The Genesis of Nova Aurigæ

Abstract

IT is a common belief that everything is created for a beneficial purpose, and a commoner one that the chief purpose is the delectation of mankind. Without occupying the stilted position involved in the acceptation of such an idea, it can be said that all things that are made are useful for the extension of knowledge. Viewed from this standpoint, the universe is a field containing an infinite number of facts which have to be reaped and garnered before they can be threshed. In the case of the new star that appeared in Auriga last year, a rich harvest of facts has been gathered in. Astronomers from their watch-towers have scanned the celestial visitor through optic-glasses; estimated its glory; measured its place; photographed it, and caused it to weave its pattern in the spectroscope. But it is not enough to make observations and store them up in musty libraries without the proper understanding of their import. At all events, the greatest possible good should be wrung from the facts, and an attempt should be made to discriminate the theory that best explains them. For this reason the subject of Nova Aurigæ is here resuscitated. Theories galore have been propounded to account for that star's genesis, and the most important are described in this note, so that every one can judge for himself the explanation which sufficiently satisfies the phenomena.