The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-06
Spots Upon the Sun.


Mr.. j. r. Hind, to the London Times,
appeared in that journals issue of the
10Th of October. In it he discusses the
nature of the dark spots seen on the
SUMS disc, and suggests that they are
not "spots" at all, but one or more
planetary bodies which are revolving
around the sun within the orbit of Mer-
curry. He does not put this idea for
ward as new one, but urges it upon
the attention of astronomers and lovers
of science in all parts of the world as
one that is deserving of more attention
than it has yet received. 1t was first
suggested by the German astronomers,
the Canon Stark, of Augsburg, and Pas
torf, of Dresden. In June, 1919, these
gentlemen took observations of the pas
sage of the great comet of that year
over the SUMS disc, and, while so en-
gagged, noticed other appearances,
which induced them to repeat their OBJ
servations. Canon Stark's patience
was rewarded at length by another
similar view of the phenomenon,
on the 9th of October, 1919, and he has
recorded that he saw a black, well
defined nuculear spot, quite circular IN
form, and as largo as Mercury. 1t was
perhaps at noon that he saw it, for that
was his usual hour for taking observa-
tions of the sun. He adds that the spot
was no more to be seen at AT, ,. m. i,
and no trace of it later on the 9Th, nor
on the 10Th. Similar small, black, we'll
defined circular bodies are reported
likewise to have been seen on the suns
disc by DIR. Lescarbault, at Argeries, in
France, on March 26, 1859, and by Mr.
Lmmmis, at Manchester, on March 20,
1862. From Lescarbault's observations
NJ. LIE Verrier deduced the periodical
time or revolution of this spot or spots
at 1870 days. From those of Mr.. Lum-
mis- Messrs. Hind and Valz found the
time to be 1881 days, and supposing
tifty-seven revolutions to have occurred
between the two dates above given, this
last number is found to be CORE ct; and
as further proof of its accuracy, by
computing backward the number of
revolutions between March &c, 1859,
and October, 1919, it was found that
the transit Oh the spot across the suns
disc might have been expected on the
9th of October, just as it was actually
seen on that day by Canon Stark. Mr..
Hind thinks that s.if the orbit of this
body be circular, or nearly SO, with the
approximate knowledge we have of the
place of the node and the inclination of
the orbit, we may venture upon the
prediction of the times of the greatest
elongations from the sun eastward and
westward, and the positions of the by
pothetical body at the respective time. I"
He has calculated the places for the
times of the greatest elongations during
the next few months, for use in his OBJ
servatory at Twickenham, near Lon
don. He suggests that on the 24th of
March next a very close watch be kept
on the suns disc, and anticipates that
a conjunction between this body and
the sun will occur on that day, about
10, a. m. He thinks it will be desira-
BILE to extend the period of observation
through the whole twenty-four hours,
and on this account the aid of observ-
ers on distant meridians will be impor-
tant. Ii the hypothetical body is not
found on the suns disc at that time, it
will be proof that these surrnises are
incorrect, and the supposed planet e1-
lists only in imagination. 1t is to be
hoped that Mr.. Kinds suggestions
will be acted upon. The more we learn
about the sun the more important We
find his influence to be upon our globe
The recent prodigious fluctuations of
his luminous atmosphere have been
connected with corresponding f1uctua-
tions in the electrical condition of our
own atmosphere, and there is good rea-
son to believe that many of the earth
quakes, forest fires, foundations,
whirlwinds, storms, tidal waves, and
other mysterious visitations of our
planet, which have occurred in the last
few years, and with such extraordinary
violence, have been Influenced by them.
These "spots on the sun" are therefore
objects VI real importance as well as
interest to US, and attention is now
more than ever devoted to them by
astronomers. Mr.. Hind reminds his
readers that the object seen upon the
sun in March cannot, with its apparent
inclination of orbit, be identical with
that seen by Mr.. Scott in London and
Mr.. Wray at Whitby in June, 1S47, nor
yet that remarked by Mr.. Coambury
at Constantinople. in May, 1866. Per
haps our American astronomers have
something to say on the subject
pbjIodeI11b,D Te1Dfg.