The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-02-22
Weather and "Sun Spots. "

There have been in every age, from
the day when they we're first observed,
many speculstions concerning the
cause of the dark spots which, from
time 70 time. appear on the face Of
the sun, and also as to their possible
effocts upon the atmosphere Of our
earth.
They have been supposed TO be the
result ce cyclonal or whirliog storms
in the photosphere or luminous en-
velope. which may be considered an
atmosphere Of the sun, and these
phenomena have been accused of ex-
ercisiDg corresponding influence 10
disturbing the earth's atmosphere.
1t is not known what produces the
heat Of the sun. Some theorists hold
that tho great luminary is body Of
fire, like q colossal furnace filled with
material in state Of intcnse com
bustion, and that the sun will finally
consume all its fuel and become ex
tinguished, but in the meantime it is
supplied with the matter Of innumer-
able comets, planetary and meteoric
bodies attracted to it and falling into
it's tremendous fires, to be themselves
consumed.
According to these theorists, some
thing from time to time, like the
dropping into the furnace of lot of
fresh fuel, happens to cool down the
fires in the particular place where the
material is dumped, and this produces
the dark spot which is still surroun-
ded by brilliant flames, and possibly
this temporary cooling down makes
the dark spots 30 often observed, and
possibly, according to that sort Of
speculation, we get for the time
being so much less heat upon our
earth.
These remarks are in accord with
speculations INDUCED in at Chicago
concerning q big dark spot on the
sun, which is visible there with the
naked eye, and to which ignorant peo-
pie attribute the vast body Of polar
atmosphere which for q week past has
enveloped in it's chilling embrace, the
greatest part Of North America. This
spot has been visible to the naked eye
in Chicago during the past week
Shenever the sun came out with force
enough to be seen through the veil of
smoke aud fog which shrouded that
city.
One local astronomer measured the
spot and found it to be about 80, ,00C
miles in diameter. This is small
part Of the area Of the sun, which is
865 900 miles in diameter, BIZ. !. IS
nearly four times greater than the
diameter Of our earth. If we suppose
that the sun could turn on US cool
spot fifteen times as big as our earth
and hold it oyer us for week, we
might we'll imagine it would give oul
little globe, or at least that side OF i,
! exposed to the cool spot, o very Sc.
rious chill.
/ The sun spots recur in periods Of
about II years, supposed to be coin
oident with the revolutions Of the
giant planet Jupiter around the grea,
central lumiuary, and are believed by
many to produce serious effects upon
our atmosphere. But it must be re-
membered that the causes Of sudden
and violent changes Of weather are
entirely unknown. aud therefore al
sorts OF speculation are in order.
Everybody knows of these sudder
and severe changes, and since the dis
tance from our earth to the sur
changes from day to day and month &c
month gradually, and at Steady rate
there can be nothing in that to cause
such violent and quick variations oi
weather, and the sun spot theory is as
good as any other. +
Itis doubtful, however, il the old
theory that the sun is fiery furnace
can be sustained by any reasonable
showing. The astronomers, who
have calculated the degree of the heal
radiated into space from our great
luminary, find thetit has pot cooled
as rapidly as il should, aud the notion
of its depending on irregular and pre-
carious supplies Of comets aud me-
teors to keep up its fires is being
abandoned.
The idea is adopted by some thai
tho SUI is titantio electric incandes
ceut lamp, and that tho system oi
planetary bodies revolving around it.
with their various moons or satellites
| revolving around them constituted q