NATURE) STUDY. 
I 7 8 
been the first of the Novae to be examined with the spec¬ 
troscope, which showed the same bright lines of hydrogen 
that are so conspicuous in the solar prominences. “Hence 
it is not unlikely,” says Professor Newcomb, “that the 
blazing forth of this star arose from an action similar to 
that which produces the solar flames, only on an immense¬ 
ly larger scale. * * * Is there any possibility that our 
sun may be subject to such outbursts of heat and light as 
those we have described in the cases of apparently new and 
temporary stars ? We may almost say that the continued 
existence of the human race is involved in this question ; 
for if the heat of the sun should, even for a few days ohty, 
be increased a hundred-fold, the higher orders of animal 
and vegetable life would be destroyed. We can only re¬ 
ply to it that the general analogies of nature lead us to be¬ 
lieve that we need not feel any apprehension of such a 
catastrophe. Not the slightest certain variation of the 
solar heat has been detected since the invention of the 
thermometer, and the general constancy of the light emit¬ 
ted by ninety-nine stars out of every hundred may inspire 
us with entire confidence that no sudden and destructive 
variation need be feared in the case of our sun.” 
Other Novae were discovered in 1876 and 1885, the latter 
appearing in the great nebula of Andromeda, very near the 
nucleus. It began to diminish in brightness very soon, 
and in a few months had disappeared from view. Nova 
Aurigae, mentioned before, remained visible to the unaid¬ 
ed eye only about three months. Its examination with the 
spectroscope revealed an interesting condition. In its spec¬ 
trum bright lines were numerous, those of hydrogen, heli¬ 
um and calcium being especially prominent. A curious 
and unique thing was also observed, viz.: each of these 
bright lines was accompanied by a dark line toward the 
violet end of the spectrum. The explanation of this is 
that there are two bodies concerned, one of them, the one 
