Wheel and Sphere Idea of Universe Forwarded by Harvard Investigators

The relationship between the solar system in which we dwell and the rest of our universe is similar to that of a wheel placed in a sphere, stated Dr. Harlow Shapley, Director of the Harvard College Observatory, in his recent Sigma Xi talk.

The wheel and the sphere have the same center, but the sphere is considerably larger. The diameter of the wheel is 10,000 light years, while that of the sphere is well over 100,000. A light year is equal to 6,000,000,000,000 miles.

The wheel is spiral rather than planar in shape. Its more well-known name is that of the Milky Way. The measurements of its various dimensions are highly accurate. Those of the sphere are far less certain since it is difficult to calculate the precise outer limit of the sphere. This is due to the thinning out of the stars along its outer fringes.

This new survey of our universe was made at the Harvard Observatory. If was based upon measurements which used the large amount of cosmic dust present in our universe as a basis. These clouds of dust had previously puzzled astronomers. The astronomers were unable to tell whether they were looking at a region barren of stars on the outer extremities of space, or whether the view was merely cut off at some intermediary point by the dust clouds.

The system used to overcome this difficulty was based upon the use of universes other than our own. Where these universes could be clearly seen, it was assumed that no cosmic dust clouds intervened. Thus accurate measurements could be taken. Partial obscuring of universes was also used to locate and chart the location of these dust clouds.