Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-08-20

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 few seconds, as
the moon advanced rapidly in the ,direc-
ton to ID. And now the three larger
ones at ID, 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 it's
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.,
600 miles, by an aggregate breadth of fully
20 degrees on the base. Meanwhile the
prOtuberance at P grew larger, unsteadily,
as 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
ume, though the character of the outlines
did not perceptibly vary. These four
were distinctly visible till the last instant,
when they vanished with the corona, as a
star disappears from view when o flash OF
lightning illumines the armament.
The spectroscope had already told us that
these prOtuberances are masses OF mean
descent matter, and some of its cOnstitu-
ent elements have been determined to be
identical with substances familiar to us, as
iron, sodium, magnesium and hydrogen.
But it was reserved to Professor Hardness
to discover that there is constant decrease
in the number of elements in proportion to
the height above the suns surface. Thus
the summit contains no element but by
drogen, and sodium appears little lower,
while iron is, possibly, the element to rise
with the greatest difficulty, and to fall back
| soonest into the bosom of the sun. We
have also reason to believe that these pro-
| tuberances are identical with the dark
masses known as "spots" when seen on
that part of the suns atmosphere which is
between us and his body.
s.., CONSTITUTION OF THE SUN.
So much, then, we know Of the consti-
tuition of the sun that he is surrounded by
double atmosphere, and that the interior
one is selfluminous and the scene Of viO-
lent changes connected with the formation
and movement of immense bulks of mean
descent matter. We know, further, that
many of the substances which are found
in large quantities on the earth exist also
in the sun, and we may reason from anal
Ogy that other yet undiscovered terrene
elements join these to make up the grand
total of solar matter. But beyond this lies
a vast void belonging to the regions of the
unknown; probably much that will tor
ever remain unknowable by mortal.
But where knowledge ends speculation be-
| gins
1t has been thought that the luminous
and nOn-luminOus atmospheres OF the sun
are like two air strata in our atmosphere
not absolutely separable, nor divided by a
line the position of which can be in
Dictated. This is, we believe, the general
theory with those who entertain one, that it
is but general. distinction, Ike the discrim-
nation between upper and lower portions
| of our atmosphere, the one merging
into the other by imperceptible grada-
ton, and the self-luminosity ceasing only
when the density becomes too small to adj
NIT of that intensity of vibration which is
| supposed necessary to originate the sensa-
ton Of light
This may be so, but it seems quite as
probable that the suns condition is similar,
in respect to form, with that of the earth
before the continents were upheaved by
| volcanic force. Then the ocean covered
the land, and was itself surrounded by an
outer atmosphere of air, the two oceans,
then as now, not only balancing each
other, but being mutually necessary to the
integrity Of character pertaining to each.
Of course it is not necessary that the
philosophers should be composed of any
thing like what we call water, and indeed
we have no particular reason to believe
that oxygen, the chief constituent Of
water, is present at all. But lit is neces
sarily somewhat dense fluid, and is
probably in a state of more intense motion
than any intermovement of particles OF
which we have any knowledge. There is
no doubt that this fluid is also intensely hot,
but that is probably not result Of combus-
tion,and is more consequence of its rapid
motion than necessary condition of heat
in the solar rays. So far as we know,
light and heat are phenomenal cnly-mere
conditions, not material entities-and these
sensations are communicated only by the
intermediate vibrations of material parti-
Giles. 1t is always cold On the tops of high
mountains, though there be level enough
to admit of a large amount of earth radi-
ation and we must conclude that the differ
ence is principally due to lessened density
of the atmosphere, which presents fewer
| Ddl GlCiCo W NC NlOIdtCO Ill Gl1C DdooiSC VI
the solar rays; hence less of motion
hence less of the sensation of heat The
SUMS rays are warm and light to us only
because they vibrate through certain
media. Take away those media, and the
sensation is absent
We have every reason to believe that
the earth and moon have existed under
somewhat similar conditions to those now
witnessed in the sun, with this probable
difference that the earth has a compare
tive excess of oxygen, and the sun OF
hydrogen, while the moon is deficient OF
both of those elements. To this difference
we may perhaps look for consolation
against the fear shat the sun will be burned
out ultimately, and leave our posterity a
thousand generations hence to die out of
cold. The above view is perfectly consist
ent, too, with the idea that the sun may be
a fit residence for animated beings, organ
lied in adaptation to the situation, and en-
ables us to drop the difficulty which meets
us in the attempt to conceive of an eter-
nally selfsustaining confiagration.
i Als