New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-18
SPOTS ON THE SUN.
Their Nature, Periodicity and At
teRdaRt Phenomena.

teRddRt Phenomena.
Within the last few days astronomers have re-
ported the most formidable outbreak Of spots on
the sun that has been observed for several years
IN chain that is estimated T7S,ooo miles Ions
and nearly 5000 miles wide. and that lies nearly
parallel with the solar equator, are dozen large
patches and many more small Inasmuch as
the suns diameter Appropriated 100000 miles. the
disturbed region extends about one-eighth OF the
way from edge to edge The head Of the procession
came into view by the rotation OF the sun about
October !, and the tail Of It was not seen until
two DAYS later. As the sur takes about twenty
seven days to make complete revolution on It's
axis. the end Of the train has disappeared at
least for about fortnight. Perhaps the group
may reaPpear at the beginning Of November
When number and size carefully tabulated. II
Is found that there is al irregular periodcity IN
the development OF spots, the maximum abundance
occurring at intervals OF about eleven years. The
last three stages OF this character reached In
1870, 1854 and 1894. From these dates one may ex-
pect the next in 1904 or 1905. The minimum
stage does not occur just half way between the
maxima. The rise from scarcity TO abundance Is
apt TO be more abrupt than the decline. According
to Tacchini. q well known Italian authority on
solar phenomena the last minimum occurred in
1900. one Of the most important groups observed
prior TO that time was noticed in September, 1885,
and II had sufficient vitality TO last through three
periods Of the Some Of the spots were
visible to the naked eye Through smoked glass; as
area Of disturbance more than about 5000 miles
long and s. 900 broad, that it inferior to the
one recently reported Since the disappearance OF
spots in 1900 several Of moderate proportions have
been reported, but nothing comparable with the
latest outbreak
4 sunspot is usually made Of two perceptible
parts. dark central portion. more or less rregu-
lar in shape. and grayish border, or penumbra
When il first appears it undergoes more or less
change Of form and perhaps grows perceptbly IN
l 9fr~7ar7 cr0fC mn
( the principal ones. often break out few days
later in front behind them. At this time the
forces which cause them are unquestionably most
active. After few days weeks at the most
the little spots disappear entirely and the large
ones cease betray any alteration Of form. though
there may be slow shrinkaEe in size The actv-
Slow fliin ln Of the snot shortly foloWs anu
60 The nature OF spot may 3e P9dg g9 t s9T
round the sun. To all intents ana purposes the
foundation is a luminous cloud shell, the photo
deep and which is the chief source Of light. Its
composition is not fully known. but the suspicion
form Of vaoor and made incandescent by heat.
"A great variety OF elements. and called the re
versinC layer" because of certain effects which IL
produces on the spectrum Third, there is a
sea OF reddish gas, mostly hyoro9e5, out OF @hlch
rise number Of enormous clouds or protuber-
auces. finally, there is the corona, which seems
nebulous extensions that have been traced by pho
Biography 10 distance of over a million miles,
II is now almost universally agreed that the spot
IS "A huge shallow cavity in the lowermost Of all
an opening was effected in the philosophers from
below by volcanic action and that the spot the
crater The latest view is that ii is the product
Of falling material elected elsewhere and con-
densed by cooling while in the upper regions of the
solar atmosphere. To this general conception. ad-
Nanced by SeGehl, 1ouhg pIoposes a sight modiil.
cation The princeton astronomer suggests that
the spots may be caused not by the downward
local subsidence OF pressure underneath in conse-
quence Of eruptiOns in the vicinity, being. to
Ks in
Other evidences Of violent action from below are
AFFORDED by the numerous but comparatively gentle
ances." and rarer, but much fercer explosions
with incredible velocities. These called "erup-
tons TO dstngsn, mem ron a 0'her Xarehes OK
or 30e0 miles. and sometimes reach an elevation
rousn-the latter occasionally being 100 miles
second,it is easy to see that they represent eject
only I'm the vicinity Of a spot. Still another phe-
Here nd there are numerous small patches brighter
than the rest of the solar surface 1t was long be-
PHILOSOPHERS lifted TO unusual elevation by some
b I9lf 5ns IFG from the fant o
Ia, ers above the cloud shell. That notion is now
chm, ana other luminous material which AT some
tis.o - ether probably elected from the I'm
It may be added that while the correspondence
The abundance and size of spots. faculss, protu-
the form and dimensions of the corona the outer
most envelope Of the sun. undergo such changes
that one type is now characteristic Of the minimum
stage and s-other of the maximum.
Just what takes place inside of the to pro-
duce Ell these outward manifestations is uncertain.
That BODY is globe Of gas compressed TO
density greater than that Of water, bat not lQue-
fed. and it is intensely heated. The notion that
chemical forces at work there is the most
plausible. perhaps. but it IS not altogether salts
factory. II does not seem TO explain everything.
AS for the periodcity Of solar activity, that IS
even greater mystery.
Among the terrestrial phenomena whose relation
20 fluctuations in the conCuon OF the IL undis-
puted the hysterical disturbances of the mag
ref'c needle and telegraph wires which
times observed when there big sunspots: Tie
ocf tsional appearance Of auroras at such times.
and the fact that the compass which has a Micro
scorc swing 10 and fro daily, exhibits wider play
al sunspots maxima than al the minirna> There II
also a growing belief that the atmosphere of the
earth Is more violently agitated when the sun is
disturbed than at other times; but the coincidence
mas not been fully established the mechanism
clearly revealed For the present, therefore the
connection between sunspots aid weather cannot
be regarded prov