The Nevada Democrat., 1862-04-15
ASTRONOMY.
COMPLIED AND ELABoRArEn By PROF. DoS KEE.l J
CHAPTER /.


CHAPTER /.
All things must have beginning, likewise
an ending-and for a beginning we shall first
take the solar system.
THE sUN.
This glorious orb may be seen almost any
clear day, by looking intenty in its direction'
through piece of smoked glass. Through this
medium 1t appears about the size of large or
ange and of much the same color. 1t is, how
ever, someweat larger, being, in fact ool'OoO
miles in diameter, and containing volume of
matter equal to fourteen hundred thousand
globes Of the size of the earth, which is certainly
a matter of no small importance. Through the
telescope it appears like an enormous globe OF
fire, with many spots upon its surface, which,
unlike those of the leopard, are continually
changing These spots were first discovered by
gentleman named Galileo, in the year 1911.
Though the sun is usually termed and cOnsid-
cred the luminary of day, it may not be unin-
teresting to our readers to know that 1t certainly
has been seen in the night. A scientific friend
Of ours from New England MIR. II. w. Emer-
SOM while travelling throdgh the northern part
ofNorway, with cargo Of tinware on the 2lst
of June 1896, distinctly saw the sun in all its
majesty, shining at midnight! In fact, shining
all night Emerson is not what you would call
a superstitiOus man, by any means-but he
left! Since that time many persons have OBJ
served its nocturnal appearance IN that part OF
the country, at about the same time of the year.
-, ~ haa n
the latitude Of Nevada, however, and it is very
improbable that it ever will be. Sacred history
informs us that distinguished military man,
named Joshua, once caused the sun to stand
still; how he did it, is not mentioned. There
can, of course, be no doubt of the fact, that he
arrested its progress, and possibly caused it to
"stand still;"-but translators are not always
perfectly accurate, and we are inclined to the
opinion that it might have wiggled very little,
when Joshua was not looking directly at 1t.
The statement, however, does not appear so
very incredible, when we reflect that sea-faring
men are in the habit of actually bringing the
sun doton to the horizon every day at II me-
ridian. This they effect by means Of tool
made of brass, glass and silver, called seXtant.
The composition Of the sun has long been
matter of disputes
To quote the words of the immortal Squibob;
"By close and accurate observation with an ex-
cellent Opera-glass we have arrived at the con-
clusion that its entire surface is covered with
water to a very great depth: which water, being
composed by process known at present only
to the Creator Of the Universe and Mr.. Paine of
Worcester, Massachusetts, generates carburet-
ted hydrogen gas, which, being inhamed, sur
rounds the entire body with an ocean of fire,
from which we, and other planets, receive our
light and heat. The spots on its surface are
glmpses of water, obtained through the fire;
and we call the attention of our old friend and
former schoolmate, Mr.. Agassiz, to this fact; as
by closely observing one Of these spots with
strong refracting telescope, he may discover
new species Of fish, with little fishes inside of
then. 1t is possible that the sun may burn
out after awhile, which would leave this world
in a state Of darkness quite uncomfortable to
contemplate. but even under these circumstan-
ces it is pleasant to reflect, that counting and
love-making would probably increase to an in
definite extent, and that many persons would
make large fortunes by the sudden rise in val-
ue of coal, wood, candles and gas, which would
90 to illustrate the truth of the old proverb, ts
an i'll wind that blows nobody any good."f
Upon the whole the sun is a glorious crea.
ton; pleasing to gaze upon Through smoked
glass;, eleyating to think upon, and exceedingly
comfortable to every created being on a cold
day; it is the largest the brightest, and may be
considered by far the most magnificent in the
celestial sphere; though with all these attributes
it must be confessed that it is occasionally en-
tirely eclipsed by the moon.+
The next chapter will be chapter ii.
%Phenixiana, pages So and 81.
TAN original idea.
kT.l,w & st..t