r
was found, it should be not more than a few light-years away. But
nothing happened. All night Phobar kept his telescope pointed at the
probable spot, but search as he might, the heavens showed nothing new.
In the morning he sought eagerly for news of any discovery made by
fellow-watchers, but they, too, had found nothing unusual. Could it be
that the mystery would now fade away, a new riddle of the skies?

The next evening, he took up his position once more, training his
telescope on the seven bright stars, and then on the region where an
eighth, if there were one, should appear. For hours he searched the
abyss in vain. He could find none. Apparently the phenomena were ended.
At midnight he took a last glance before entering on some tedious
calculations. It was there! In the center of the telescope a faint, hazy
object steadily grew in brightness. All his problems were forgotten as
Phobar watched the eighth star increase hourly. Closer than any other,
closer even than Alpha Centauri, the new sun appeared, scarcely three
light-years away across the void surrounding the solar system. And all
the while he watched, he witnessed a thing no man had ever before
seen--the birth of a world!

* * * * *

By one o'clock, the new star was of fifth magnitude; by two it was of
the first. As the faint flush of dawn began to come toward the close of
that frosty, moonless November night, the new star was a great white-hot
object more brilliant than any other star in the heavens. Phobar knew
that when its light finally reached Earth so that ordinary eyes could
see, it would be the most beautiful object in the night sky. What was
the reason for these unparalleled births of worlds and the terrifying
mathematical precision that characterized them?

Whatever the cosmic force behind, it was progressing toward the solar
system. Perhaps it would even disturb the balance of the planets. The
possible chance of such an event had already called the attention of
some astronomers, but the whole phenomenon was too inexplicable to
permit more than speculation.

The next evening was cloudy. Jupiter reported nothing new except that
Neptune had deviated from its course and tended to pursue an erratic and
puzzling new orbit.

Phobar pondered long over this last news item and turned his attention
to the outermost planet on the succeeding night. To his surprise, he had
great difficulty in locating it. The ephemeris was