Relatively spec king. it is
held. this didn't happen so i ag ago
only few billions Of years.
'Ceaseless Cycles Of Change"
The other school holds that the uni
verse had no beginning-but that the
energy and matter composing it un-
dergo ceaseless cycles of change. Stars
and galaxes die and are born again,
but always as parts OF celestial pat
tern which has been everlasting and
in which expressions OF time have no
meaning.
If the former view is correct, DR..
Tombaugh said. one might expect to
find vast expanses of almost absolute
emptiness adjacent to rich clusters
and clouds of nebulae because OF the
draining away of material. Other
wise there should be a random dis
tribution OF matter.
The great celestial cloud close to
the Milky Way, he believes. may
constitute sufficient segment Of crea-
tion to test these two hypothesis by
actual observation. Up to the pres
eyt. he said, his studies do not ex-
hibit any very definite evidence OF
the depicting of outlying zones to
form the clusters. But there are vast
regions relatively barren which may
have been caused by the gathering
Of material to form the clouds OF
nebulae.
Studies of the distribution Of
nebulae, both apparent and real. are
only well begun. The task OF secur-
ing long exposure photographs OF large
areas Of the sky-penetrating to the
remotest depths Of space-is An enor-
NOUS one. The problem may well
engage the time and skill Of many in
vestigators for decades to come"
Describes Discovery.
DR.. Tombaugh described As followi
the remarkable cloud" shown by his
pls teS:
The apparent shape OF this cloud
Of nebulae Is that OF a great stratum
curved somewhat like an arc. the
eoncavity facing the Milky Way to
the north. 1t is about IS degrees
long and from 10 10 degrees wide.
The widest parts are two great lobes,
one at each end.
Most OF the cloud Is situated in
the southeastern part OF the constel-
htion OF Andromeda, the remainder
in the northern parts Of Pisces and
Triangulum and western Perseus The
star Alpha Andromeda marks the
center OF the rich lobe at the west
end. The east end u marked by the
vell-known variable star Algol.
"Tha cloud covers approximately
800 square degrees. About l 800 nebu-
lac were counted in this area, averag-
ing six nebulae per square degree.
There are only few bright ones.
A remarkable feature Of this cloud
Is Its proximity to the Milky Way.
The west end is 80 degrees from the
equator OF our galaxy, but the east
end Is only 10 degrees and actually
lies within the Milky Way proper
Strange TO say the part OF the
cloud nearest the Milky Way was the
Yachest Of all. counted 1877 nebulae
among some 400, 900 stars on one plate
alone. Within the great, rich cloud
Of nebulas nine definite condensations
or crowdings were noted"
Effects of the sun on radio trans
mission were described today by Dr.
A. G. McNish Of the Carnegie Insti-
tuition OF Washington, who predicted
that IN = few years long distance
communication by means OF short
waves would be impossible.
The ability OF radio signals to
traverse long distances on the earth,
IA said, is due to the presence Of
layers at great heights in the atmoe-
phere which are electrified by the
action Of ultraviolet light from the
sun. Variations in this light cause
marked changes.
Said DR.. McNish: Sudden flares of
light produced by masses Of HYDRO.
gen gas on the sun cause intense
electrlflcation at heights in the At
mosphere from 40 to so miles. High
frequency radio waves passing into
this region are absorbed by the elec-
trical particles present and cannot
return to the earth, although under
ordinary conditions they would be
rejected back by other layers. Thi.
results in fadeouts of radio signal,
transmitted over long distances. Dur.
Ing one Of these disturbed condition,
transmission on the daylight side OF
the earth is completely impossible.
Such interferences with radio com.
munication should be more numerou,
during the next few years owing tc
an increase in the number OF spot,
on the sun. On the other hand, thu
increased spottedness has certain
beneficial effects. since the average