The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-05

Island the totally lasts Am. u.s.. at MerRui, Am.
os. at Tenasserim SIN. SIS; at BankOk, 3nl. $685.,
the sun ranging at an altitude Of from GO to Us
degrees. Within these four minutes OF the sun In
eclipse, by the aid OF spectrum photography, it Is
believed as much knowledge can be gained as
ordinary solar observation would give In as many
years.
We have seen that the interposition of the moon
between the earth and sun acts as a celestial dam
to intercept the vast food Of solar light and that
the consequence is the dark cone.shaped shadow
OF our satellite But, while the latter serves the
purpose OF q transient dam, it cannot intercept
the glare or radiance OF the solar atmospnere-it-
self q luminous name enveloplng the sun and ris.
ing hundreds Of thousands Of miles above the fiery
crust Of that orb. The flaming atmosphere OF the
sun emits light which, during the eclipse, bursting
over the interposed lunar barrier, reaches the
eye and instrument OF the eclipse observer; and
1t Is this light when spectrum analysis eagerly
interrogates, In order to ascertain the
CHEMICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE SUN.
In 1860, Mr.. Warren dc 10 Rue and tho Italian
astronomer Father secchi were enabled, by photo.
graphs OF the eclipsed sun, to satisfy themselves
that the strange RED prominences seen round the
moon curing the total eclipse were not Of lunar
origin. but belonged TO the solar atmosphere.
This settled question that had been in dispute
for . century and half. and paved the way
for solving the kindred and higher problem
of the nature and composition Of the
solar atmosphere, or, more strictly speaking.
the red prominences and the corona. The
RED PRoMINENCEs.
1t will be borne in mind, lie within and make up
mainly the comparatively shallow part OF the SUMS
atmosphere {. e. the part which lies Immediately
above the solar crust, or philosophers. This part
of the SUMS envelope is known also as the chromo-
sphere, or colored sphere, and may be compared
to the lower stratum OF the earth's atmosphere.
But comparatively shallow as 1t Is. the promi.
nences shoot up sometimes 10000 miles, in the
shape OF cone, or cimeter, and are OF various COL
ors, deep req, pink and rich carmine and scarlet
Enormous as the chromosphere Is, 1t Is, however
D7t thin lIgament to the sun. as compared with
the outer layer OF its atmosphere. designated "a
THE CORONA,
which may be likened to the upper atmosphere of
the earth. stretching indefinitely outward into
space, tar beyond the reach Of instrumental OBJ
servation or even mathematical computation,
The corona, as intimated, Is separated from the
photosphere. or light orb or the sun-the orb visi-
Bile 10 the naked eye-by the intervening chrome.
sphere, and. as It's spectra can also be photo
Graphed during en- eclipse, the utmost interest
attaches to its chemical constitution. Before the
eclipse OF 1sCs occurred-an event ever memora-
bic in the history OF astronomy-Kirchor by means
mately. discovered the elements oil these solar
atmospheres, and when the manifold eclipse Oh.
servations of that year were maturely discussed
they sustained his views generally. Tho result
showed that the chromosphere, surrounding tho
BRIGHT round, solar disk that we see
every day, Is an envelope composed mainly
OF glowing hydrogen gas, into which are
frequently Injected from tho BODY Of the burning
sun Tor photospnore) be cath II and upon watch
1t reats. magnesium. sodium, ana occanoDally
iron ana the other heavy metais Tho "pricht
linesu observed on the 18th OF August, 1868, told
Enthusiastically, that the "red nameso or .red
prom!ncnces," forming tho chromosphcre, we're
built up OF glowing or ineaudescon. vapor, gener.
ated in the evorGery breast OF the 9rsa, lumin.
airy. But now the question was,
WHAT Is TaE coEoNAf
This halo OF light, outside the promnencee nve-
lope or chromosphere. was the object OF intense
interest In tho next eclipse OF 1869, during which
the American observers, VINO mad 1t oil to them.
selves, made numerous and splendid pho graphs
OF the corona. In modern science, as In modern
war, sue ess has become largely conditioned by
tho ,nsgumsntai psrieetrsss OF the apparatus used