The distinguished astronomer, Norman Lockyer, has lately read a paper
before the Royal Society (London) under the title of a "Preliminary
Note on the Spectra of the Meteorites," which advances some of the
boldest theories and suggestions ever offered concerning the Universe,
which cannot fail to interest the readers of the JOURNAL OF MAN.
According to Mr. Lockyer the meteors which we have been accustomed to
consider trivial or incidental matters in planetary and stellar
systems, no more important than the dust which the housewife raises
from parlor and chamber, are really fundamental and basic elements of
the Universe, capable of generating comets, planets, suns and stars.
If this idea can be entertained, meteors must be vastly more numerous
than the world has supposed. Cosmical space, according to Mr. Lockyer,
is filled with meteorites of various sizes, flying in many directions
with enormous velocities and moving in certain orbits like larger
bodies. Many observations have been made to determine the number of
these meteorites. Dr. Schmidt, of Athens, in seventeen years of
observation concluded that in a clear dark night an observer would see
on an average fourteen an hour at one station. Other astronomers have
calculated that if observations were made over the whole earth, ten
thousand times as many would be seen as could be seen by a single
observer. Calculating thus, it has been inferred that about 20,000,000
luminous meteors fall on the earth every twenty-four hours, besides
the innumerable amount of minute bodies too small to be seen by
telescopes--which some suppose to be twenty times as numerous as the
visible.
Prof. H. A. Newton makes some astounding estimates on this
subject--that the orbit of the earth is filled with meteorites, about
250 miles apart, making a group of about 30,000 in a space equal to
that of the earth. If such calculations are reliable, the query must
arise, How much effect can such a meteoric shower every day in the
year exert on the orbital motion of the earth, in retarding its
velocity? The effect must be greatly increased if, according to Prof.
Newton, the velocity of meteors striking the earth is about thirty
miles a second, varying from ten to forty.
From such a basis as this rises the grand hypothesis of Mr. Lockyer,
who is a courageous theorist, that all cosmic space is filled with
meteorites, that they go in swarms, and that not only comets but stars
are formed by conglomerate aggregations of meteorites.
Schiaparelli, in 1866, demonstrated that the orbit of the August
meteors was the same as that of the comet of that year. It is in
August and November of each year that we have the most brilliant
display of meteors in two distinct groups, or orbits. Those of August
come from a point in the constellation of Perseus and those in
November from a point in the constellation Leo. They are believed to
fill two distinct orbits or rings making an elliptical orbit round the
sun. In such orbits, comets are believed by astronomers to be formed
by a concentrated swarm of incandescent meteorites rendered luminous
by collisions. But this hypothesis of innumerable collisions between
meteorites travelling in the same orbits does not appear very
plausible.
This doctrine of the genesis of comets, advanced by Schiaparelli, is
extended by Mr. Lockyer to the genesis of all great luminous bodies.
Nebulae, comets, stars, variable and temporary stars, are all thus
brought under a general law and method of genesis. The increasing
approximation and condensation of the meteorites is seen in different
classes of stars. Stars of the class iii.a are not so far advanced as
others.
The next step in the hypothesis is that in the extreme approximation
and condensation of the meteorites a degree of heat is generated which
converts the whole into a mass of incandescent vapor, at a
"transcendental temperature." The maximum temperature being thus
attained, a cooling process begins, which is seen in our sun and other
stars of the second class. Other stars, according to Mr. Lockyer, of
class iii.b exhibit spectra which show that their temperature is not
so high, and the last stage is attained by stars and other bodies
which have ceased to be luminous, and, therefore, are not seen, but
may be recognized by the perturbations which they produce in the
movements of other bodies.
According to this hypothesis our solar system was once but a mighty
swarm of meteorites, extending as far as the farthest planet at
present. We may as well suppose its materials to have been a swarm of
meteorites as to suppose a chaotic fire-mist. Mr. Lockyer supposes the
clash of meteor swarms to have produced new stars, and suggests the
possibility of stellar or planetary bodies coming into collision,
though no observations ever made yet give an example.
The destroyed planet, Sideros, discovered by Prof. Denton, illustrates
that the universe has its disorder and tragedy as well as our own
sphere. The time is coming when all these mysteries are to be cleared
up--it will be when Psychometry is added to our telescopic and
spectroscopic methods. Then will astronomy and all other sciences
receive their grandest enlargement. In this task I cannot at present
engage, for the limitless field of Anthropology alone is too much for
a solitary scientist laboring for the advent of "THE NEW
CIVILIZATION."