The weekly standard., 1870-08-03
The Sun and the Weather.

The sun Is beginning 10 Oe an OpJect OF
great anxiety to many scientific men. Spots
on that orb are not at all uncommon, as
NAV be asccrtained By any one who will take
the trouble to look at it through piece of
smoked glass. But these phenomena have
of late assumed an appearance which as
toaishes astronomers, and is calculated to
alarm that class which fancies it can detect
portents of the future in the heavens.
There are great CULTS now to be seen in the
sun. each much larger than this earth,
which we think of so much consequence in
the universe. They increase at prodigious
rate, and sometimes seem destined to work
a convulsion similar to that which has un-
doubtedly overtaken other solar systems
Suns as vast as that which lights and
warns this world have been shattered to
pieces, or disappeared, and only the philos
opher in his rowing glance over the sky has
detected the change. The inhabitants of
other planets would not notice the appear
ance of the planet we ~inhabit, any more
than we can see spcck of sand carried off
by the wind on the sea shore.
1t is not mere theory, but an ascertained
fact that the sun is in highly fluid con-
dition-as one recent writer describes It,
ga hurricane of flame, the disturbances of
which might, perhaps, be best represented
to our imsginations by the occasional cx-
plosion of planet or two of nitro glyce-
rine. It is, moreover, subject to magnetic
storms" produced, as many suppose, by
the movements of the planets around it,.
The great disturbance which is now going
on was predicted months ago by scientific
men, That we are much more concerned in
the event than many people would suppose,
is quite certain Self,registering magnetic
instruments have revealed the fact that
whenever spot breaks out on the sun. the
earth thrills under a mysterious magnetic
influence. In one case, few days ago, it IS
upon record that telegraphic machinery was
set on fire, and the "pen ofBritain's telegraph
was followed by fame" at the very Instant
sudden burst of light showed itself in the
sun. "1n the telegraph stations at WASH
ington and Philadelphia the signal men re-
ceived strong electric shocks. In fact, the
electric condition of the earth was changed,
though by what precise agency none can ex-
plain. We are at once lost in region of
conjecture, and can only feel that the fate
which was foretod of the earth may at any
time oyertake it. The forces are all i'll ex;s-
tence by which, in the solemn language of
Holy Writ, the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and
| the works that are therein shall be burned
up" .~
Once in every eleven years the sun exliib
its the stupendous phenomena which are at
present engaging the attention of philUso;
pliers. In 1859 "chasms and abysses," siIil
| liar to those which are now reported, were
seen by great many observers. Their
recurrence was predicted again for 1870.
| Great disturbances in the world have usual
ly accompanied these outbreaks, thous h
why it should so happen is another of the
unfathomable mysteries of the universe. In
| 1S4S there were magnetic sterms and We
had the French revolution. Again, in 1859
they occurred, and we saw wars and rumors
| of wars in Europe. The electrical condition
o. the atmosphere is thought to exert Il
greater influence upon the minds of men and
nations than many are willing to believe, or
than any one is able to explain.
The telegraphs denote the changed con
dition OF the earth, but they cannot indi-
cate the extent of the change. In the Ian
guage of the astronomer whose description
of the sun we have just quoted: the pens
of all our telegraphic wires may some day
trace in flame handwriting more ominous
of human destiny than was the hand writing
which, during Belshazzar's feast, traced a
warning on the wall Of the fall OF the Baby,
lonIan dynasty y"--fmerican Engineer.