Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-28
THEORY Of SOLAR
SYSTEM DISCUSSED
Paper by Prof. Alter Is Read
at Meteorological So
ciety Meeting.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

The possibility of self-created solar
system was placed before the American
Meteorological Society at its annual
meeting at the Weather Bureau yes
terday in a paper by Prof. Dinsmore
Alter.
This paper, which was read by DR.,
c. H. Marvin, director Of the weather
Bureau, was based on theory of the
nature of sun spots, which are sup
posed to be in the nature OF Whirlpoois
on the sun, and which seem to follow
cycles in attaining their maximum ana
minimum numbers.
These sun spot cycles, the paper
pointed out, follow quite closely the
orbits of Jupiter and Saturn, attaining
their maximum when these stars are
in position to exert a combined graVl-
rational pull on the matter composing
the sun Prof. Alter also pointed out
that similar cycles on smaller scale,
can be observed in connection with the
gravitational pull Of the smaller planets,
maximums being reached at times When
Mercury, Venus and the earth are in
positions SO that two of them act as
q single attracting body.
The gravitational pull, 1t was pointed
out. is extremely small compared with
the mass of the sun but even small
pull would produce marked effects be-
cause the outer layers of the sun are
so delicately balanced between the
gravity of the sun itself pulling the
particles of matter towards the center
and the radiation from the interior
pushing them out again.
Since numerous efforts have been
made to tie up the sun spot cycles with
weather, the theory of their close con-
nection with the orbitary motions OF
the greater outer planets might prove
of much importance in predictions, II
the system ever becomes established.
The explanation now commonly ac-
cepted for the origin of the solar system
is that at some time billions OF years
ago another star passed too close 10 the
sun it's gravitational attraction raising
such a tide on the suns surface that
some of the material escaped into space
where it condensed into the elgnt
nlanets which now revolve about the
sun. =
conceive of another star passing close
enough to raise a tide comparable to
that now raised by the planets them
selves.
An alternative explanation, he said,
was that the sun, which is pusatlng
star threw out small quantities OF mat
ter into space from time to time Wnlcn
came together and eventually formed
into a small planet. This began 10
raise small tides on the sun, puliing out
more matter. which came together into
a larger planet. Then the two COM
bined their gravitational pull to obtain
matter for a third planet. and SO on
until the present system was formed.
Thus the planetary system might De
said to have created Itself.
The sun might appear green to one
standing outside the earths atmosphere:
said Or. H II, Kimball, in charge OF
the solar radiation work OF the Weatn-
or Bureau. He explained that most OF
the ultraviolet light from the sun Is
shut out by the atmosphere before IL
reaches the surface of the earth.
If Won look at your shadow on dewy
grass and see hale around your heao
If is no evidence of holiness. said ProI.
w J. Humphreys of the Weather Bu-
read This is a. not uncommon phe-
nonenon. somewhat of the nature OF
rainbow and caused by the retrac-
ton of light through the dewdrops, ne
explained.
These l1alos in the grass. DR.. Hum
phreys said, once were TAKEN qulCs Sc
rio,lsly as evidence OF divine favor
Benvenuto Cellini once fought duel
because somebody questioned his story
that the Lord had put halo around
his head. due to his VIGOROUSLY disso-
lutte life. Celiini however, had seen II
with his own eyes.
Prof. Humphrey explained as a SIM
ple mirage the common optical ILLUSION
of autoists who think they see great
stretches of water on the road anead
Of them. but find the surface perfectly
dry when they reach it.
Although temperatures in the upper
atmosphere. from SO to 100 kilometers
above the surface of the earth, may
approach the boiling point OF iron, or
600 degrees centigrade, as called for
in recent theories of meteorological
phenomena now such evidence mas
been furnished by trial balloons which
have assembled as high as 80 kilometers.
said c. ]. McGregor Of the Weather
Bureau.
Leaving the earth, the higher one
goes the colder 1t gets as the atmos-
phere gets thinner until. according 10
balloon observations, a temperature OF
about so is reached at from 10 to 10
kilometers. From then on, as the air
grows thinner and thinner offering less
and less resistance to the direct heat
of the sun, it has been assumed that IL
would grow hotter and hotter.
McGregor, working under the diTec-
ton of DR. Humphreys. examined the
records of the six trial balloon ascen-
sions which have gone over 25 kilo-
meters All of these showed slight IN
crease in temperature after height OF
from 10 to Is miles. but this was hardly
greater than could be explained by
changes in the rate of ascent and other
factors aside from the actual tempera-
ture which might effect the instru-
ments. With these corrections, the tenn
perature remained practically constant
from 10 TO 80 kilometers, at about so.
Prof Humphreys insisted that the as
sumption OF high temperature was not
essential 10 explain the upper atmos-
phere phenomena.
The League of Nations proposal 10
change the calendar into a simpler sys-
TEN. with year of Is months Of four
weeks each, is meeting much opposition
in the United States from persons who
fear the correct order Of the Sabbath
will be disturbed, said Prof. Marvin,
who is a member of the American COM
mittee which is trying 10 determine pub
lie sentiment This opposition has
arisen, he said. although the project
had been practically approved by the
three great apostolic churches, the Ro
man Catholic, the Greek Orthodox and
the Church OF England, before 1t was
submitted TO the nations by the League
Committee