Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-09
Stklving the Sun
~ pps~ss~ss J. HAsasn

~ - HAnDUm
WashiNGean. Juua One of the
eAnas,e<N ss<ontinc pobx in the world Is
seA N Inc tUO mnn reprcAe1tinE the
ensvhsseian Institution who spend all
- their urs Al The new solar ohs-rva-
serN which has lust been established
On NJ tarouA hala in Arizona IL Is
eA@ aAne observatory which has been
Sceated tos - many years ON Nj. Will
osn, tNs.tornlA. and was removed to
Artsona hscau~e the scientists there
have a greater namlsfr T days clear
enough for the study of solar radis-
ten,
The nearest nexhhor to this new
s'tentihc outpost is q prospector, and
he ~ a mile away. His three burros
Furnish the only transportation which
can reach the observatory. The little
town Of Wendrn is is mites away and
several thouSand feet below. The
eter< s~ss order their groceries once in
two weeks by signalling with the
Nsiluzrsnh that in with rashee of
sunlight thrown by a mirror-using
the Aors~ code.
In addition TO this observatory in
Arscns, the Smithsonian Institution
now maintains another one in the
Sh,iean Andes about eight miles from
the town of Cslsma. and $500 feet
above ,ca level. This also was eetab-
hshed IN is present location within
the past year. 10 ~ said 10 he the
ts'st mace in the world for the OBJ
servat ton Of solar radiation, because
the sky is 80 clear on 50 per cent Of
the dsvs In the Arizona location IL
v clear on about 20 per cent OF the
A~ys
From these two stations the Scien-
tists expect 10 gain most important in
formation concerr.ng solar radiation,
and especially concerning its effect
upun the weather. n sccms 20 have
ls.n established that the amount OF
heat which the sun gives on varies
from Tins 10 time. and there 1,
sirong presumption that by study
ina these variations. changes in the
~est sther can be predicted with a new
c.rtainty, and perhaps much farther
b. advance than now
rk~ Wards Power Plant
rms study of the sun is not how
ever undertaken solely for the pur-
~-sss ~ improving oNr method o< fore
-
investigation % the activities OF the
sun " you are q practical minded
pcr~on who secs little use in any
~s~ntinc Investigation that has, not
ar Immediate practical application
ser may consider that these scientists
o. their remote mountain tops are
engineers observing the central heat
ina plant which operates the world.
l. ~ .
h-s~tne plant, whSh furnishes the
~efsa with light aid power. During
the comparatively brief period OF
~he'h men have any record. IL has
proved fairiy satisfactory. With minor
variations. Il has delivered always
al,eut the same amount ef heat at the
~atae time ~ the year al the same
place, that men could plant their
s~sps ~.sh a reasonably good chance OF
huryesuns them. Yet there Is plain
geological evidence THAT the climate
w tn~ ~srth has varied in a terrible
vsy auFing The ra~ fe~ million years.
rnsrs have been two long periods in
which ii Fre~ much colder. 30 that a
lsrx~ part of The earth was covered
9TH se The has been explained by
the ~-s~ur-ts on the ground thai the
lsss~ heat from the sun
the point N that the sun is not the /
reliable thing you imagine It TO be. |
" II nothing hut great hot coal, /
slowly hurnlng itself out. At least. /
n must he burning itself out and the /
., isntists assume that ultimately Il
Will hurn uut entirely. leaving us in |
the dark and cold. unless II colhdes |
with seme other body, thus getting a
new supply of fuel. Then il might
Eei to-s hot and fry us all.
These little contingencies are all
q few tyillion years in the future. and
are nothing To worry about. But
nYNtrfheicss the sun IL supremely
worth studying right now. II an in
gelllgvnt t.ing could come here from
another planet, ne would probably
wonder that we spent such an enor- |
nous amount Of money inventing |
aanx and gases with which % get |
KILLED, and - little money |
a. studying the sun, uI-on which our
Ly.s depend.
rhe Mysterious Sun spot.
for one thing. there are the sun
naots. These are cloudy places over
the wan. cutting OF some ~ It's light +
nnd heat from "a. which are believed I
b. scientists 90 be due % the coilec- /
tlnn Of gases al certain points. IL rs 4
esiisxed that these sunSpcfs have a 4
suArasd efect upon the earth in some 1
way For example. the aurora /
l-lFealis. which recently got 50 much /
pAnl.cAty, occurs In connection with I
san spots and II believed 20 be caused 1
fY them. n II an electrical pine
i4um.non. The recent display VI the 4
aurora charged the air ~ heavily /
hat iessaraphs and cables were
I n esfed and many believed that hu-