The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-12-05
Scientists Differ Regarding Re.
suit of Grouping of Planets
During Month.
PoRTA PREDICTS Big DISTURBANCES
World known Scientists Claims Earth.
quakes, Storms and Floods Will Fol-
low While Others Claim Nothing
Unusual Will Happen.

students of astronomy have been is
suing bulletins stating that on or
about December II, what is called "a
world catastrophe" will occur. Now
comes Jas. Spencer, Butte scientist,
who says this will not happen, but will
probably be the cause of the unusual
and unprecedented climatic conditions
which have swept Montana during the
past six weeks.
According to the predictions of Prof.
Albert F. Porta, world known scien-
tist, the peculiar grouping of the
planets this month, will produce
gigantic sun spot which will explode
the earth's volcanoes, shake us with
earthquakes and bury US with floods,
but Mr.. Spencer, the Butte astronom-
er, whose hobby is science and mathe-
matics, has explained why this is not
likely to happen.
December II an unusual grouping
of planets occurs in the heavens. On
this much all astronomers agree
that there will be an unusual and
overbalanced collection of powerful
planetary bodies on one side of the
side Of the sun.
Prof. Porta asserts with great con-
viction that this unusual situation will
o%% NJ tLo Tho rrr.ootocf
spot or explosion of gases ever known
and that the earth, in the position of
an innocent spectator, will be the un-
fortunate victim.
Sponsors of this theory predict hur-
ricanes, lightning, colossal rains, gi-
gantic volcanic eruptions, earthquakes
floods and cold.
sAccording to Mr.. Spencer, however
the planets assumed similar unusual
position about May 20 of this year
And the grouping was not attended
by unusual disturbance.
The planets which are destined to
focus their magnetic forces upon the
sun, move so slowly that they have al.
most reached the position which they
will assume December II, says Mr.
Spencer.
The Butte astronomer admits, how
ever, that this situation in the heav'
ems may be responsible for the unusua
and unprecedented weather which has
swept over Montana during the past
six weeks.
It is also possible, Mr.. Spencer as
serts, that the unusual combination o1
planets last May may be responsible
for the unusual drought which visited
Montana last summer.
Magnetic forces and position of the
planets have more to do with climatic
conditions on the earth than the ma
jority of people realize, he declares.
Professor Portals startling predic
ton is induced by the fact that Dec
II, six of the planets, Mercury, Venus
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune
will be grouped on the same side o.
the sun within the narrow limit of q
degrees, while seventh, Uranus, will
be Numerically opposite on the othe1
side of the sun.
The earth is stationed at righ
angles to this group and so situated
as to receive almost the full force o:
the planets succeed in creating an ex
plosion or electrical demonstration
on the sun.
The position which the planets will
assume December II will be similar t,
the grouping of May 30 when Nep
tune, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus wer'
all within zone of 80 degrees wild
on one side of the sun with Mercur,
and Uranus diametrically opposite Of
the other side. The earth and Mar
were opposite to each other and a
right angles to this combination.
If Prof. Portals reasoning is cor
rect there should have been a distur
bance equally as great as the on
prediction for December II. A SUI
spot was visible during May and Jun
and it is true that an electrical dis
turbance took place on the earth, bu
other sun spots, equally as large, ar
on record when no two planets as
sumed threatening attitude.
August 1, 1919, Mercury, Venus an
the earth were within a zone less thai
30 degrees wide, on one side of tn
sun, while Mars, Jupiter and Neptun
were on the other side; yet nothing
out of the ordinary occurred. Al
though, according to the theory o.
which the theory is based, even fou
planets will produce great storms.
With the exception of Mercury an
Venue, the planets change their rela
tive positions very slowly. This j