Inckkasinc Pkhiod of Ckkiwin Closk Binahy Si'aks. 35 



shedding oli'ut' outer portions of the star W(>uld tiiially i^nd in the ilisin- 

 t<?.s,'rrttion ^)f tlie system. 



Wlieii we consider tlie case of V Puppis, Prof. Scliaeberle's tlieory 

 .seems more reasonable. Here, 



A m _ 52 



iTM ~ 1256-1.0 

 = -0004 



Tliat is, a loss of four ten-thousandths of the mass of V Puppis 

 would account for the increase in period of 26 seconds during a 

 century. Here again it is a matter of time, for if even this small 

 loss be continued long enough the star will ultimately be dissipated 

 into space. 



Yet astronomical history is not without its record of stars that 

 liave disappeared, slowly but surely, leaving no trace behind ; and it 

 may be that in the ever-increasing period of ^ Lyrae and V Puppis we 

 have the visible signs of the doom awaiting both majestic suns. 



Enough has been said to indicate how supremely interesting the 

 consideration of the light changes of certain stars is, and how intimately 

 the simple determination, unaided by instruments or othei" accessories, 

 of the period of /3 Lyrae and of stars of this type is bound up with 

 the deepest problems of cosmical physics. 



c2 



