The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-27

the images of the corona taken in the
camera by DR.. Curtis of the United States
Navy, do not show so great a breadth ofOut-
line as is here represented, probably for the
reason that the light of the outer portions
was too faint, by comparison, to fix an
image on the plate, while the more brilliant
portions were burning their impress OH the
apparatus. The photographs show the
corona to be least broad in the region of
the protuberances, and have preserved the
impress of as much of its breadth as cor
responds to distance of 105 900 miles from
the suns body, whence we may conclude
that the photosphere extends to at least
that distance, while the observations of
Prof Lane show that at three-fourths of
that distance it possesses enough of il
Illuminating power to light up the moons
surface to an extent sufficient to- cause a
reflection of its rays through distance of
23S,000 miles,
A legitimate conclusion from this, and
through spectroscOpic observations de-
tailed in our reports, is that the solid body
of the sun is surrounded by selflumi-
nous atmosphere of at least one hundred
thousand miles in thickness, or One-fourth
part of his radius, this giving the image
llAcu Ill tuC CdIutId, anu tlldt OutSluC VI
the light (photo) sphere is a non-luminous
envelope or atmosphere, shining to us by
means of the light received from the inte
rior shell, which it reflects to our eyes.
This non-luminOus envelope or atmosphere
must be at least 100000 miles in thickness,
and perhaps twice that amount, as its
density must decrease with the distance
till it loses its reflective power. 1t is not
impossible that the prolongation in the di-
rectiOn G A B, gives rise to the phenom-
enon known as the Zodiacal light, and rises
sufficiently near the orbit of Mercury to
cause the disturbances in his movements
which have been ascribed to a mythical
belt of planetoids.
THE PROTUBERANCEs.
These are represented on the diagram
in black; their apparent color was pink
red. The instant that the last film of light,
with it's middle at d, had vanished, leaving
the sun in utter darkness, and simulta-
neously with the outflash of the corona,
the line of protuberances extending from
P to B also burst upon the view. The one
at the lowest point was the largest. All
saw the upper portion, which occupied
about 16 degrees on the moons disc, and
projected $4,000 miles from the suns edge,
or fully One-half the average height of
the photosphere Dr. Hilgard saw and
described the lower, or pendant portion,
which was estimated to be 100000 miles
long, by 10000 miles wide, making a total
protrusion of 10000 miles. The prOtuber-
ance at L, and the one Immediately below
it, were also visible to the naked eye
they were rectangular, and were estimated
at 10000 miles high, with bases of five and
eight degrees on the circumference. The
photograph showed the three more fanci
fully shaped ones near the eastern quar-
ter, which were also more faint in outline,
seeming as if one part lay far behind the
other, which crosses it in the diagram
Hence the cross-shaped figure at B was
probably made up of two Independent |
protuberances, the horizontal portion ly-
ing several hundred miles farther from |
the eye of the spectator than the part |
which seemed to stand nearly upright. In |
the lower left quarter string of bead-hke |
protuberances were also visible with the |
aid of the telescope. Their comparative !
size is necessarily exaggerated on our dia-
gram; they were, perhaps, not more than |
5000 miles high, and dropped out of sight |
in rapid succession in a few seconds, as |
the moon advanced rapidly in the direc-
ton G. to D. And now the three larger |
ones at d, B grew smaller, fading from |
the view about the middle of totality, |
which fact showed them to have an alti- |
tude of about $4,000 miles.
At this time the western edge of the /
moon had advanced sufficiently in its |
course to uncover the protuberances on |
that side, and the three shown from A to |
r flashed on the vision, only the exterior
portions being visible at first, but soon
growing out farther and farther til the
three exhibited an altitude of at least co.
900 miles, by an aggregate breadth of fully
20 degrees on the base. Meanwhile the
protuberance at P grew larger, unsteadily,
rs the moons edge at that point neared
the edge of the sun, but it then seemed to
decrease shortly before the total phase
ended, showing an actual change in vol
lme, though the character of the outlines
lid not perceptibly vary. These four
we're distinctly visible till the last instant,
when they vanished with the corona, as a
tar disappears from view when flash of
lightning illumines the armament
, The spectroscope had already told us that
hese protuberances are masses of incan-
lescent matter, and some of its constitu-
mt elements have been determined to be
IDENTICAL with substances familiar to us, as
ron, sodium, magnesium and hydrogen.
But it was reserved to Professor Hardness
o discover that there is constant decrease
n the number of elements in proportion to
he height above the suns surface. Thus
he summit contains no element but n.y.
rogen, and sodium appears little lower,
While iron is, possibly, the element to rise
With the greatest difficulty, and to fall back
oonest into the bosom of the sun. We
ave also reason to believe that these pro-
uberances are identical with the dark !
masses known as "spOts" when seen on
hat part of the suns atmosphere which is
etween us and his body.
CONSTITUTION OF THE SUN.
So much, then, we know of the cOnsti- ;;
ution of the sun that he is surrounded by
double atmosphere, and that the interior
ne is selfluminous and the scene of W. :
mt changes connected with the formation i.
nd movement of immense bulks of inca
escent matter We know, further, tn
Many of the substances which are found ..
4 large quantities on the earth exist also; ..
q the sun, and we may reason from anal
gy that other yet undiscovered terrene )
lements Join these to make up the grand
otal of solar matter But beyond this lies
vast void belonging to the regions of the
Unknown; probably much that will for /,
yer remain unknowable by mortal
3ut where knowledge ends speculation be-
ins.
1t has been thought that the luminous {
nd nOn-luminous atmosphere of the sun
re like two air strata in our atmosphere {
lot absolutely separable, nor divided bya