“Over one year the Sun appears to us on Earth to follow a route through twelve-star constellations we call the Zodiac. If there is this dark star—or whatever it is because at this stage we don't know—coming in, then the evidence points to its current location at the feet of Virgo.” Karl paused to check his supervisor's reaction. “That's where we would see it if we could. It might be a brown dwarf.”
Michael raised his eyebrows and frowned. The table gave a threatening creak as he shifted his weight.
Karl scratched his head in the silence that followed. He regretted drinking such a quantity of beer.
Better had I introduced my thoughts to Michael over a series of days. But—too late now.
“But I thought you were saying before there are lots of …show more content…
Of course. But there are discrepancies showing up in our data, leading me to believe such a change may indeed be a reality. Looking for an explanation of slight alterations in the expected time of sunrise and sunset—” Michael took a deep breath. “One possibility is the tilt Earth is on has changed by a small yet significant amount. What could cause such an unlikely event? Possibly, just possibly, the result of a giant body, such as a star, moving close enough to us so as to affect a change. A second source of influence acting on our planet.”
Michael saw the startled expressions on their faces. “Ah—these are reports coming from various sources and locations. Particularly from the Inuit in the Arctic Circle and from scientists in Belgium.”
“An intruder star?”
“Let's call it that.”
“It's not in the same corner of our solar system as the sun?”
“It's close.”
“Do you think many others know about this?” Storm asked Michael.
“If he's right!” Karl interjected.
“The question should be what do other groups know? Because we are talking layers of government as well as scientific bodies.”
Karl pulled over a chair and sat down. “It would be difficult to keep this kind of discovery under wraps.”
“True. You would think there were a few conversations going on. But there you go. Professional astronomers are told to shut up or else!”
“Go on, Storm. Tell Dad what Pete says he's
Michael raised his eyebrows and frowned. The table gave a threatening creak as he shifted his weight.
Karl scratched his head in the silence that followed. He regretted drinking such a quantity of beer.
Better had I introduced my thoughts to Michael over a series of days. But—too late now.
“But I thought you were saying before there are lots of …show more content…
Of course. But there are discrepancies showing up in our data, leading me to believe such a change may indeed be a reality. Looking for an explanation of slight alterations in the expected time of sunrise and sunset—” Michael took a deep breath. “One possibility is the tilt Earth is on has changed by a small yet significant amount. What could cause such an unlikely event? Possibly, just possibly, the result of a giant body, such as a star, moving close enough to us so as to affect a change. A second source of influence acting on our planet.”
Michael saw the startled expressions on their faces. “Ah—these are reports coming from various sources and locations. Particularly from the Inuit in the Arctic Circle and from scientists in Belgium.”
“An intruder star?”
“Let's call it that.”
“It's not in the same corner of our solar system as the sun?”
“It's close.”
“Do you think many others know about this?” Storm asked Michael.
“If he's right!” Karl interjected.
“The question should be what do other groups know? Because we are talking layers of government as well as scientific bodies.”
Karl pulled over a chair and sat down. “It would be difficult to keep this kind of discovery under wraps.”
“True. You would think there were a few conversations going on. But there you go. Professional astronomers are told to shut up or else!”
“Go on, Storm. Tell Dad what Pete says he's