Year: 1859

as Prof.. 0asweli, Of Harvard Usivsrsity, who
delivered series Of lectures on ASTRONOMY, at
the Smithsoaian Institusion, last winter, has
Just Published the following sfticie IN the Prov


During che whole Of the present Year ear the
spots on The sun hare been very npmerous. and
in many ,instancssef large sise. As IL we'll
knoNns they come on upon the. eastern limb
and disappear on the western, . little iess tt an
'foarteen days in crossing the sun'sdiscs Seen
with an or,iirary astronomical telescope, which
inverts the object, the spots appear on the
The spots aro sometimes single or .isolsted dark
spotsmore or less irregular In form, but always
sarrounded with prefty weii-dedned penum-
bra, and sometimes in groups Of Many spots
irregulsrly thrown together and dfncluded With
IN the penumbral regions These, from their
proximity to each other and from the manifest
and frequent changes which occur among them,
are evidently dependent upon the same cause
OF disturbanc In the solar atmosphere. :


AT the present time there are eleven distinct
groups of spots to be seen. Two Of these have
just made their appearance on the western
edge, and two or three are passing of on the
other side. Among these groups there Is ono
Dow about half way across and somewhat above
the centre Gin an inverting telescope) which
embraces a central black spot of unusually
large size, surrounded by q penumbral region
still more remarkable for extent than the spot
itself. My attention was drawn to this spot
six or seven days ago, when it first appeared
creeping over the sun. The form and size of
the spot and penumbra have UNDERGONE marked
daily changes. Two days ago the penumbra
was pretty we'll defined on the upper side, and
very broken and irregular on the lower, or
more exactly the southern and western side of
; the spot. On this side the disturbance in the
solar atmosphere was of great extent. It might
be compared to vast tornadoes, raging over
tens thousands Of miles. Yesterday the dis
turbancs had evidently extended round to n
considerable distance on the other or north
western side Of the spot To-day between
and 2 p. m. the spots appear with remarkable
distinctness. The atmosphere was clear in
the direction OF the sun, but more than that it
was in q fine optical state. The suns limb
was sharply defined without any tremor or
giimmer or wavy appearance, which often dis
tarbs the view In cloudless sky. To-day the
singular sharpness. i have seldom or, ever
seen them more so. The disturbed psnumbra
regions of which have spoken to-day for the
first time revealed many mnute black spots
scattered over the disturbed region They
seemed TO be breathing holes or pores through
the luminous atmosphere. The central black
spot has also passed through changes Of form
equally marked. Two or three DAYS aeo there
we're many patches of the luminous atmosphere
projecting into it. Yesterday il was very much
in the form of a huge fish, With q little aid
Of the imagination, the head, the pectoraI, and
dorsal Fms and tail could easily be seen To-
day these prominent parts are all softened
down, and the form has become more distinctly
oval. The theory OF these spots we shall not
attempt to discuss at this time. ca