The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-21
THE SOLAR CYCLONES
INTERESTING TALK WITH PROF
LARKIN, OF KNOX COLLEGE.
Surface of the SUN Torn and Twisted
cred by the Illinois Observer.

1hss ~tb- OANooCa
Larkin. of Knox College conservatory. was
in his conservatory yesterday afternoon
still studying the solar cyclones. IF suffi-
cient observations of the sun spot in its
unrest during May 16 and IL have been Sc
cured by different Observers" he said.
solar astronomy will be enriched. The
spot was first seen at this observatory late
in the afternoon of May 10 and was already
somewhat dvanced on the eastern limb.
1t gave no sign of coming magniicence,
so was not specially noted or measured. 1t
then consisted of one large spot with per-
hapS half a dozen smaller ones near 1t, and
at quite a distance was seen another nearly
half as large, also having several smaller
points in it's vicinity.
b reason Of clouds no view was had the
18th and none until 2 p. m. the 18th. One
had grown TO possibly twice It's former size
on the 10th, and it's attendant spots had
shifted positions and increased In magni-
tude. The other was larger and its out
lying spots had increased i'm number and
size. Still the groups failed to attract at
tention as being more than ordinary and
were not seen again till the afternoon of
the 14th. Both groups were then larger,
and group A was expanded to double the
area and all the others had a changed as
pect, while B was materially increased.
The sky was clear during the entire day
the 10Th. and almost constant watch was
maintained.
The telescope is a six-inch Clark equa-
torial The observatory has no SpectroScope
or solar camera and is not provided with a
mlcrometer, all observations being MADE in
the old-fashioned way and measurements
squared paper TO scale. Hence the results
are approximate. The means of five deter
limitations OF the entire disturbed area of
hnth Urnllng INCLUDING nanfmhr1 arQ &c
follows: Length, $4,000 miles; width group
A, 1900 miles; width between groups, 2l,00O
miles; width group b, $1,000 miles.
This area included thirty-six spots,
large and small. The largest spot in group
A was counted as three, since it had two
bridges across 1T. These bridges, jets or
tongdes. as one pleases to cali them. were
extending across most Of the black chasms
below, while others were in process of
a Jet darts out of the upper edge of the
penumbra and gradually works it's way
/. along until the end appears over the nu-
the opposite side: they advance, meet and
form a band, which then widens and sub
merges the spot. At times as many as
four bridges are seen; they are white hot,
iS matter of the sun. In the turbulent mass
OF May 16 and II these bridges were not
Straight. all were bent when completed,
s~f1&lberore the tongues were extended en-
tirely across they were in two or three in
stances divided into smaller tongues. and
- oc AhtO -AAACA '" POihtC0
streamers, perhaps one hundred miles
wide. and none straight. a circumstance
which leads to the conclusion that they
were in the clutch of a rotary force.
THE divisions in the advancing ends of
the jets, together with their curvature and
} silvery color, all conspired to present a
beautiful spectacle and impressive when
one realizes the magnitudeS of the moving
masses and the heat involved in the mean
descent sea. AT times the flaments looked
like spray. and one abyss was crossed by
a bridge entirely made up of filaments or
strips, that is, the texture was such that
through il.
t those who are not accustomed to
view the sun with a telescope it is doubt
less well to say that those movements cam
not be seen any more than the motion of
the hour hand of a clock. but at intervals
OF a half hour during the 18th and 18th
even q careless observer could have seen
that all had made displacement. Rapid
motions of jets across spots are recorded
that is when velocity is so great that the
shifting can be followed. but they are rare.
True, the velocity is great at all times.
for on the 18th a bridge formed across a
spot 14.OO0 miles wide In three hours. but
this speed cannot be seen at a distance of
93,VO,OOO miles. The raging storm was sure
~ approaching a maximum, when the disc
sank beyond the range of the glass on the
The rising sun on May II was obscured
by clouds and its face was hidden until IL
when Ii was found the band was torn and
tossed by spots with bridges and these were
twisted, distorted and torn. The edges OF
the spots were ragged. serrated and had
either sliding or rolling incandescent matter
hanging over their Drinks"
Prof. c. A. Young says: 9Th spots are
unqueStionably cavities or depressions ir
the Photosphere filled with gases and vapor
which are cooler than the surrounding Dor.
tons. The fact that they are cavities Is
shown by the change in the appearance OF
a spot as Ii approached the edge of the
disk. This remark of Professor Young's is
corroborated by these observations, for ex.
actly at noon on the 18th a large spot ap
peared on the eastern limb, and we dis.
tinctly saw the depression. 1t was shallow
however, and it is doubtful if the spots
are more than 1900 miles deep. So great
was the change in the storm during the
night that IL had little resemblance to ths
area In the upheaval on the 10th. A row o.
spots now united the groups and penumbrs
extended over half the space formerl oc.
cupied by photosphere. The seething furnace
was in the shape of a rude dumbell. Meas
urementS were again made and the length
was still $4,000 miles, while b had become
wider. Computing the area of the perturbet
region IL was found that seventy worlds
like the earth could fall in side by side
without crowding.
During all this time another group faI
away consisting of several spots had re
mained Quiescent. but by noon of the l7tf
they began the projection of cantalevers IL
the regular way. Nearly every nucleus In
A and b seemed inclined to turn, or rather
the buzz-saw edges had desire to rotate
and nothing could long remain without q
kink or crook"