File:Astronomy for amateurs (1904) (14597133980).jpg

Identifier: astronomyforamat00flam (find matches)
Title: Astronomy for amateurs
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Flammarion, Camille, 1842-1925 Welby, Frances A. (Frances Alice) tr
Subjects: Astronomy
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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dly should we listen to the enchanting descrip-tions of the various abodes they have journeyed to!But alas! these mysterious explorers are dumb; theytell none of their secrets, and we must needs respecttheir enigmatic silence. Yet, some of them have left us a modest token ofremembrance, an almost impalpable nothing, sufficient,however, to enable us to address our thanks to the con-siderate messenger. Can there be any one upon the Earth who has notbeen struck by the phosphorescent lights that glidethrough the somber night, leaving a brilliant silver orgolden track—the luminous, ephemeral trail of a meteor ^ Sometimes, when Nighr has silently spread the im-mensity of her wings above the weary Earth, a shiningspeck is seen to detach itself in the shades of eveningfrom the starry vault, shooting lightly through the con-stellations to lose itself in the infinitude of space. 190 THE COMETS These bewitching sparks attract our eyes andchain our senses. Fascinating celestial fireflies, their
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Fig. 54.—A Meteor.191 ASTRONOMY FOR AMATEURS dainty flames dart in every direction through space,sowing the fine dust of their gilded wings upon the fieldsof Heaven. They are born to die; their life is only abreath; yet the impression which they make upon theimagination of mortals is of the profoundest. The young girl dreaming in the delicious tranquillityof the transparent night smiles at this charming sisterin the Heavens (Fig. 54). What can not this adorablestar announce to the tender and loving heart ? Is itthe shy messenger of the happiness so long desired ?Its unpremeditated appearance fills the soul with a rayof hope and makes it tremble. It is a golden beam thatglides into the heart, expanding it in the thrills of asudden and ephemeral pleasure. . . . The radiant meteorseems to quit the velvet of the deep blue sky to respondto the appeal of the imploring voice that seeks its succor. What secrets has it not surprised! And who bearsmalice against it ? It is the friend of the b

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