Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-02-19
For the Telegraph.
Solar Shots.

!
subjected 10 closer scrutiny il betrays an abso-
Lutte want of those characteristics which would
secure for 1t such titles as Purity, &C. Spots
on the Sun The whole scientific world are
now gazing at them and wondering ITO what
manner of beings they belong" Observations
of the suns surface were taken through the
six inch Refractor (at present in the use of the
Academy at Kingsville,) ON Saturday, Feb. 18th
9A.M The result was, that .foryeight spots
rendered "black as the tents of Kedar by the
briliancy of the rays from other parts of his
surface, were clearly visible. BY an approxi-
mate measurement they were found to vary in
diameter from 5000 to $4,000 miles, through
which the earth might pass as easily as an
acorn into hall bushel. Drawings of these
spots were made for future reference as they
appeared through the telescope. They are
scattered here and there but principally upon
the upper and lower limbs of his disc
But large instrument is not needed to make
this discovery-a smoked glass is sufficient 10
see some of them If the trial he made between
"a. NJ and 80 P. NJ. The enquiring mind does
not stay with appearances, it instnctively asks
-tchdt are these spots.
Before proceeding to answer this question
it may be well to state the known facts regard
ing them They are =
1st. The spots are of nearly every shape
from the circular to the irregular forms with
serrated edges
end. BY very accurate measurements they
have been known to vary in size from a mere
spot to ninety thousand miles
Sd. The spots are in continual motion, pro-
ceeding from the eastern side of the sun across
the disc and disappearing upon the western
side, coming into view again nearly 27t days
from their first appearance
4th. AS many as 200 have been seen at one
time
9th. The light and heat proceeding from
regions of the suns surface near the spots are
less intense.
9th. Spots have been known to form and
disappear in "a hours.
18th. Large spots frequently form from the
union of several smaller ones and vice versa.
9Th. For the last ITO years the sun has never
been entirely free from thcm
9th. Their number and size regularly in
crease to a maximum every eleventh year.
10th. The telescope shows the sun as mot
1t will be sufficient TO mention the fact that
during total eclipse of the sun, red flames
dash out from behind the moon to a distance
of $4,000 miles and that huge promnences of
less extent are seen. These are the principal
facts which render an eclipse so interesting and
Important throughout the scientific world
When these things are taken into consdera-
ton, availing ourselves with the recent but
wonderful revelations of the spectroscope, we
are forced to the conclusion shat the sun is a
body of intensely heated matter around which
an atmosphere extends to an enormous height
containing many of the elements in gaseous
state. The spectroscopc declares beyond con-
tradiction that 10 elements, among which are
iron, zinc, nickel, copper, cobalt, manganese,
aluminium, &c, exist in state of vapor in
the suns atmosphere.
The spots are caused by the disturbances in
this stething and ioaming mass. E. C. CROSBY.
THE TILT BETWEEN BUTLER AND Cox
The descriptions which come to us of the scene
in the House, on Thursday, last week, during
the encounter between Gen. Butler and Sunset
Cox, are decidedly amusing. The special cor
respondent of the Cincinnati Commercial thus
refers to the matter:
Mr.. Cox, who is like Josh Billings
model hornet, always mad, and always
busy, thought members were debating
small business. He had tried to lop halt
million off the Naval Appropriation
Bill, the other day, and NJ. Butler had
E beat it; now he has spasm of econo-
my about mileage. 1t was the petty
that xunIl1 Il
: and cheese-parings. But he thought But
Ter brought it in good faith. He was a.
mazed that Fitch should insinuate that
Butler ever made anything outside the
House. 1t was not in the gentleman to
do it he was too mindful of the peoples
interest TO take care of his own his un-
selfshness and lberality were broad and
deep-a mighty Dutch Gap Canal, flow
ing straight through his record.
The bald Ben, VIII bowled down the
aisle, and stood leaning pensively and
imper,urbably during this burst of Sun
set, tackled back to his seat in his pecu-
: liar rolling gait, amid salvo Of laugh
ter, in which he joined. A rush was
made toward him, in anticipation of his
re,ort. He again urged his amendment.
As to CoX's corruscations, he had only
to say-waving his hand toward him
"Shoo, fly, don't bodder me-" Prolong-
ed and uprorious laughter followed this
) sally, aud was renewed on all sides.
Cox succeeded in weathering the storm
sufficiently TO say that the country would
be glad to know that the gentleman was
not such beast but that his hide was
sensible to the sting OF fly but it was
evident that the brightness of Sunset
was eclpsed. The litt.e bolt had struck
between the eyes.
After more lively debate, Buffers a
mendment was negatived, and the mem
bers resolved to pocket their mileage by
the usual accommodating majority.
ANOTHER American has been murdered in
Havana. The Spaniards seem anxious to pro-
vote the United States OF recognize the Cubans
4 "a