The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-03-11
TIE EARTH IS A PYeMY.
Almost Iner~dIsle Dimsnsioas % ths saa
~ comnarnd WIN Thla sphsra.

Almost IncredIble Dimsnsions % the sun
~ Compared with rhis sphere
A dime held at arms length from
the eye will much more than cover
the entire dick of the sun. II IL were
placed at the exact point of coinci-
dence and its diameter and distance
from the eye accurately measured,
IL might be used as a means of de-
termining the suns diameter. his
distance being known. The fore
most philosophers Of long ago would
have been appalled, at the true state
ment of both the suns distance and
its size.
tt suns diameter is about s66,-
900 miles. Perhaps a faint concep-
tion of the enormous bulk indicated
by these figures may be had from
the reflection that the umbra of
single huge sun spot, observed in
January, 1897, was extensive enough
to entertain 16 earths grouped in q
solid square. It is bewildering to be
assured that il would take !, SOC, 900
earths TO equal the sun in volume.
If the interior of that truly gigantic
globe were hollow, and the earth
were placed at its center with the
moon revolving about il at its usual
mean distance of nearly 240. 900
miles, there VIC aid still exist a vacu-
ity between the moon and the in
closing shell of the sun of nearly
200, 900 miles. This is perhaps the
most graphic and impressive illus
tration possible of the sun s colossal
bulk. We must note, however, that
the density of the sun is only about
one-quarter that of the earth, so
that il would weigh" only as much
as $50, 600 earths. In very round"
numbers the suns weight may be
stated at two octillions of tons,
which, if expressed in figures, would
require almost as many ciphers as a
newspaper line can accommodate.
A very comprehensive illustration
of the pygmean dimensions of the
earth as compared with the sun is
to represent the latter by a globe
feet in diameter and the earth by n
dainty pea. And yet the little pea
weighs more than six quintillion
tons. AS TO tie solar surface, il is
some IL, 900 times that of our planet.
Yet the sun, when compared with
its true peers, the stars, is not only
of extraordinary size. but in all
probability is only to be ranked
among the medium self luminous
bodies which sparkle in heaven s
ebon vault" And because of its
spottedness II has a place (although
humble one) among the variable
stars.
The shining she'll" as Miss
Clerke terms it, seen through
piece of well smoked glass, is termed
the "photosphere." We thus per-
ceive its actual diameter, although
il seems much smaller than our con-
ception of it, because the fierce glare
has been negatived by the shade
glass. II we concede that the sun is
gaseous, the photosphere may be re-
garded as a sort of skin or crust of
incandescent clouds, through which
are constantly breaking the geyser-
like uprushes of metallic vapors.
which expend their energies as far
above the sun sometimes as the
moon is distant from the earth. En-
vironing the photospbere, as the at
mosphere surrounds the earth, but
vastly deeper, is the chrome
sphere" Seen in the spectroscope
it resembles a delicate but brilliant
rim about the solar globe, and the
same instrument reveals the prom
inences, whose varied forms are so
fascinating Philadelphia Ledger.