The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-11-28
ARE WE TO BURN UP?
Speculations Regarding the Ma
ture of the Suns Heat.
Increase of Heat on the Earth During
the Prevalence Of sun spots-The
SUMS Envelope Our Pro-
fectOr,

followed the appearance of the great
sun spots in the latter part of June,
says Goldthwaite's Geographical Maya
zine, no. doubt awoke in many mind,
questions as to the nature and extent
of the influence exerted upon the
earth by variations in the condition of
the sun. There appears to be no
doubt that the radiative energy of the
sun is increased when the spots break
out upon its surface. and it seems
reasonable to conclude hat the earth
must experience a greater degree of
heat at such times. Yet, singularly
enough, the best observations bearing
upon this question Indicate just the
contrary condition of things. 1t has
been found in India that the mean
temperature is lower instead of higher
spots. Such a result mus be b brought
about by terrestrial conditions which
are able in some way TO reverse the
effect of increased radiation from the
sun. But a very great increase in the
solar heat could hardly be neutralized
in that way. If, then, the sun at GER
tain times suddenly pours forth an ex-
traordinary gush of heat, the earth
must take the consequences. This
whole subject becomes particularly sig
nificant in view of modern discoveries
concerning the nature and constitution
of such bodies as the sun. If not in
name, at least in practice, there exists
n S.iapna of commemorative collar ,,bys;os
All the suns of space are made to con-
tribute To our knowledge. Our own
sun falls into a special class and is
found to be sharply differentiated in
many particulars from the stars that
do not belong in the same category
with itself.
Even the ancients knew, or at least
surmised, that the stars are suns, but
it remained for the astronomers of our
day to demonstrate that there is a
great variety of suns. Still, through
all the variations there runs a family
likeness and an evident identity of ulti-
mate constitution and destiny. So
the different classes of suns merge
into n another by almost insensi-
Die ordinations There is also ev-
idence that suns pass from one class
into another, either as a result of pro-
gressive development or in consequence
Of the sudden outbreak of transform
ing forces. The last fact is of supreme
interest to the inhabitants of a planet
which, like the earth, depends for its
prosperity, and even for its very exist
ence, upon "a solar orb hat is liable to
stupendous changes. The periodical out
break of sun-spots in a cycle of about
eleven years alone suffices to place the
sun in the large and continually in
creasing list of the so-called variable
stars: and the wide difference in the
intensity of these outbreaks at differ
ent times indicates that we cannot
count upon the changes in the suns ra-
energy as we do upon such com
paratively regular variations as those
geometrical calculation. So long as
the amount of the change is small. and
has BEEN during the period covered
by human history, nc serious results
are to be app-ehended, but there is no
absolute certainty that the change may
not suddenly become d~estructively
great. Such an event is improbable
but not impossible. Not only the
apparitions of new stars, but
also the enormous changes of
brilliancy that many w~ell-known va
stars undergo, furnish evil
dence Of the potential capacity of q
sun to burst forth, upon suitable prov
with an overwhelming energy
Of radiation in the face of which no
planetary life could survive.
The sun is surrounded with what,
from u point of view, might be
n protective envelope, or at
which absorbs. as the spec
troscope shows, a large part of the ra-
proceeding from the tremen-
ious inner core of the solar globe.
Other stars possess a singular absorb
i've envelope. and in consequence are
in the same class with the sun.
n some stars this envelope is far more
effective in producing absorption than
S the case with the sun, and such stars
'ecm to be smoldering and sinking
extinction, though in some
.ases they occasionally flare up with
outbursts, as though struggling |
impending fate. But by far
he greatest number of the stars ap-
,ear to be less effectuslly blanketed
With absorbing vapors than the sun is
for instance, the brightest star
to us, and Vega, n Of the
most brilliant ornaments of the mid
evenings, shine with a splen-
or and intensity of radiation far ex-
the suns, independently of the
size. Sirius, for instance,
out seventy OIL eighty times as
much light as the sun, although recent
stimat es of its mass show that it is ,
not m5re than four times as
Ieavy. The intensity of Sirius radia-
ion must then be many times greater
han that Of the SUI. in consequence Of