Such results, on the one hand, offer an excellent vindication of the painstaking labor expended on the construction of star-catalogues, and, on the other, serve to elucidate the mystery of temporary stars. Nothing can be more plausible than to explain by analogy those cases in which no previous or subsequent existence has been observed. It is merely necessary to suppose that, instead of varying from the ninth or tenth magnitude, other temporary objects have begun and ended with the twentieth; for the twentieth magnitude would be beyond the power of our best instruments.
Nor is the star of 1866 an isolated instance. Ten years later, in 1876, a temporary star blazed up to about the second magnitude, and returned to invisibility, so far as the naked eye is concerned, within a month, having retained its greatest brilliancy only one or two days. This star is still visible as a tiny point of light, estimated to be of the fifteenth magnitude. Whether it existed prior to its sudden outburst can never be known, because we do not possess catalogues including the generality of stars as faint as this one must have been. But at all events, the continued existence of the object helps to place the temporary stars in the class of variables.
The next star, already mentioned under "nebula," was first seen in 1885. It was in one respect the most remarkable of all, for it appeared almost in the centre of the great nebula in the constellation Andromeda. It was never very bright, reaching only the sixth magnitude or thereabouts, was observed during a period of only six months, and at the end of that time had faded beyond the reach of our most powerful glasses. It is a most impressive fact that this event occurred within the nebula. Whatever may be the nature of the explosive catastrophe to which the temporary stars owe their origin, we can now say with certainty that not even those vast elemental luminous clouds men call nebulæ are free from danger.
The last outburst on our records was first noticed February 22, 1901. The star appeared in the constellation Perseus, and soon reached the first magnitude, surpassing almost every other star in the sky. It has been especially remarkable in that it has become surrounded by a nebulous mass in which are several bright condensations or nuclei; and these seem to be in very rapid motion. The star is still under observation (January, 1902).
[GALILEO]
Among the figures that stand out sharply upon the dim background of old-time science, there is none that excites a keener interest than Galileo. Most people know him only as a distinguished man of learning; one who carried on a vigorous controversy with the Church on matters scientific. It requires some little study, some careful reading between the lines of astronomical history, to gain acquaintance with the man himself. He had a brilliant, incisive wit; was a genuine humorist; knew well and loved the amusing side of things; and could not often forego a sarcastic pleasantry, or deny himself the pleasure of argument. Yet it is more than doubtful if he ever intended impertinence, or gave willingly any cause of quarrel to the Church.
His acute understanding must have seen that there exists no real conflict between science and religion; for time, in passing, has made common knowledge of this truth, as it has of many things once hidden. When we consider events that occurred three centuries ago, it is easy to replace excited argument with cool judgment; to remember that those were days of violence and cruelty; that public ignorance was of a density difficult to imagine to-day; and that it was universally considered the duty of the Church to assume an authoritative attitude upon many questions with which she is not now required to concern herself in the least. Charlatans, unbalanced theorists, purveyors of scientific marvels, were all liable to be passed upon definitely by the Church, not in a spirit of impertinent interference, but simply as part of her regular duties.
If the Church's judgment in such matters was sometimes erroneous; if her interference now and again was cruel, the cause must be sought in the manners and customs of the time, when persecution rioted in company with ignorance, and violence was the law. Perhaps even to-day it would not be amiss to have a modern scientific board pass authoritatively upon novel discoveries and inventions, so as to protect the public against impostors as the Church tried to do of old.