THE STELLULAR THEORY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3327, 20 September 1911, Page 7

THE STELLULAR THEORY

MAY HAVE TO BE REVISED.

DOES ETHER ABSORB LIGHT.

The whole stellular -, theory of the cosmogony may have to be revised and all •astronomical calculations'.b& placed upon a new basis, if, tlie expriments new. being taken up'by the. Mount. Wilson.. Solar Observatory shall establish a neYV theory. With the force of a universal thunderbolt there; has just dawned upon scientific observers the tremendous idea that- high above all that ha® hitherto ' been reckoned as atmosphere there is in tlie vast flaming oiceans of space an otheric quality that absorbs light. If it is demonstnated interstellar space does absorb the light of the stars there will no longer be any method by which tlie faintest conception of the universe can be conveyed to human, intelligence Planet upon planet and fixed star upon star may trail their illumined wav though an endless- shining galaxy, and bciaiuse the light of one star is sYvalloYved' in- space before it can reach another there can be no computation of order'd" number, so that tlie majestic, challenge of 'holy writ to number the stars will forever pass unansYvered. Scientists have undertaken to reckon She distance from the earth of only 364,365 stars. It is conceded that this distance may be either half way too much or half Yvay too short. If the mew theory is proved ai large portion of all scientific research of the stars since- GaUi.leiOi .will be annihilated. The world’s astronomers are watchf ing Mount Wilson, wfhiere the experiment) is being conducted by means of tlie most highly sensitized photographic plates ever made, which register only onb quality of light. The process is very simple and the- results unerring, for if the blue, rays no longer register it, must be that they have been lost oil the Yvay. If any one quality of light be missing in the right color the theory will have been proved.