6th to the fourth, May 17th to the fifth, May 19th
to the seventh, May 31st to the ninth, and has since diminished to
the tenth. The spectroscope showed it to be a star in the usual
condition; but through the usual colored spectrum, crossed with
bright lines, shone four bright lines, two of which indicated
glowing hydrogen. Here was plenty of proof that an unusual amount of
this gas had given this sun its sudden flame. As the hydrogen burned
out the star grew dim.

Two theories immediately presented themselves: First, that vast
volumes had been liberated from within the orb by some sudden breaking
up of the doors of its great deeps; or, second, this star had
precipitated upon itself, by attraction, some other sun or planet,
the force of whose impact had been changed into heat.

Though we see the liberated hydrogen of our sun burst up with sudden
flame, it can hardly be supposed that enough could be liberated
at once to increase the light and heat one hundred-fold.

In regard to the second theory, it is capable of proof that two
suns half as large as ours, moving at a velocity of four hundred
and seventy-six miles per second, would evolve heat enough to supply
the radiation of our sun for fifty million years. How could it be
possible for a sun like this newly blazing orb to cool off to such a
[Page 225] degree in a month? Besides, there would not be one chance
in a thousand for two orbs to come directly together. They would
revolve about each other till a kind of grazing contact of grinding
worlds would slowly kindle the ultimate heat.

It is far more likely that this star encountered an enormous stream
of meteoric bodies, or perhaps absorbed a whole comet, that laid
its million leagues of tail as fuel on the central fire. Only let
it be remembered that the fuel is far more force than substance.
Allusion has already been made to the sudden brightening of our
sun on the first day of September, 1859. That was caused, no doubt,
by the fall of large meteors, following in the train of the comet
of 1843, or some other comet. What the effect would have been, had
the whole mass of the comet been absorbed, cannot be imagined.

Another new star lately appeared in Cygnus, near the famous star
61--the first star in the northern hemisphere whose distance was
determined. It was first seen November 24th, 1876, as a third magnitude
star of a yellow color. By December 2d it had sunk to the fourth
magnitude, and changed to a greenis