GLORY OF THE STARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21456, 1 April 1933, Page 8

GLORY OF THE STARS

HEAVENS IN APRIL COSMIC RAYS ATOM-BUILDING PROCESS BT CRUX AUSTRALIA In the astronomical text-books of not long ago the question was often put aj to how long the Sun could continue ti> radiate light and heat and therefore do its share in maintaining life on our globe. It was realised that the amount of energy daily radiated from the Sun was tremendous and that this must hare been aj the expense of the Sun's mass, whose total must be gradually but inevitably decreasing as the years rolled by. The Sun, however, is but one in the firmament of stars, and the conclusion was forced on the astronomers that the whole universu was gradually running down, until eventually a stage would be reached when spaco was; cold and dark. The discovery of cosmic radiation m recent years has provided us with some hope that perhaps the reverse procefis may also be in operation, and that matter may be reformed out of the radiated energy which is scattered throughout space. Light in its various colours is but a small portion of the rays now known to science. Of longer wave-length than the visible colours of the spectrum, wo know there lift the infra red rays, so useful in photographing objects through cloud and mist. Of shorter wave-length we find the ultra-violet rays, followed by the X-rays, possessing a wave-length of 1-1000 of the visible rays. Beyond these again are the cosmic rays,, which are 10,000 times as short again ais the X-rays. Discovery of Rays The discovery of these peculiar rays was made in Toronto about 30 years but the Great War put an end to experi-

merits, and it was not until 1921 that M.l- - and others again studied the characteristics of the rays. It was found tha.t the rays had thcir'origin in outside space. It was determined also that the rays were practically uniform in intensity day and night, showing that they did not have their origin in the Sun, the galaxy, or come from any definite direction. Secondly, the fact that' the rays are not influenced by the Earth's magnetic fields is a further proof of fheir origin in interstellar space. Dr. Millikan believes that these raya arise not from the annihilation'' of the matter of the stars, but from the recofnbination in outer space, under conditions of extremely low temperature and pressure, of positive and negative electrical charges. The lightest atom, that of hydrogen, has a positive nucleus and one negative charge or electron surrounding it. Similarly other elements have varying numbers of negative electrons. Atoms sir© constantly being broken up in the Sun and stars and escaping as radiant energy,.Where the right numbers of charges meet. Dr. MiJlikan believes, these charges foan the more common elements of helium, oxygen, etc. In this view he is supported by an Einstein equation which states that there is no atomic transformation which can furnish the necessary energy except an atom-building process. If this theory of atom-building is correct, it will obviously have the strongest influence on all future views of the origin and destiny of the universe. ] y Celestial Phenomena The Snn is steadily moving northward in the sky, its apparent noon-day altitude at Auckland decreasing from 49deg. to 39deg. during April. The Sun moves through the constellation Pisces until April 17, when it enters Arias. In the course of its monthly circuit of the sky, the Moon will be in conjunction with the various planets as follows: —Ms.rs, 7th; Jupiter„ Bth; Saturn, 12th; Mercury, 23rd; and Venus. 25th. During this month Mercury is a morning star, attaining its greatest elongation from the Sua on the 20th. Venus will ba in superior conjunction with the San on. the 21st, thereafter being technically an evening star, although remaining invisible for seme time yet. Mars and Jupiter lie comparatively cl.oSo to each other in the evening sky, both being in the constellation Leo. They are favourably placed for observation. The greenish andl ochre regions on the disc of Mars and the brilliant caps of snow at its poles are interesting sights to the possessor of a moderacely-sized telescope, while the possessor of even a small instrument can find much to 'interest him in a study of the cloud belts and the four satellite!! of Jupiter. The remaining naked-eye planet, Saturn, is a morning star, rising some hours .before the Sun. It is situated in the constellation Capricornus.