ROUGH ASTRONOMICAL NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 4269, 1 November 1876, Page 4

ROUGH ASTRONOMICAL NOTES.

Kovxhbsb, 1879.

- Meridian altitude, meridian” passage,'rising and setting©! the Sun, at Dunedin,VNow Zealand—mean times— .

Pains ot rax Moon. Pall Moon, 24.11h. Im. a.m. Xaat Quarter, Od. 4h. 47m. a.m. New Moon, 16d. Oh. 18m.p.m. First Quarter, 24d. 3h. 57m. p.m In Perigee, sd. 6ta. p.m. In Apogee,'2ld. sh. p.m. Greatest N. Dec!, sd, sh, p.m. Greatest S. Dec., 19d. Bh.a.m.

■ Mercury.Venns, and Mira are morning stars. Jupiter and Saturn are evening stars. _ Venus and Mars are in conjunction on the 28th in Virgo... The Moon and Saturn are in conjunction, aid war each other, on the 24th in Aquarius. "Batura is-well situated for observation, the best nights being from the 4th to the 19th.

'. i • ■ XHK BTABIUTT OV THE UHIVEEBB. . The fears which have been expressed by some recent authors, that the continual radiation of energy into space will ultimately reduce the universe to a cold and lifeless condition, is founded on a misconception ef its extent, together with a limited knowledge of the laws of motion. To render such a state.of things po Bible, it is necessary to assume aliznit to menniverse. Now it is demonstrable that there is no limit to space: and have we any - reason to suppose beyond a certain distance, space does not contain. stars? None whatever. Hen-e, if all spaed be occupied by suns and worlds, let them be ever so thinly scattered, whatever energy radiates from one globe, or body, must ultimately fall upon and be absorbed by another. So that tbe quantity of light and heat which is in the radiating itete—thit U| traversing apace, at auy time, must ho nearly constant. Throughout the universe the amount of energy radiated is equal to the amount absorbed, and no more. We have grown up with the idea that wnen we look at a part of the heavens wjiere no star is to be seen, even with the tele•cope, wo , are gazing into vacuity (and it is ?ot easy to shake off" this notion), and that light and heat radiatea in that direction axe lost. It is tar more probable, how“ft 3 on S l°° ki W > direction where those bodies which are nearest are nonluminous, and that if these were removed, shining !^ ra w v onl £A e there as elsewhere. If space were absolutely transparent, onr range of vision would be unlimited ; but we know that space is not absolutely transparent, and hence, “ the radiation of. energy intoXros space ** has no meaning. But it IBSl 8S " d * . 18 be “? constantly transformed into heat, which cannot be again transformed into Sn k?® ID s ßfc come when aU motion .be «o transformed, and cease to be availft ,*? . tlw e fte u t of the universe were limited,- this would •be trap. If •nd; asnuning this statement to be true’ the result would be that the universe is becoming C^ lda L “ that heat ‘pumot.* he . transformed, into 'progressive motion is not proven: is not true, in feet? as the the. radiometer, volcanic eruptions! *O., testify Weareaot warranted' in' 'foyihTthat aayof the heap generated by the destruction of W ,l,f Tecopvertedinto motion until allthe appliances which Nature has at oommndforthepurpoge. The constant growth of theanns, by drawing the smaller bodies Into them, , aTor , *b® idea that the amount of heat is increasing at the expense of motion; we , . do ., not know what agents may direction. What would be .the result If two suns, of equal magnitude were hihty is that a great part of the mass of both weiild be.projfbte4at rightftnglea ;to the line of motion tHth such velocity as to part company for ever with the remainder, and peptinue travailing space in all directions in the form of comets or of meteorites beirg projected with less veiocity,i would bp kept togethergravitation. ajsr probably; assume'the-font of a huge ifyg; in yrijieh world formation collisions occur appear. apd after a. few months, decline and finally afomestprohably of oollisions at enormo I pa distance; and if flveHer sjx of such taken pjpee within, our range of I c s ßaßa what must be the th ® stars, and their dissipation,, may balance each-other; and that the the universe does not materially differ from.what It always has been, and ever will be

Day. Merid. On Merid. Bises. Sets. Alt. h. m. a. h. m. h. m. 5 59® 51’ 11 51 84 ' 4 45 6 59 IS 61 62 11 62 9 4 36 7 9 19 63 88 11 58 26 4 27 7 19 86 .65 7 11 55 2* 4 21 7 27