A New Star

           Thatverynight,thestartlingnewssoimpatientlyawaited,burstlikeathunderboltovertheUnitedStatesoftheUnion,andthence,dartingacrosstheocean,ranthroughallthetelegraphicwiresoftheglobe.Theprojectilehadbeendetected,thankstothegiganticreflectorofLong’sPeak!HereisthenotereceivedbythedirectoroftheObservatoryofCambridge.ItcontainsthescientificconclusionregardingthisgreatexperimentoftheGunClub.

           LONG’SPEAK,December12.

           TotheOfficersoftheObservatoryofCambridge.

           TheprojectiledischargedbytheColumbiadatStonesHillhas

           beendetectedbyMessrs.BelfastandJ.T.Maston,12thof

           December,at8:47P.M.,themoonhavingenteredherlastquarter.

           Thisprojectilehasnotarrivedatitsdestination.Ithas

           passedbytheside;butsufficientlyneartoberetainedbythe

           lunarattraction.

           Therectilinearmovementhasthusbecomechangedintoacircularmotionofextremevelocity,anditisnowpursuinganellipticalorbitroundthemoon,ofwhichithasbecomeatruesatellite.

           Theelementsofthisnewstarwehaveasyetbeenunabletodetermine;wedonotyetknowthevelocityofitspassage.Thedistancewhichseparatesitfromthesurfaceofthemoonmaybeestimatedatabout2,833miles.

           However,twohypothesescomehereintoourconsideration.

           1.Eithertheattractionofthemoonwillendbydrawingthemintoitself,andthetravelerswillattaintheirdestination;or,

           2.Theprojectile,followinganimmutablelaw,willcontinuetogravitateroundthemoontilltheendoftime.