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


the sun. which. IL is said by competent as
tronOmers. is likely TO be the most important
phenomenon Of its kind to occur during the
remainder q this century. Considered with
reference 10 some other Astroncmic events, ii
Is true even total solar eclipse. a. the COM
ING one viii be. IL no, Of the highest conse-
quenco 10 scicnee Bat such an occurrence 10
by no means Of sneonsidersbls moment. The
observations Afforded By such an opportunity
- will be had on the 5th Of next April. II
successfully made. may marx an important
era In all future solar and stellar physics.
The practical benefits from eclipse OBJ
servstions have long been known and
unconsciously realized by the world They
serve 10 increase the perfection OF cur lunar
navigation They have furnished the data for
determining geographical iongitudes and the
relative situations Of different parts Of the
globA The accuracy with which they have
been predicted demonstrates to the popular
mind. by the most palpabls evidence. that
there Is something In the occult science Of
astronomy which can be brought home 10 the
most rigid utilitsrian. But the most impor-
tant scientific end aimed at and now hoped
for, from eclipse observations, is tho analysis
OF the sun and the discovery Of the wonderful
constitution Of its fiery mass. The study or In
vcstigation Of solar chemistry In. in itself, one
OF the most interesting Of all physical inquiries.
and has become doubiy 80 since the spectre
scope has enabled rs 10 est the materials in
the solar atmosphere almost M accurately as IL
q specimen Of the suns mass could be OBJ
tanned and subjected 10 q chemists laboratory
tests The mind is awed by the mysterious
affinity now known 10 exist between the earth
aud the tar off planetary bodies 1t Is @
discovery which stamps the whole planetary
and stellar world as of one kindred in crca-
ton, and as coming from one creative hand.
There may be many varieties. bat substantial
unity of constitution, and this lie made more
palpable TO the eye when the solar spectra
reveal tho presence Of metals. such a. xinc and
iron, which We daily handls. existing in IN
orb moro than ninety millions Of miles away
from Us Imagine our own planet on fire.
its entire surface glowing as the fiery furnace,
it's coal beds sending forth their stored-up
energy in flames higher than the SUBMITS
of Chimborazo, and even the rock
and metallic ores volatilized by the
inconceivnble heat and We have some faint
image of what the sun is and would appear 10
us could we approach it. As knowledge and
reflection go on the mystery Of the suns heat
never abating in the long lapse of ages, be-
comes growingly darker. A few years ago
the great scientist Mayer undertook to show
that the sustained solar heat was due to
masses of meteorio bodies falling into and
supplying fuel to its fires. But Sir William
Thomson exploded that idea so completely
(by showing that, under such hypothesis,
the suns mass would in two thousand years
be so increased as to sensibly affect the earth's
revolution and change the length Of tho year,
that it has been abandoned The Same fate
has overtaken many other solar hypothesis
which, for o time, carried oil the scientific
world after them, and tho mysteries Of the
past slightly modified by fragmentary dis
coveries, still rise up unsolved before the most
profound researches Of the age.
The present attempt to photograph the
collapsed sun is to be directed mainly to the
corona, or exterior envelope of glowing vapor.
which has been called tho solor atmosphere
The expeditionary parties will be we'll pro
pared for their work and enter on tho field
with the best instrumental advantages ever
possessed by any eclipse expedition. The
most courteous hospitality has been offered
them by the King of Siam, through whose
dominions the moons shadow will make its
transit, and where alone, with the exception
of q few insular stations in the Indian Ocean,
the eclipse will be visible on land. To the
other instrumental appliances for such OBJ
many years, the astronomers now en- route for
Siam, will add the siderostat, which gives i'm
mense effectiveness to their apparatus and
puts them on vantage ground never before
occupied by eclipse observers
It has been sadly and increasingly too COM
mon of late years for the distinguished sci
entists who take part in such work to mar
their labors by premature publication of their
theoretical conclusions, and by the still more
unfortunate attempt to press these conclusions
into the service of cosmical speculations. We
have had in our day a surfeit of these wild
hypothesis seeking to explain planetary gene.
sis and creation itself from the partml and but
i'll defined data the telescope and spectre
scope have afforded. Bat it is to be hoped
we shall have hereafter less of this pretentous
and proftless theorzing, and that the forth
coming results of the Siam observations may
he stl1died in the interests of solid science
The UNUSUAL COMPLIMENT paid to Mr..
Blaine the Speaker of the House during the