Evening star., 1949-10-12
Three Hot Spots in Sky
Located by Scientists
Australians Report on Intensity of
Radio Waves From Galaxy
By Thomas r. Henry


By Thomas r. Henry
Location Of three "hot spots in the sky
has just been reported by Australian scien.
fists.
From them radio waves of hundreds Of
times the intensity of the average from the
Milky Way galaxy, of which the solar system
Is part, are received.
AL three correspond in location to mys-
terious nebulous objects, which must be re-
gions OF enormous heat in space. One Of
these is in the constellation of Taurus near
the Pleiades and the bright red star Aide
baron It Is known as the crab nebula, and
long has been considered one of the most
interesting objects in the skies.
Remains of Star Explosion.
1t is believed to be what is left of super
nova, an explosion of a star on titanic
scale. which was reported by Chinese astron-
omers in 1854 A. D. This is the only known
event Of this sort to have occurred in the
Milky Way galaxy during the time of man.
The radiation from this vague nebulosity
Is approximately 500 times that of the CEN
tral star which long since has become small,
hot sun with surface temperature of about
900 degrees.
Another hot spot is in the constellation
OF Virgo In the same general part OF the
heavens. Here also Is a mysterious nebu.
losity.
The third is in the constellation of Gen.
taurus In the southern skies, where also are
located the stars closest to the earth. This
nebulosity is perhaps the most mysterious
OF all because hitherto it has been consid-
cred to be entirely outside the Milky Way
galaxy-a million or more light years be.
yond its farthest reaches.
The findings are reported by DR.. j. G.
Bolton and his associates of the radio.
physics laboratory of the Australian govern
ment.
The surface Of the earth cannot have been
solid more than $500. 900 years ago.
Before that it must have been boiling
sea Of molten rock. according to calculations
just reported by the National Research
Councils Committee on Geologic Time.
These calculations are based on the disap-
pearance rate Of K 10, one form Of radio
now exists in nature in extremely minute
quantities. It constitutes a trihe more than
= hundredth Of one per cent Of all the potas-
sium on earth.
The nature and rate of its breakdown now
has been determined. the committee reports.
It changes into particular forms, or isotopes.
Of two other elements-calcium and the
heavy gas argon. BY determining the
amount Of these in rock samples the amount
OF radioactive potassium originally present
can be calculated.
Billion-Year Calculations.
It is shown that the half life of the ex-
ploding potassium is about "a 900 900 years.
That is, in this period half of any amount
in existence will change into calcium and
argon. About billion and half years ago,
the calculations indicate, there must have
been more than six times as much in the
crust OF the earth as is found now. This
amount OF radioactivity would have produced
enough heat to melt any rocks.
Other studies reported by the COMMITTEES
show that uranium and thorium, the chief
radioactive elements now existing in nature,
are confined almost entirely to the crust Of
the earth and cannot be responsible for any
OF the heat of the planets interior. Very
small amounts Of these elements are shown
In analysis Of deep-seated rocks and Of
meteorites which supposedly consist of ma
terials very much like those Of the SUBJ
crlstal layers Of the earth.