The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1920-03-31
By Prof. Monroe B. Sny-
der OF Philadelphia
Observatory.
EARTH PASSING
THROUGH OUTER
Confines Of Corona Or
Exterior Envelope Of
The Sun.
Associated Press

l
PHILADELPHIA, March 31-THe
earth was passing through the outer
confines Of the corona or exterior eH-
velope of the sun on the night Of
March % when the inhabitants of the
northern portion Of the United States
witnessed the great aurora in the
skies, says Professor Monroe B. Snyt
der, Director Of the Philadelphia OBJ
servatory.
The astronomer declared in statet
ment to The Associated Press that
the universal force Of radioaction'
on the sun "hurled the final atoms
Of an explosion, namely, electrified
4 hydrogen and probably helium, strai-
4 ght to earth"
Professor Snyder's observations
n follow:
4 "The recent aurora is fine indica-
n ton of the explosive atomic disinte-
n grafton which takes place at the sur
Y face Of the sun and is responsible for
N It's prominences, spots, and corona.
II Our discovery Of the magnitude and
precise atomic order Of the explosion
II Of the chemical elements in the sum-
n and in the stars generally leads to
VI conceptions Of the aurora and the az
n companying magnetic and electric
q storms, which are beyond any doabt
d as to their validity.
"During the hours Of Monday nighf
VI last, the earth was, in very true
sense, and to the delight of vs. All,
Il passing through the cutter confines q
n the solar corona. The same iyer-
N sal force of radioaction which d ssll-
tegrates the atoms IA stupendous To-
calized Krakatoas, 81 Mont Pee o'1
the sun, and produces the hydrogen q
4 the coronal streamers, then also hurl-
ed the final atoms of that explosion
namely, electrified hydrogen, asd
probably hellium, straight to thf
earth.
'onIy within about q month 81 n
equinox, vernal, or atunlnal, il ths
earth in an orbitai position to be thus
successfully belnbarded The mosin 9
electric hydrogen IS, of course, aE
electric current, and Is therefore car
ried toward the poles Of the earth ane
rouad them by the earth's magnetic
forces. The fascinating colors OF tlle
aurora are due to the changing elec
tric exc tation Of the hydrogen ant
other gases The theory Of vegard
the Swedish physicist, which has ex
planned the wonderful curtained au
roras as due to hydrogen particles
Of positive electric charge, IS nov
shown to be unquestionably true, 7
that it is but logical result q tn'
explosive eruption Of the electric hy
drogen from the sun.
sThe well-known delay, or lag Y
time between the solar eruption an
the appearance Of the magnetl'
storm, and accompanying aurora, @
the earth, Of about AS hours, Y due 2
the time taken for the hydroge'
atoms to travel from the sun to IN
earth. The rate Of travel IS apou
SIS miles per second, or somewhat =
excess Of the rate Of the upwar'
movement Of the gases in some q tn
great solar prorinences. !,
"The numerous and complex detali
Of the auroraI phenomena are foun
thus to receive. for the first TINS
reasonable explanation Additlona
continuation Of this explanation
given BY the fact that our dlscoverie
also prove that al the elements
atoms, 50 wonderfully explosive
stars, are structural products q y
drogen."