The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-02-24
SUN STORMS.
Graphic Description Of the Present Sun
Spot Phase

Graphic Description Of the Present Sum
Spot Phase
From the Providence Journal
tisipitiful to witness theccondition of the
sun. The great tire-ball is in intense COM
motion. His surface is scanned and SCARED
in every direction; with black spots that In
dictate the disturbing, elements at work in
his chaotic mass. Occasionally, for a day
or Two, the blemishes disappear, and the
glorious king Of day shows a face like a
shield, of glowing gold. But the aspect
quickly changes; spots come rushing in all
directions and assuming all forms. They
appear singly and in pairs, and again in
groups and rows. Immense groups break
up into small ones, and small ones unite to
form great 'chasnls, into which half a dozen
worlds might be dropped and there would
still be room for more. Sometimes the spots
are visible to the naked eye, and at that
time good opera glass or spy glass will
make them easily perceptible. Hundreds of
observers all over the world watch the sun
face every clear day, and keep record Of
the number of spots, their size, and the
direction in which they move, for as the
sun turns on his axis they turn with him,
some of them remaining for months with
out much change, some taking on new forms
and some disappearing entirely. Very lit.
tie is known of this mysterious sun or the
spots that are visible more than ninety mill
lions of miles away.
Once in about eleven years the sun takes
on his present sun-spot phase, ard we ale
approaching the maximum of disturbance.
No one knows the cause. Some believe
that it is planetary attraction, some that it
is the fall of great masses Of meteoric mat:
ter, and some that it is the result of in
ternal commotion and the rush upward of
gaseous explosions in comparison with
which our fiercest volcanic eruptions are
but the flicker of flame. Besides the sun
spot agitation the gaseous outbursts are
marked and vivid. The tongues Of fame or
rosy protuberances are darting forth in all
directions and bearing their testimony to
the solar commotion. Mr.. Trouvelot, of
Cambridge, who makes daily observation Of
the suns chromosphere, gives graphic de-
scription of remarkable solar protuberance
that he witnessed on the 18th of November.
When first seen it was large and compli
Gated, extending upward from the sun
about a hundred thousand miles. Three
or four hours after, it had developed into
huge proportions, extending far out into
space, and vanishing gradually to regions
where it could not be perceived. AS near
lyas it could be measured it reached height
of over a quarter of the suns diameter, or
about two hundred and thirty five thousand
miles. Such a protruberance hurled up
ward from the earth would almost reach
the moon! Two hours after the whole struc-
ture had collapsed, and was only about
eighteen thousand miles high. Observa-
tons like this give an idea of the mighty
forces at work in the solar orb, and make
observers long for the time when satisfac-
tory solution may be found for this mysteri-
GUS periodical solar disturbance, SO init
mately connected with the meteorological
endition Of the earth. ) /