Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-08-13
the sPOrs ON rnE sun.
Letter from Father s'esAl. Of the Roman OS's'

VatOry.
icon The Catholic Rsvisul
Father Seechl, writing from the oblerva-
tory Of the College OF Jesuits, Rome, July 10,
says
The great spots on the lace Of the sun had
entirely disappeared for aone time past but
on July 8 q beautiful and very large ono was
distinctly visible even with the naked eye.
Il presented some remarkable variations.
Very small at iirst aud consisting OF little
specka, Il gradually liner sased Ia size until II
attained the dimension OF min. 20 sec. 10
diameter, But liz size was not It's principal
distinction. u was remarkable as a specimen
for solar analysis, a. Il displayed In lts centre
some violent eruptlous Of hydrogen gas d.
rcetly visible In the centre Of few nuclei,
Occasloned by the reversing OF the rays u
this gas rs also In those that surround and
crOss them. Dense vapors OF sodium, mag
neslum, chalk, and iron were spread over iis
vast area In such quantities that never re-
member TO have witnessed the like before.
All this shows n renewed activity In these re-
glons, which had Of late appeared 10 be en-
Ilrely tranquil. The motion Of the rays was
confused, and the entire matter cOnyulsed IN
every sense. Il Is impossible, without the aid
Of Instruments, 10 give person 1T distance
any Idea Of the phenomenon. (.
The spot In question was In tho central
hemisphere, aud gradually Inclined 10 the
eastern extremity OF the suns disk. Another
striking Sign, aud o oontempOraneous one,
was the existence Of violent eruption OBJ
served on the extreme edge Of the SUI at a
few degrees distance from tho most eastern
limit OF the spot Is deg. from east 10 nOrth).
The morning was cloudy, aud | was unable
N make Q drawing OF tho sun until about
forty minutes past two In the afternoon, and
at that time could only perceive small
jet OF very bright flame alOngsidc OF q great
one Of hydrogen gas. Having observed very
carefully the round OF the entire surface OF
the sun, was surprised, on returning 10 the
same spot, at about Thirty minutes past three,
70 notice lively eruption, but not by any
means on eleYaIsd Ope. AZ hall-past three
u vas about atty seconds. hut lIs ylyacitl
was extreme. Il consisted Of dense aud
splendid cloud, sustained by an infpiie mum.
her Of rays, proceeding frum the edge Of the
solar disk. This cloud was formed, besides
hydrogen, Ot an unknown substance, which
gives On the spectrOscOpe ayiyld ray near the
centre Of the two b and q, 40 that the rcilcc-
llon was entirely formed Ui this new kind Of
ray The rays Of sodium, magnesium and
Iron appeared, a. II were, tOpsy-turyey so
that these rays were In abundance, 10 say
nothing Of those Of the hydrogen.
The movements aud changes were 20
rapid a. To DO easily perceived ~ the naked
eve. Al S:45 they attained the elevation OF
lli.A3f cnlllOuetlbst tuht Us huQHh you lcFltsT
trial diameters, aud their elevation was pre-
served pretty nearly all the time the phenome-
non lasted. The lines seemed To he multi
piled, and tO form groups, which, At times,
remained stationary, and then hickered 20
and fro. They looked 10 me like the legs VI
insects moving about. They were really
formed OF dense rays, which now united and
now separated, so that they were always In
motion. At $3.50 the mass began 10 diminish
In intonaitv and then 4 waa able In recOnnize
its Internal organization. The rays now as
sumed the appearance Of acanthus leaves
surrounding a Corluthlan capital, and pre-
scented most beautiful and wonderful sight.
Al o O'Clock the eruption again became in-
tense, covering over ten solar degrees, and
81 lhe height Increased ~ the double OF what
II had already attained. AZ $50 II dlnin-
ishcd, aud At Z o'clock was entirely eXtln-
guished, so that the special rays appeared
less brilliant than those Of the ordinary n.y.
dngen.
tried my best to discover any magnetic
influence during the eruption, but not until
T3O did nOtlceanythlngol the kind; at that
hour considerable magnetic influence was
manifested, and this morning II was extreme
" violent duly lO.) Whether this has any
thing To do with the condition OF the sun, or
Is OccasiOned by the violent storms announced
by the Telegraph, / cannot say. This morn
Ing the large spot already mentioned as be-
Ing In proximity Of the eruption has entirely
disappeared. Another eruption Is also mo-
ticed this morning near the last, which has
almost entirely ceased. A. astronomers are
mach occupied by these phenomena OF solar
spots, think II my duty To inform them OF
what | have witnessed. The inyarlable APP
partition Of spots In vicinity OF solar erup-
tiIns leads me 70 conclude that they are pro-
lnced by the said eruptlons, and consist Of
dense masses OF yapor, which have been sent
up by the eruption, aud have reiallon on tho
surface OF the sun. This, Of course, Is only
u theory, but II may prove of use.
p. A. SECCHI.