THE NEW STAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 205, 31 August 1933, Page 6

THE NEW STAR.

An eminent American astronomer some years ago pointed out that confusion was created by the terminology commonly used in reference to "new" stars. Strictly speaking, there are no "new" stars. New s*ars are found recorded away back in tie twilight of the race. At a remote period in civilisation these celestial new-comers were—as we can readily understand —thought to' be "fresh.*' creations. The new star of 1901 which blazed "up" in the constellation of Perseus was not (nor ever had been) a star. (Its time was 99 light years—about the period Napoleon reached his most famous heights.) Your contributor's statement that this celestial phenomenon was primarily a faint star of magnitude 13.15 differs from McOabe's version. He contends that it arose where no star had hitherto existed. It may have been a dark nebula attaining nebulosity through a "collision" with a dark star, or two dark stars, partially impacting. Our planetary system was the result of a sun—probably a dark nomad (for the dark suns are the derelicts of the stellar ocean) —coming close enough to our sun to "pull" out a vast number of fragments or one large fragment. If this had been observed from a far-off planet it would have given the observer the impression that it was a "new" star. To quote McCabe: "'Nebulae condense into solar systems, and dead stars return to nebular life." Astronomy knows no beginning or end. Matter always existing: then forming into nebulae, then suns, and then planets with moons. The vast nebula in Andromeda is a spiral. With a powerful glass the formation of tails is visible. Aeons of time (so vast as to be beyond our conception) are needed for the first stage of a star. The present stars of the universe are in three stages—growing, dying or dead. Your reverend contributor passes over Professor Bickerton's "partial impact" theory somewhat too lightly. Partial impact was postulated centuries ago. The gifted ChristcTiurch astronomer codified and synchronised the data and added fresh evidence. HERBERT MULVIHILL.