Mower County transcript., 1869-12-02
Discoveries In the Snn.

Astronomers are busy in all parts Of the
world studying the nature of the SUMS sur.
face and atmosphere. the wonderful dis
coverios Of the spectrosoope having given
new impulse TO this branch Of inauiry,
Mr.. Janssen's method Of studying the red
pro:uberAnces," which we're formerly sup-
posed capable Of being seen only in time
Of eclipse, is now .practiced daily in many
observatories. 4 - st:t';-; - l.. J'.~'<'
BY this method Mr.. Lockyer. AN English
spectroscopistr hos discovered that the solar
protuberahces are local aocumulations of a
gaseous envelope, which completely sur
rounds the sun. -. He finds this to be mar
,vellously regular in its contour, aud to have
thickness of about five thousand miles
This he has given the name of the suns
chromosthers. 1t lies Immediately contigu.
GUS to the bright surface of the sun. It
consists chiefly of hydrogen; while the
protuberances that break up the continuity
Of its outline are vast masses of incapdes-
cent hydrogen and other yapors, elected
from time to time from the luminous mass
Of the Gun into the chromosphere.
The beautiful halo, called the corona,
seen to eneircle the sun in total eclipses
was also observed by sPeetroscopists during
the last two eolipses. In the eclipse of last
year, when the spectroscope was directed
on tho corona, only faint continuous
dark lines. But during the late eclipse
some of the American. observers noticed
one OF more bright lines. Professor Young,
Of Dartmouth College, spoke OF three as
being visible in his spectroscope; and, what
is worthy of special notice, one of these
lines corresponded precisely in position
with q bright llne that had previously been
found to belong to the light of the Aurora
borealis.. ,.,.0s, ! .~..e,-~: ......
In connection with this important dis
coyery another, made by Angstrom; should
be mentioned. It is that . bright band
which he had several times observed in the
spectrum from the light Of auroral arches,
was also to be detected in that from the 20
diacal light, the substance of which is known
to pervade the entire space between the
sun and the earth. We arc thus led to in
fer that the same substance il present in
the immediate vicinity Of the sun, where
the rsdiations Of the corona are seen,
throughout the fields Of space that. lie be-
tween the san and earth, and In the upper
regions Of tho earthis atmosphere where
the auroral fires are kindled. .:IE;i =
These discoveries lend = powerful sup
port to the theory advocated BY Professor
Norton, of Yale College, in his treatise on
astronomy, that the corona is . solar phe-
nomenon analogous to terrestrial auroras;
that its seeming radiations are ct the same
time lines ofelectfio discharge, and streams
of luminous matter flowing off into space;
that the same material emanations are seen
in transitu in the zodiacal light and furnish
the matter. of terrestrial auroras. It is
maintained by the author Of this theory
that it furnishes an adequate explanation
Of the disturbing action Of the sun upon
the magnetic needle, which, though 81.
O0O, 600 miles distant from the sun, trem-
bles and sways to and fro in sympathy with
those intense activities which are in opea.
ton on the suns surface, and originate dark
and bright spots on his disc; also, of the
correspondence observed to subsist be-
tween the periods of aurorars, as we'll as OF
the disturbances of tho magnetic needle
and those Of the solar spots.
It is now pretty generally admitted that
the corona is not the proper atmosphere Of
the sun, that this does not in fact extend
more than few thousand miles from the
SUMS bright surface, while tho corona
streams forth into space, in some directions
to the distance of million miles. The
theory that this corona is essentially q solar
aurora, appears to find more favor with the
observers Of the late eclipse, than any 9th:
or which has been advanced. Professor
Morton, in the report of the observations
of his party, advocates il, and adduces
strong arguments drawn from the results Of
the observations in its support.-N 7. Post.