44 



Tribvn* Extra* Pamphlet Bcrie*. 



of the hrarens In brishtneas. This ts the bright region 

 In the southern heavens of which I said that when i; 

 rises above the horiznu the effect is the same as is 

 caused b.v 'lie young moon. There is In the midst Eta 

 Argils. This is a i!eula which varies in shape, and the 

 Btar in it varies from the first to the sixth magnitude. 



Here we see fresh signs of variability in space, which 

 be.ir on the birth and evolution of our system. We ace 

 that the suu wasonce variable.and the placets were stars 

 of all variations in the early history of our system. While 

 the aggregation was taking place, the sun would at 

 some times blaze with fl lining glory, and there would be 

 an interchange of brightness, regular or irregular, as 

 masses of matter were a^trreerated into it. 



As to the question whether the sun is likely suddenly 

 to have a defalcation of brightness, consider how some 

 of tiie .-tare vary In brightness, and the thought is sug- 

 gested that the same may happen to our sua. The pro- 

 cess of evolution may be so far incomplete. Careful 

 observations made by the Englis j astronomer Hind 

 and others a process not very rancL carried on in thia 

 country show that the sti'.rs vary very much in bright- 

 ness; but that observation must be carried on a long 

 time '-efore sure results can be obtained. 

 VARIATIONS TAKING PLACE IN THE STELLAR HEAVENS. 

 In the constellations, if we can imagine that there 

 were tig urc* resembling the bear and the lion in shape 

 In the old tim n s t and if we find now no traces of them, 

 the idea is suggested that there has been a change, and 

 Iw is once disposed to think this was the case; for I 

 could not think how the early nations could imagine a 

 bcai, for instance, if there was no such shape in Ursa 

 Major. But by making the figure of the animal 

 larger anil studying the head, and, as was suggested 

 to Dick Swlveller by the Marchioness, by making 

 beiieve a good deal, we can make it out. The four 

 limbs of the Bear are differently placed here. View 

 thai group forming the head, and there is a certain 

 resemblance to the peculiar snout of the head of a Be;ir. 

 Tlic stars arc small, but on a clear night you can recog- 

 iii/.'- a certain resemblance to the head. 



We have here the head of the Lion, the figure being 

 larger tban is usually depleted, and including several 

 neighboring constellations. The grouping of stars all 

 aroun I gives really some resemblance to the head of a 

 lioiii Til tmMp which I have made ttie tail is the con- 

 stellation Coma B.-reuieis. Perhaps, after all, the stars 

 never did vary niueh. There isonoueu there to make an 

 imaginative people think there "was the figure of a lion. 

 In these seven stars of the Bear the middle star has vi.- 

 ried much, having declined from being as bright as the 

 others. We cannot be certain that our sun may not di- 

 minish or Increase In brightness. That middle star was 

 once as bright as the rest, and now it is greatly reduced. 

 This next picture shows how the great nebula in Argo 

 has varied. Now, we have two pictures, In one of 

 which is the figure like a kev-holc, and on the next it is 

 greatly varied and everything is so changed as to show 

 that the netiular masa is drifting hither and thither; 

 that the regions of the fire-mist contain drift- 

 ing masses. Wo shall have more pictures tend- 

 Iu to siiow the disposition of these nebuiac 



over the heavens. The cloudlets of stars arc foim<l to Ij 

 spread with a strange variation over the Milky V,'..y, 

 and not uniformly ; and that has been put in evidence to 

 prove, I know not why, that these star cloudlets dc not 

 belong to our stellar system. But the diversity the two 

 parts of the heavens so diverse, one filled wit'a nebiilsfi, 

 the other with star cloudlets seems to show that there 

 is a connection between the parts. We have 

 the idea that in the MiUy Way, where 

 the stars are rich, the circumstances were favorable 

 to the formation of stars and star clusters ; the star 

 cloudlets are more numerous in the Milky Way than 

 elsesvhere, whereas outside of it circumstances were 

 not favorable to the formation of stars, and the process 

 of aggregation not being so rapid, these nebulae wero 

 formed. 



Here you have a picture showing a dark region and 

 the nebular masses complete. Notice the northern 

 nebular masses and these streams coming out. Here it is 

 extending toward a small cluster of nebula. The Milky 

 Way contains star clusters, and outside of it are 

 separate stars. In the star clouds we nnd a multitude, 

 or stars discernible with the telescope, but so closely 

 clustered as to be irresolvable, and In these masses or 

 cloudlets we see proof, we have a certainty, that the 

 sidereal system is not a mere aggregation of 

 stars, but contains ail varieties, nebulae, star-cloudlets, 

 and stars or all varieties ; and that it resembles the solar 

 system, not in uniformity, but in variety of structure. In 

 studying its laws we have a proolem of enormous diffi- 

 culty, but one which must one day be solved. Man can- 

 not stand unsatisfied in the presence of such a problem. 



THE MOTIONS OF THE STARS. 



Here is a picture showing tlie stars in the northern 

 heavens, with arrow-heads attached. You notiCJ that 

 there is a hope, by comparing maps of this nature and 

 making them, mcro perfect there is a hope of ascertain- 

 ing why these move this way, and those this way, and 

 of determining tho way in which they arose, and what 

 was the naturo of the scheme out of which the present 

 universe sprung. 



You will uoti?3 those of the northern stars with their 

 little star arrows. On the next map you will see thoso 

 of the Southern Hemisphere. It is a matter for great 

 oongratulrtion I hat here in America a map of the exact 

 positions of Mio stars is being made, so that a hundred 

 years hence all these motions can bo detected. This is a 

 noble work, tho real value of which will only be known 

 a hundred years hence, and its promoters deserve ft 

 great deal of honor. [Applause 1 .] 



Now, I wish to bring before you a series of pictures, 

 showing, on a somewhat better scale, the appearance or 

 that chart if many stars which was shown at tho last 

 lecture. It is t'u beginning of the third process, tho 

 proopsso* star-gauging. The picture now before you 

 represents tho central part of that chart of many stars. 

 Tho ccntnl one is the Polar Star. In tho lower part 

 there 13 a region of greater brightness, and in tho next 

 picture yon vill see how thn position of the Milky 

 Way Is clcar'y indicated. In tho next, in 

 the upper par; there is much greater brightness. Ca 

 aiop'.-iu yau b. -i cognized. In tho next picture, Joining 



