Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-09-10
SUN SPOTS AND STORMS.

From the Louisville Courier Journal
There is reason for believing that the
violent storms of this year, the unusual
electric disturbances, are due to the ap-
proach of the maximum period of the
solar spots. The telescppic observations
OF the past few months have revealed a
great aggregation of spots Of enormous
dimensions upon the photosphere OF the
sun. These spots have been observed
to attain their maximum about every
eleven years. We are now nearing the
maximum.
As q matter of fact, astronomers have
yet to ascertain great many facts about
the sun before they can be very positive
as to the causes and nature OF the scowls
upon the suns face. That there Is O
coincidence between the sun spot maxi
mum period and magnetic disturbances
on the earth, is tact which has been
added to the positive facts OF science,
and there is an apparent coincidence OF
the sun-spot maximum with epidemics,
although that point is in dispute. How
the spots are formed is yet matter OF
conjecture. There are plenty OF theories
-. Ijde differences of opinion. Her.
eseionic action. w spots are ,h due to
to be IN gaseous state, eAe p6otosnhera
consisting Of clouds. which sadlcate the
cooling process, and poweriuf>>scend-
ing and descending currents h-ke
breaks in the gaseous interior, whic6sl
to observers on the earth, haye the ap-
pearance OF spots. The old Wilson
theory, which was rarely disputed until
fifteen or twenty years ago, was that
the body OF the sun is dark solid; that
it is surrounded by tive atmospheric
layers. which, when rent by volcanic
disturbances on the sun, open to view
the Opaque sun surface. Klrchotrs 8
theory 10 that certain portions of the
suns incandescent liquid-suriace are
cooling off temporarily, and that in the
process clouds are condensed above.
which intercept the rays and appear as
dark spots. There are numbers OF
other theories, but Mr.. Herbert Spencer
is undoubtedly right when he says tina,
"none of the interpretations OF the solar
spots can be regarded as established -
We know that solar disturbances are on
an immense scale, and it is no longer
theoretical that they affect our atmos.
phere. There is abundant proof that
they do. Speaking of the sun, Humboll
said: SAT lines its action is manifested
quietly and silently through chemica
affnities and determines the variou:
phenomena of life-in plants by the en-
dosmose or inward Transmission of mat
ter through the cellular membranes
with animals, in the tissue or nervous
ibers; at other times it causes electri,
discharges in the atmosphere-water
spouts, hurricanes. The luminous
waves do not act on the substance O
bodies alone, but are also in mysteriou
relation with the inward man, with tn,
more or less quickening action OF hi
faculties" During these periods o
great disturbance like the present, me
talic vapors in vast clouds are flung iron
fifty to one hundred thousand miles on
in space. The spots have been accu
rately photographed, and photograph
OF the sun are made more than eighteel
inches in diameter. with every detail O
the photospheric structure shown. Th
art OF photography is thus rapidly in
creasing our knowledge OF the varyin
conditions oil the photosphere. Thes
photographs show the surface cut u
into irregular patches, which are con
stantly changing their shape-an ind
cation of the violent activity prevailin
in our source of light, which seems t
be very fountain of energy.
We will gradually leave the region c
conjecture with reference to the sun an
approach exact knowledge. with the il
creased facilities furnished by account