Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-05-18
Facts about the Sun.

The following results have been de-
duced from a great number of observa-
tions made upon the border of the suns
disk, in the region of the spots, by Prof
Respighi:
In the neighborhood of the spots the
chromosphere (stratO rosat0) is rather low,
quite regular, and intensely bright.
Upon the exact locality CT spot, or
rather over its nucleus, the chromosphere
is generally very low, and sometimes
totally wanting.
At the nucleus, either there are no erup-
lions, or they are confined to jets of great
subtilty and little duration.
The nuclei of the spots are either totally
obscure or possess very feeble luminosity.
Along the borders of the spots, jets are
thrown up Of extraordinary intensity and
violence, and of very definite confgura-
ton.
The jets adjoining the spots consist not
solely Of hydrogen, but also Of other sub
stances, as is shown by their respective
bright lines in the spectrum.
Now and then the eruptions in the
vicinity of the spots assume gigantic pro-
portions, and are probably the cause OF
the rapid changes of form and position
which are observed in the spots them
selves.
There are often seen, in the neighbor-
hood of the spots, jets curved backward
upon the solar disk, in forms which are
sensibly parabolic
The immense jets and erupted masses
near the spots expanded and vanish away
more rapidly than in any other region.
On the area of the spots, neither the
photosphere nor the edge of the suns
disk shows any perceptible irregularity;
that is, neither any perceptible prom
inence nor depression.
From these results, obtained by spec
trOscOpic observations of the border OF
the sun and of the protuberances, Prot.
Respighi is led to conclude that the pho
tosphere is an incandescent liquid mass or
stratum, of suitable specific gravity, by
the weight of which various gases, and es-
! pecially hydrogen, are confined and COM
/ pressed in the interior of the sun, at an
elevated temperature under an enormous
tension, and with a density differing but
little from that of the superintendent
liquid stratum.
These gaseous matters in the interior of
the sun, not yet having been brought to
! condition of stable equilibrium, might in
I some portions be less condensed, and hence
from hydrostatic pressure would rise to-
ward the surface with great velocity, until,
overcoming by their enormous expansive
| force the resistance of the liquid stratum,
| they would burst through it with veloci-
| ty greater or less, according to the depth
! from which they emerged, and the degree
Of tension in which they originally were,
| and would thus develop those jets or erup-
! tioDs which constitute the protuberances.
The masses thus erupted, then, would
not be determined in their movement
solely by their initial velocity and the &C
ton of gravitation, but would generally
be subjected to the operation of other
forces, which would concur in their ele-
vation, their diffusion, and their ramifica-
ton into those extraordinary forms which
the protuberances present According to
this hypothesis, the hydrogen issuing
from the body Of the sun would serve as
Niment to the cromosphere, repairing thus
the rapid losses of the latter by its not i'm
probable combination with the substances
Of the photosphere and it does not appear
70 Prot. Respighi absurd to suppose that
this immense stratum of incandescent n.y.
drogen, that is, the cromOsphere, may be
the principal source Of the heat radiated
from the sun.
In regard to the spots, spectroscopic OBJ
servstiOns show that that they are neither
cavities nor clouds, but are merely super
hciai notifications; that IL, partial OBJ
scurations of the philosophers, produced,
probably, by scoria or scum floating upon
1t. On the contrary, regard being had TO
the well defined forms OF the Jets neigh
boring the spots, to their extraordinary
subtility, and to their enormous energy,
the superstition does not appear TO the au-
thor irrational, that the nuclei of the spots
consist Of portions, slightly projecting
from the philosophers, OF solid masses or
Islands floating upon the liquid stratum
which envelops the body OF the sun. The
which rise ordinarily in the region Of the
spots, might be the cause of those great
transformations which are observed In the
latter, and determine, BY their resistance
n the superficial strata, currents In d.