THE PENDING COSMIC QUIVER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 9 June 1927, Page 7

THE PENDING COSMIC QUIVER

(To the Editor)

i Sir,-—The. delay in publication of my last letter necessarily denuded my communication of much of its scientific value as a prediction. The lcfk'ru's originally written vva.s read to «?vi'ftiJ friends : <wi liu« 17th hi ■■■.>.. I beg now for more of your valnjed . iipace, in which to (jive, the socond p-wt'of my. letter; facing tharit contained the nu.:;; g:oiud .of my prognostications, based on very rai'c planetary and coinoiary ctimhiuations, hard to properly describe in a few words. Tt gave .several positive? predictions for the latter part- of May and beginning of dune which have actually been fulfilled, as shown by the published cablegrams. It ran as follows: Notwithstanding the long and serious spell of dry weather in Ihe Nelson ill'strie, ever since the beginning of this year, a, great change will begin (o set in about the 26th May (Ascension Day) ; owing to the conjunction of the moon with the planets Jupiter and Uranus, and the simultaneous opposition of the moon to Saturn. Under these cirniumslanees profound convulsions will he fell throughout, the earth. These will lie followed and aggravated by the conjunction of the moon with the sun on the 30th inst., and wifh Mercury on the 31st;.and still more so by the conjunction of the moon with Venus and Mars o:i 3rd June (the King's Rirthday). On 15th June the moon will be in direct opposition to the sun, and will be totally eclipsed, Jupiter and Uranus being then in almost dil'ect opposition. Destructive storms. Hoods and earthquakes will occur in diverse countries about this time, owing to the unequal gravitational strain on the earth.' And .these-will'be repeated and w.ill'.be ,oecompanicd by heavy seas and tidal waves, about 23rd June: when the moon will be again in conjunction with Jupiter and Uranus.

On 29th June the moon will again be in a straight line between (he earth and the. sun; and the. sun will be totally eclipsed (as seen from some parts of England, though not in New Zealand):. The gravitational strain will then again be very exceptionally trying to both the earth and its inhabitants.

In addition to those important lunar and planetary positions we have to consider the influence of several comets, which are already beginning to tell on the earth and its atmospheric, envelope.. One. of these is known as Comet Grigg Skellerup. It makes its perihelion pas" sago about the middle of May; and in June it will be only 17,000,000 miles from the earth.

Another, known as Comet Pons-Win-necke, and likely to Ue much more influential in shaking up our atmosphere, will be in perihelion, or nearest the earth, about the 20th, and it will come within a little more than 3,500,000 miles of our planet on 26th June; when it will probably become visible, travelling at the rate of 25 miles per second, a velocity greater than that of the earth in its orbit. On 22nd June it will probably be seen in the Groat Cross of Cygnus, near the northern horizon; and will appear to move in one. day about as far as does the moon. Eesides these several other comets, planetoids, and swarms of meteorites are rapidly coining in our direction. Comet Schaumassc will bo due to arrive at perihelion in November next, and will be well placed for observation. Comet Fncke will trcacH perihelion on 1911) February, 1928; and Comet Holmes will be due about the 13th March next, and will probably be detected by telescopes during next October. All these are comparatively small and short period comets and other celestial visitors; but they are not without considerable gravitational and disturbing influence in the aggregate, as is evident from the great- perturbations they undergo when nearest the planets Jupiter and Mars; though the precise strength and incidence of their combined influences require much time and trouble to calculate.

These and many other more or less adventitious factors, combined "with the lunar and planetary positions and aspects which I have described, will doubtless intensify the general cosmic strain and quiver during the month of June; and it will bo interesting to note how the cablegrams will again agree with and justify my present risky prognostications. It would be easy to make predictions much more specific and local in their applications; especially if one had more time and better 'instrumental equipment. But we alreadv possess several important clues for a fairly longranged forecast of practical value. In view of the series of distinct earth tremors that have been felt during the last few weeks in a stayed country lik ■ Australia; and in the further light of the earthquake shocks in the Opotik" district, and the S.O.S. calls for help from White Tsland, as reported on 9th May, when the. threatening cosmic factors were not so congested as they will be throughout June, it is clear that the effects of the now-pending cosmic crisis will make themselves evident in various directions.-in most parts of this Dominion, as well as in many other countries, both north and south of the Equator. I don't mean to suggest that this earth, or even New Zealand, will either go up in flames or sink beneath the sea : but. our planet's flimsy crust, and flexible atmosphere will certainly undergo a notable shaking, owing partly to planetary perturbations, and partly'to what Professor Bickertori would call "partial impact" with quite a cluster of comet arv visitors, to be followed probably by brilliant showers of meteors. I tell you this before it comes to pass, that when these calculated events are in the past, vou may believe in the practical value and national importance of a- despised yet the most ancient, interesting and profitable branch of science.—T am, etc..

JOSEPH TAYLOR, M.E Nelson, Bth June.