The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-16
From the st. Louis Dispatch.

have no doubt that most important results
have been obtained. The same solar phe-
nomena, especially the corona and the pro-
jecting flame clouds, were witnessed from
oil the points within the shadow of the
moon at which observatories were planted.
Search was made for o planet within the
orbit of Mercury, but none was found. Pro-
fessor Winlock, whose point of observato-
ries was Shelbyville, found eleven lines in
the spectrum of the fame clouds or rose
colorcd gaseous protuberances beyond the
disc of the sun. Previous spectra of these
emanations revealed only five lines. 1t is
not stated whether all the eleven lines were
obtained from single spectrum. Profess
sor Harkness, who was stationed at Des
Moines, obtained different spectrum from
each of the protuberances, the number Of
which vas " five OF six.' When the various
observations ore collated we shall know all
that the spectroscope is capable Of teaching
US of the nature of these solar appendages.
We beg, however, to call attention to the
important ''spectrum observations" which
we give elsewhere, and to point out the fact
that but six lines were seen by the gentle
men who made them. On the occasion Of
French savan announced that he, too, had
discovered eleven lines in the spectrum of
one Of the protuberances, but it was subse-
ouently demonstrated that he was mis-
taken.
To enable the general reader to appreciate
the significance of the red lines observed
by Professor Winlock in the spectrum of the
rose-colored prominenccs so often mention
ed, brief explanation will be necessary.
The spcctroscope, an instrument invented
by Fraunhofer, German optician, shows
that. decomposed solar light, or the spec
trum as it is called, is crossed by immune
rable dark lines the best instruments show
more than 2,000) of hair-like dimensions.
Now every element with which we are ac-
quaintcd can be heated so as to cast spec
trum, through the intervention of prism.
As long as the clement is in solid or liquid
state, 10 transverse lines Of any kind are
observed. When it is raised to gaseous
state by intensity of heat, succession of
brilliant transverse lines, variously tinted,
make their appearance. Each chemical
element has n distinct grouping of these
lines. No one familiar with the spectre
scope, for instance, can mistake the lines
produced by iron for those produced by cop
per, or those produced by sodium for those
produced by hydrogen. Each metal and
element has peculiar system of lines.
But since the transverse lines on the solar
spectrum are all dark ones, and those on
The spectra Of the elements we have on the
earth are all bright, what correspondence,
it will be asked, can there be between
them? Well, experiment has further
proved that if the light from the highly vo-
latilzcd or vaporizcd element from which
Il spectrum is to be obtained, passes through
n stratum of the same varor of lower tenn
perature-and non-luminous-bef ii
reaches the spectroscope, the bright, trans
verse hair breadth lines will be all black
on the spectrum. The application Of these
strange facts has created a new branch OF
science-solar chemistry. The lines reveal
cd for instance by the spectrum obtained
from iron when subjected to that degree
Of heat which Hcutralizes it, find their
exact counterpart in the solar spec
trum-the same universal grouping in
both cases. The irresistible inference,
therefore, is, that iron exists in the gas
eous environment of the sun, and that
through an environment of the same cha
racter, but of lower temperature before
they reach the earth. The same with
several other elements. Sixteen of those
which enter into the composition of the
earth have been discovered in the atmos-
pherc of sun, if atmosphere it can be
called. The lines discovered by Professor
Winlock, if bis discoveries be not errors,
may correspond with the lines of sub
stances with which we are acquainted, and
thus the presumption of the elementary
identity of both sun and earth be some
what strengthened. With regard to that
presumption, it must, however, be observed
that the solar spectrum shows great many
groups or systems of lines for which no
counterparts have yet been found, and con-
seouently the state of the problem at pre-
sent is that the sun contains many elements
which are not to be found in the earth.
The red lines referred TO are further proof
that the prominences are real merry hame,
and that no medium of the same nature and
of lower temperature intervencd between
them and the earth. If there were ever
any doubts as to the sun being globe Of
fire, spectrum analysis has put an end to
them. How intense the heat OF that body
must be when it keeps metals, such as iron,
copper, zinc, and nickel, in state Of vapor,
hundreds, possibly thousands, of miles from
its surface 1t is all but certain that these
metallic exhalations cool and condense,
from time to time, as the vapors in the at
mosphere of the earth cool and condense.
It must therefore rain red-hot iron and
copper, and other metals in the sun. Ii
Milton knew as much of the sun as Is known
in these days, his hell, grand and terrible
though ii be, would be q still grander col
lection of terrors. Mammon would have
been drowned in floods of burning gold
streaming in cataracts from the clouds,
and tempcsts of iron flakes would
have beaten on the helm of Moloch. But
can the sun burn forever without being
consumed The most eminent natural
philosopher of this age, Sir William Thomp-
son, answers the question in the negative.
He argues that the sun is gradually cool
ing, and that the time will surely come
when he shall stand, not only temporarily
shorn of his beams, and shedding dlsas-
trous twilight from behind the moon, as ne
did on Saturday afternoon, but clothed with
the blackness of darkness and the shadow
of everlasting death. And all analogy,
countenanccs the opinion. Ii the laws OF
nature, as they are called, are universal,
the sun is also subject to them. 1t could
only be by the reversal of these laws that
he could continue burning forever. He ls
sending out immense volumes of force IN the
shape of heat and light, and getting back
hardly anything in return. He has thus been
expending his strength for incaleulable
periods, and must exhaust himself at last.
,AGrolites are the only source he has ot
recruiting his energies, and their supply is