Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-06-07
THE ECLIPSE.

/ he tAdtt tOupDSl lltu VI lQe sun
| has long been an object of interest to
astronomers. BY means of the spec
| troscope it has been ascertained that
| the sun is surrounded by masses OF
| hydrogen. This gas has manifested
| itself in the enormous red-hamed
prominences which exhibit themselves
on the outer surface during an ecliptic
period. Other substances-su as
helium and coronium-were supposed
to belong exclusively to the sun un-
til the former element was found in
| Norway.
The surface of the sun exhibits peri
odically remarkable spots" These
spots are by some authorities sup
posed to influence TIE climatic
| changes of the earth AS the compost
ton of the sun protuberances has been
ascertained there is no reason why the
makeup of the other portions of the
suns surface may not be discovered.
The protuberances of the sun as
sumo fantastic forms. Some look like
| trees, others like fiuted columns tor
nadoes, water spouts, tongues Of fire
and clouds, assuming at different
times all manner of forms. They
shout up from the surface as If caused
| by terrific explosions. Some of these
! flames have been shown to be $4,000
miles high, eighteen times the dame
| ter of the earth.
The substances which cause them
are burning gases the nature Of
which has not yet been discovered.
! These gases cause great tongues Of
! flame to shoot out thousands of miles
! from the suns disc.
Next to the red flames the most
wonderful sight during an eclipse is
the corona 1t consists of three
layers The first is a brilliant red
colored ring near the sun. Next to
this layer the light is fainter, while
| beyond it lengthens into an ernorm-
Gus halo, irregular in outline, whose
rays look like the beams of light
which pass from cloud to cloud when
the sun is near the horizon. They
have been known to extend to dis
tances three times the diameter of the
sun, or 2,4S0,000 miles
The mystery of the red fiery promi-
| nences next to the sun has been par
TALLY solved Science knows that
they are composed Of hydrogen. The
corona, however is yet an unknown
quantity.
Along the path OF totally, and dur
| ing the period of totally, the light red
| prominences-the sierra as they are
| called, or mountainous-appearing
! masses of glowing gases-are the first
to attract attention They can be seen
as the suns light diminishes and the
moon moves over, hiding those on the
western margin; while those on the
north and south gradually appear and
gradually fade away.
There is also seen a border of a deep
! red color during the period of totally.
and this border entirely surrounds the
sun. 1t is estimated that this flaming
red envelope has depth of from three
to four thousand miles. Compared
with the prominences which some
! times extend 100000 miles from the
surface of the sun this red envelope Is
rather of modest appearance.
A total eclipse is one of the most
impressive sights seen by mortal man.
The putting out Of the suns light
the source of all energy on the earth
lis an awe-inspiring event, and In
superstitious ages was looked upon as
a portent full of dire meaning Since
science has furnished an explanation
of the event, however, the mind re-
CARDS the phenomenon with almost as
much complacency as a sunrise.
There is one moment however, dur
ing an eclipse when onlookers do not
seem able to throw off entirely the
feeling of oppressive dread
At the time Of total eclipse, when
the earth is covered by a mysterious
cleaning and the air grows chill as
with breath from yaulted tomb we
cannot but marvel at the great scene
which nature is relearslng before us,
and mysterious. inexplicable dread
takes POSSESSION Of every one. There
is universal joy as soon as the first
bright CLEANS OF the sun reappear
Birds and lower animals are curl
ously affected by eelipses The ami
mails show signs Of distress and birds
go to roost. Flowers close as IL night
were coming
We are apt not TO realize the i'm
pOrtance Of the sun to our sphere IN
I'll an event of this kind occurs
Think what would happen should the
sun remain eclipsed forever! All
forms Of life would disappear from the
globe and our earth would become like
the muon--a cold and lifeless object