Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-08-29
IT Is sun SPOT YEAR.
THE SIZE AND NUMBER OF BLACK
SPOTS INCREASING.

Smoked Glass Shows Them The Old
Question Whether They Have Any
Effect on Our Weather Is Naturally
Revived.
The eyes of astronomers are once more
directed with renewed interest to the
face of the sun, which this year has
shown a decided increase in the size and
number of the black spots upon its sur
face.
These spots are great sink holes in the
sun into which are descending vapors
that are cooler and consequently darker
than the surrounding surface. There is
an intimate connection between the spots
and certain explosions or eruptions that
occur on the sun. By which vast quanti-
ties of glowing hydrogen and vaporized
metals are cast up to an enormous height,
as stones and ashes are thrown out by
volcanoes on the EARTH
The late Father Secchi celebrated
Italian astronomer, thought that the
spots were caused by the settling downof
the materials thus cast forth, which has
been partially cooled and condensed dur
ing their lofty flight
Great sun spots are frequently COM
petely encircled by tremendous -rup-
tions, which sometimes hurl the dazzling
substance of the sun 200 900 or 300, 900
miles high!
We must notforset in considering these
startling facts that the surface of the sun
is not solid, like the crust of the earth,
but probably consists of shell of llim-
nous and intensely heated clouds, in
which iron and many others of our fa-
mlllar metals appear in the form of in
tensely hot vapors.
Within the shell, which is formed by
the partial condensation, resulting from
exposure to the cold of outer space, lust
as vapor from a tea kettle is condensed
into clouds of steam when it passes out
into the air, the body of the sun is he
heved to be composed of matter in sim
liar vaporous condition, but even hotter.
1t is easy to see that such a body can
never be entirely at rest, but the disturb
ances that it undergoes, which are man.
ifested to us by the appearance of spots
and eruptions, become very intense, then
gradually die away, and then again in
crease in intensity in pretty regular pc
rlods, the time from one maximum. or
point of greatest intensity, to another be-
ing, on the average. about II years
The latest maximum occurred in 1888
or 1884, and the latest minimum in 1889,
when very few spots could be seen.
Their rapid increase now indicates that
the approaching maximum, which should
occur about 1894, may be a memorable
one
Some of the spots that have lately ap-
peared could be easily seen without a
telescope by simply protecting the eye
with smoked glass. Any one can see
the larger spots by fixing spy glass in
such a way that it can be directed stead
lily at the sun while a sheet of white
cardboard is placed at distance of sew
eral inches behind the eye piece where
the image of the sun may fall upon it,
If the observation can be made through
an aperture in darkened room the effect
is greatly heightened.
The question whether sun spots exer-
else any influence upon the weather, and
if So what the effect is, has naturally
arisen again now that the spots are com
ing back.
1t is certain that extraordinary out
bursts in the sun produce violent mag
netic disturbances upon the earth, and
splendid displays of the aurora boreals,
or Northern lights, which are caused by
atmospheric electricity.
1t has also been l9pected that certain
destructive storms like our Western tor
nadoes and typhoons of the China Sea,
are most frequent when sun spots are
most numerous, but this remains to be
proved by further observations.
A fact to be kept in mind when think
ing of the influence of disturbances on
the sun is that while the earth would be
swallowed up completely if dropped into
some of the sun spot holes that look to
us like mere specks on the solar surface,
the sun, on the other hand, is so large
that although its distance from us is
nearly 93,O00,0OO miles, yet only little
more than 100 suns laid in row, touch
ing one another, would reach the earth.