But in the motions of the stars we are brought face to face with
eternity and infinity, covered by no veil whatever. It would be
bold to speak dogmatically on a subject where the springs of being
are so far hidden from mortal eyes as in the depths of the
universe. But, without declaring its positive certainty, it must
be said that the conclusion seems unavoidable that a number of
stars are moving with a speed such that the attraction of all the
bodies of the universe could never stop them. One such case is
that of Arcturus, the bright reddish star familiar to mankind
since the days of Job, and visible near the zenith on the clear
evenings of May and June. Yet another case is that of a star known
in astronomical nomenclature as 1830 Groombridge, which exceeds
all others in its angular proper motion as seen from the earth. We
should naturally suppose that it seems to move so fast because it
is near us. But the best measurements of its parallax seem to show
that it can scarcely be less than two million times the distance
of the earth from the sun, while it may be much greater. Accepting
this result, its velocity cannot be much less than two hundred
miles per second, and may be much more.
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