Man's Place in the Universe: A Study of the Results of Scientific Research in Relation to the Unity or Plurality of Worlds, 3rd EditionWallace, Alfred Russel
Science
Man's Place in the Universe: A Study of the Results of Scientific Research in Relation to the Unity or Plurality of Worlds, 3rd Edition
Wallace, Alfred Russel
Life; Plurality of worlds; Stars
These diagrams also serve to indicate another point of considerable
importance to the view here advocated. By placing the solar system towards
the outer margin of the dense central portion of the solar cluster (which
may very possibly include a large proportion of dark stars and thus be much
more dense towards the centre than it appears to us), it may very well be
supposed to revolve, with the other stars composing it, around the centre
of gravity of the cluster, as the force of gravity towards that centre
might be perhaps twenty or a hundred times greater than towards the very
much less dense and more remote outer portions of the cluster. The sun, as
indicated on the diagrams, is about thirty light-years from that centre,
corresponding to a parallax of a little more than one-tenth of a second,
and an actual distance of 190 millions of millions of miles, equal to about
70,000 times the distance of the sun from Neptune. Yet we see that this
position is so little removed from the exact centre of the whole stellar
universe, that if any beneficial influences are due to that central
position in regard to the Galaxy, it will receive them perhaps to as full
an extent as if situated at the actual centre. But if it is situated as
here shown, there is no further difficulty as to its proper motion carrying
it from one side to the other of the Milky Way in less time than has been
required for the development of life upon the earth. And if the solar
cluster is really sub-globular, and sufficiently condensed to serve as a
centre of gravity for the whole of the stars of the cluster to revolve
around, all the component stars which are not situated in the plane of its
equator (and that of the Milky Way) must revolve obliquely at various
angles up to an angle of 90°. These numerous diverging motions, together
with the motions of the nearer stars outside the cluster, some of which may
revolve round other centres of gravity made up largely of dark bodies,
would perhaps sufficiently account for the apparent random motions of so
many of the stars.
UNIFORM HEAT-SUPPLY DUE TO CENTRAL POSITION
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