Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-08-29
THE ECLIPSED SUN.
OBSERVATIONS GATHERED FROM
EcuPsEs or THE GUN.

cess,usiess 81 Enias.s Assrsssoasvsss-
asd By Recent Phstesraphs q tAs ssa's
cersss - Seen Duri.g ths Tine fhss tAs
Solar Bedy wss aiAdss.
When eclipssd. the majestic ding ol
day coudesoendingly permits the stzuc-
ture Of his mysterious appsndages TO b
photographed and analysed spectroscop.
ically. Never In the whole history Of
astronomy has Aner opportunity fos
such work been afforded and 20 skill-
fully and completely improved by ~
tronomers as that Of the recent eclipse.
The full harvest Of their observations
seems to promise some startling rsvsls-
tions.
N. Flammarion, the French astrono-
mer, after reading tho Gillian cable dis-
patches announcing Professor Picker
ings recent eclipse observations, II TO
ported to have said: ''They confirm the
theory that tho sun u surrounded BY .
luminous atmosphere TO . distance equal
to one-eighth Of the suns diameter." /"
Scarcely quarter Of o century gomsny
astronomers questioned whether the %
lar atmosphere had any marked extsn-
sion. and even doubted whether the CO.
roma was solar appendage ct all. But
In the light of the late eclipse II u not
astonishing that an astronomer expresses
the opinion that the suns atmosphere
extends outward more than 100, 900 miles.
The eruptive forces Of the sun must be
enormous indeed to eject the matter
composing the flaming prowinences not
infrequently observed 10. 900 miles broad,
with an uprush Of 225miles second and
attaining occasionally an elevation Of
1000 miles. All prominences. Zollner
and Respighi have shown, are originally
phenomena Of eruption. preceded by REQ
tilinear Jets, either vertical or oblique,
ascending to great heights and then seen
falling back again toward the sun Ike
the Jets Of our fountains. The eruptive
prominences are, as Professor Young
says, generally associated with active
sun spots" Since during the late eclipse
these prominences were conspicuous In
connection with an unusually brilliant
and extended corona and great spotted
ness, the before seemingly established
law that the corona's sire and luminosd-
ty are In direct proportion to the suns
spot producing activity Il strihngly cor
robOrated.
Professor Schaeberle cabled from Chill
that his eclipse observations confirm his
mechanical theory Of the corona, which
regards this vast appendage as composed
Of streams Of matter elected with initial
velocities Of $50 miles o second from the
sun by forces which are most active near
the sun spot zones. Indications Of such
eruptive action have been often observed
In the higher regions Of the prominences.
A further confirmation Of this theory II
that the corona In outline resembled that
which Professor Schaeberle predicted
some months ago. Az far back a. the
eclipse of 1870 Mr.. Brothers noted that
"prominences were most numerous On
the side Of the sun where the corona wss
brightest" an evidence that the coronal
matter IL not less than that Of the promi.
nences elected from the sun.
Mr.. Proctor. discussing the observs-
tions Of that eclipse, concluded: ~ con.
ceive we have now clear evidence Of .
form of action-but whether eruptive,
electrical or repulsive is not yet obvious
-exerted outward to enormous distances
by the sun and with maximum emery
over the spot zones, but local, variable
and probably intermittent.
Il will be seen. then, that Professor
Schaeberle's theory, though by no mems
established, accords with old observs-
tions. No other explanation Of the corona
has been offered save that which attrib-
utes II TO reflection from myriads Of In
candescent msteors or cosmical dust CIR.
culating around the sun. But this hy-
pothesis has never been supported. II
the corona were chiefly due to metsorio
dust revolving around the sun, we should
certainly expect to see II regular, and
not as It generally appears, capped. quad.
rilateral or four rayed, with immense
wings or extensions. There seems, there
fore, to be no other inference possible
but that which telescopic scrutiny has
long suggested-that the corona Ia orig
mated and maintained by countless ejec-
tions issuing from beneath and Aung
through the philosophers by the suns
vertical or volcanic forces.
II the finsl study Of the coronal photo
graphs obtained sustain this view, SCI
ence viii have at least . working by.
pothesis for the determination Of the
cyclical variations Of solar heat and the
corresponding effects upon terrestrial
temperatures and climates. The theory
in question Obviously opens mp new
and fascinating inquiry into the anoma.
lies Of the earth's, seasons which are due
to variations Of solar activity. Weseem
to be thus happily led to tho very thrss.
hold Of one Of the grandest discoveries Of
modern science. which promises when
developed to yield rich harvest Of prac-
tical results.
Now that most numerous and perfect
photographs Of al the principal append.
ages Of the sun have been secured In
Chill and Africa, astronomers should
give their best energies 70 the study Of
the data. No problem they can now at
tack can be of greater interest or i'm
portance to science and the world.-Nsw
York Herald.
useiaiming Old Rubber.
CruSb rubber IL worth from 10 to IS