THEORY OF THE THIRD BODY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15334, 17 June 1910, Page 2

THEORY OF THE THIRD BODY.

TO TJiJJ EDITOR. Sir, —Some time back I thought I would try the theory of partial impact to solve the standing enigma amongst the wonder stars of the heavens —-Eta Aquillo. It solved it. and 1 published the solution, m tho “ Lyttelton Times,” and had the approval of astronomers. Yesterday I received the March number of the “ Journal of tho British Astronomical Association.” It contains the diary of the light curve waves for the year 1909 of S. S. Cygni, an irregular variable. Amongst the director’s remarks is the following:-—“ It is patent that such continuous and detailed results could be obtained only through great energy and perseverance on the part of the observers concerned, several of whom have, through tho year, watched the star at nearly all hours of the night. This shows the great interest in the star, yet no explanation of its variability is offered.” The theory of the third body suggests that a pair of grazing stars may produce a double star and a meteoric swarm between them. An immense number of stars arc double, so one of a colliding pair may be a double star. Many may object that the explanation that follows is a very special condition, but we have scores of millions of observed stars and consequently special conditions may reasonably be expected to occur. It is a marvellous special astronomical fact that the disk of the moon exactly fits ever tho sun and gives us tho blazing rim in a total eclipse. Yet this remarkable coincidence is a fact. The wonderful star under discussion has long and short intervals between its several maxima, and its maxima is sometimes long and sometimes short. Sometimes between a succession of short periods there is a long period and vice versa. The strength of tho least light is almost always aiikc and occupies much of the time, and the period of greatest light is very many times as intense as that of tho least .light, and is also nearly always the same. It occupies but little time at high light. Sometimes tho light grows aiid falls slowly, sometimes quickly; sometimes when it stays at high light tiro brilliancy is quite constant.

When Ilaliey’s comet went in front of the sun wo could not see it. A comet is believed to be a small meteorite swarm, and from behind a big meteorite swarm we should see seme of tho light of stars. So I fancy the dull light of the S. S. Cygni is produced by both members of the double being behind tho meteoric swarm. I, think it is bright when in its orbit it passes from behind the cloud of meteors. Tho swarm probably revolves and rotates to some extent, so I imagine when we got a period of half-time, or a series of periods of half-times, it is emerging from behind opposite edges of the clouds alternately. When its period is double as long it comes out from one side only; when intermediate _ it emerges in other places; when it rises and falls slowly it comes out from behind a thin edge of tho meteoric cloud, and when it rises and falls quickly it emerges from a fairly danse edge. All .of these peculiarities or meteoric swarms are necessary peculiarities deduced from the theory of the third body. Sucli, then, with possibly modifications, seems to be the solution of tho light curve of this extraordinary star and those similar to it. Of course, tho emerging star is the least in mass of the pair of double stars. A double

star behind a dark nebula dees not necessarily require tho theory of partial impact to explain the conditions; only as a working hypothesis tho theory naturally suggests the combination. The value of tho theory is its remarkable power to suggest lines of research. —I am etc.. A. ,». BTCTCERTON.