The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1904-06-11
SUN SPOT THEORIES.
Some That Are Startling Are With
out Foundation.
The solar Phenomena Have No In
Auence on the Affairs Of Man,
Say Scientists - Curious
Condolences.

may 90, but despite the numerous ter
rifying theories advanced and partly
supported during the last half century,
II is the opinion of the best-known
modern astronomers--sIich men, among
others, as Prof. G. A. Young. Of Prince
ton; Prof. 6 r. Langley. the we'll
known American authority on solar
physics; or Prof Pickering. director
of the Harvard astronomical observa-
tory-that human affairs go on forever
without much if any reference to them.
The group of sun spots that has recent
ly attracted so much general attention
is therefore, so far as anything Isl
definitely known about it, solar
curiosity rather than any visible
prophet of approaching evils
Meantime it has been shown that
there is a certain degree Of regularity
In their appearances and disappear
Ances, that there is an apparent con-
nection, whether real or merely coinci-
dental, between the sun spots and our
terrestrial magnetic disturbances, and
that there is little OF no connection be-
tween their appearance on the sun and
the weather, commercial panics, wars
or other disturbances that affect the
everyday existence of average mortals
In appearance the typical sun spots
as seen through a powerful telescope
suggest great chasms in the sun, SC
large indeed that our own earth could
be dropped into one Of them easily
and might even get out Of sight before
touching the bottom. Such hole, OF
course would be a mere incident on the
suns surface. as readily appears wher
one remembers that If the sun were
considered as a hollow sphere our OWE
planet. together with the moon. could
be placed inside Of It without disturb
ing the distance that ordinarily separ-
ates them.
1t is only by the exercise of consid-
cradle ingenuity that the bulk Of these
relations have been maintained. ever
In theory The foundation of such the
ories lies obviously enough in the ques-
ton as to whether the presence Of spott
on the sun detracts from the heat and
light ordinarily emanating from that
body and so Immediately influences the
weather and crops OF our own planet
Such an influence could only be shown
by a series of deadly parallels, in a
very literal sense. between the pres
ence Of spots on the sun and the oc-
currence of bad harvests. panics, ship
wrecks. suicides and other disastrous
what not on our own planet. some
thing over 90,0O0,e00 miles distant
In the first place. without going into
the scientific details there are three
distinct opinions regarding the sun
spots and the heat and light Of the
sun; first. that the spots show great
activity in the sun and therefore in
creased heat-emitting power; second
that they decrease the amount of heat
available for radiation and so diminish
the heat rays: third, that the effect OF
the spots Is counteracted by other
causes arising at the same time, and
therefore. SO far as any change in the
amount of heat received BY the earth
Is concerned. they produce no effect
Whatever
Granting. however. that they do af-
fees the heat Of the earth, there has
been evolved no completely convincing
parallel between the sun spots and our
own weather and crops. AS in the case
Of Sir William Herschers famous com
parison between the sun spots and the
price IF wheat during a certain period
thore have been many curious CO.
lrcldenees, which. however, are ev-
Identity more coineidental than real
in view OF the fact that the
great number of other causes af-
fecting like conditions make It i'm
possible to place any definite responsi-
bility on the sun. and the observers
themselves have turned up conflicting
evidence As one astronomer has re
Gently said. 1t would be quite possible.
given sufficient study. to establish an
apparent connection between the
planets and the rise anu fall of am
given railroad stock. the relative num-
Ders Of democratic AMI republican con-
gressmen from year 70 year. or almost
anything else with which the heavenly
bodies have as little TO do Sun spots
and bad harvests. sun spots and ship
wrecgs. sun spots and commercial
.rises. sun spots and wars OF even sun
pats and race suicide NAV therefore
De relega.ed to the subjects that are az
ore=e-f If rr,rarv interest only 10 the
nperious