Evening star., 1907-08-03
Some Results Achieved.

cart Is correspondingly cooler or
rmer
Some Results Achieved.
dr. Abbot spoke of his work as follows:
Carefu studies are just being completed
ich sI.w the actual change of tempera-
Re to ts expected as the consequence of
Fiation Of the SUMS rays. The result Is
at If the sun varies 10 per cent and back
hin in a year. the temperature of inland
tions should change about five degrees
hrenhc-t & but sea coast or island Stations
only satHge By from one to two de-
Fes. Il tGe sun changes o per cent and
X agaa in d month temperature
ange wYu.I be less and perhaps not no.
Fable. It # the suns rays should fall
10 per cent and continue so forever.
whole world would be nearly fifteen
6rees colder than ii IS now, unless there
uld re-, indirectly a change in the
ount OF e.cudiness.
The effeot Of clouds is very extraordinary.
ey rehe suns rays SO pow fully that
the eartn were completely c)vered by
lds it would have only half the suns
S it nov has to warm it, and the conse-
nee would be a glacial period. But this
Id not continue indefinitely. for the
ans would become SO cold that there
lld at length be too little moisture
porated to maintain the clouds. and
the earth would become warm again.
The measurements of the suns heat
S far mads teach that variations of 10
f5 per cent, though not usual. do some
es occur. and changes of 4 or ) psr cent
of almost fortnghtly occurrence. The
cess of detecting them is not simple or
but the value of such knowledge in
ence to persons engaged in any of the
ura4 industries where plant or animal
Is involved, may well justify the daily
FrVation of the sun from cloudIess sta
$. when would be necessary as a basis
long range predictions
+rning To the more general topic of the
NJ advance In the study of the sun,
Abbot said: Two important interna-
al conferences to consider solar re-
ch have been held. the first in st. Louis
tO4, the second at oxford. England. In
and an International Union for CO.
alton IN Solar Research has been
Sun Has Been Neglected.
explained that In spite of the fact
the sun is the promoter of every par
or life on the earth, and necessary to
very existence OF animals and plants.
whereas the climate Is absolutely con-
ed by 1t, and ii Is the only star near
gh TO the earth to admit of detailed
y. yet astronomers had comparatively
scted it, Except for a few eclipse OBJ
atoms. estimating the number of sun
when they occur. regulating time, and
sionally noting pecullarities of the color
rum, the time of rotation, or the dis
ION of light. little attention has been
this most important celestial object
Nc Idea of what else might be done
IN study Is gained from glance at
'Jccts OF this international union. They
ie the study OF the nature and cause
81 spots, the nature and thickness Of
called envelope wrich inclOses the
ID or the responding envelope of at
re that surrounds the earth and alb
me sun rays, the wave length of
IN the solar spectrum. by which
= determined the chemical and ply
rlements In that body: the nature OF
roma or circle of light around the
;ae amount OF heat available to the
and the variability of the amount of
1t To thess might be added as ft
, for researches, the connection be-
ne variable lines of the earth's mag
and solar activity, the dependence
earths climate on the solar radia-
r. temperature OF the suns surface
question as to where the sun gets
All these and still other subjects
'ters or dispute among scholars Ia
1uhtry. The possibilities OF study
new field, Mr.. Abbot pointed out,
most appalling when il IS considered
npletely the questions involve the
of man.
ing again to the Smithsonian work.
bot explained that the government
ysiCal observatory was the first of
! to be established in this country.
out the idea of Secretary Lang
ew astronomy
Work IN California.
~r work of the same general sort"
'nued. ''is now being done at the
.e solar observatory on Mount Will
California. where photographs are
-very day. and where studies are
z the time OF rotation of the sun,
rum OF sun spots. and similar sub
: solar photographs are now taken
at the United States Naval OBJ
- Just outside Washington. which
out the time every noon. and it is
-'Nn:tely intended TO undertake solar
atoms at the Mount Weather station
weather bureau in Virginia
c.A studies OF interest particularly
ysiciaHs and astronomers are TO be
Laken by this newly formed interna-
union, one OF which Is the making Of
fdtTd - measure the waves of light.
means merely making more accurate
rey.oHs'y accepted Angstrom units
ich astronomers take measurements
veii.y bodies. IL is by these units of
waves that the makeup of the stars
ern.n-d and also the speed they
thrOugA space Therefore. any error
init. however slight. means a differ
billion fold in the resulting calcu-
astronomers are Interested in the
being carried on by the International
ic Assoration on the determination
amount y. variation OF latitude due
periodic wandering OF the north and
poles. The wandering of the pole
tablished a fact nearly a score of
hgo by ;. G. Chandler of Cambridge,
who scOvered that at different
the latitude Of places changed as
is thirty OF forty feet. a considerable
when there Is astronomical work
done. This discovery accounted for
ad been called errors In the observ-
haratus OF the leading national OBJ
Is. IL also had an appreciabIe ef-
what Is known TO astronomers as
instant OF alteration, one important
OF determining the distance of the
which all conclusions as 10 dis