105 



One American scientist explains the phenomenon 

 of double stars by tidal friction. He attributes to them 

 immense significance and says regarding them : The 

 theory of cosmogony only becomes intelligible on study 

 of the phenomena of double stars. That which we call 

 a solar system a scheme of worlds in which small 

 planets circle round a sun must be considered an excep- 

 tional form in the universal creation, the more normal 

 form being a combination of two or more spheres of 

 approximately similar bulk. 



It may very well be that this astronomer is partly 

 right. Double stars do indeed play an important role, 

 but not as a development of tidal friction. They appear 

 rather as independent cosmic couples destined by the 

 Creator to bring forth and multiply the stars. 



Although there is no precise scientific definition of the 

 cause of stellar colour, still judging by analogy with 

 living forms on earth in which we see each form has its 

 own colour, it is natural to suppose that stars also, being 

 animal organisms must posses their several colours. 

 What do we see in our own solar system? Astronomy 

 asserts that our planets shine only with reflected light; 

 but in that case as the same sunlight shines on all, the 

 same light would reflect from each. Instead of this each 

 planet has its own colour: Mars is red, Jupiter orange, 

 Saturn white. This seems proof enough that besides the 

 solar light they possess and exhibit to us their own. 



If we suppose that the phenomenon of planetary co- 

 lours is the product of various distances we must re- 

 member that in the case of double stars this factor is 

 entirely wanting, and we must seek another cause. 



If as Pointclaret assumes a double star is the result 

 of a disjunction of a fluid globe, the parts, being hypo- 

 thetically but two parts of one homogeneous whole, would 

 shine with the same colour ; as however in fact these 

 parts shine with different colours Pournclaret's theory 

 falls of its own weight, whilst returning to the solar pla- 



