Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1905 — THE SPOT ON THE SUN. [ARTICLE]

THE SPOT ON THE SUN.

Blemish on Old Sol’s Shining Face the Largest Seen in Many Years. The large, spot which now appears on The face of the sun, according to the Toledo Blade, is the largest observed in many years. The largest spot which appeared on the sun measured miles, and was seen in February, 1892 The present spot denotes an unusual ac tivity and is caused by the upheaval of a vast amount of gaseous matter fron. the interior portion of the sun. This greah volcano of gnmforees itself through the idiotosphere. which is the visible stirface <d' the sun and the highly (listUl’bei' area ofttimes takes on a cyclonic move ment. The central portion of the spot or group of spots, is generally dead Idmdi in appetiranee. This central portion is called the nucleus, ami tlie spot gener ally shades oil into light gray toward) the edges. The present spot seems U be made up of a group of spots; forty oi fifty dead black patches can be observed intermingled with the lighter portions The form changes rapidly and this chntige can be noted from day to-day, ami sometimes from hour to hour.

The central nucleus of the present spot is large enough to permit the passage of four bodies, tlie size of our own earth without grazing the edges. While thf sun spots appear black to the eye. this is no indication that they tire not highly luminous areas, for a brilliant arc light will tippear black when viewed against the sun's surface.. When we look at th< side of a house in the brilliant sunlight, the open windows of tlint house appeal black to the eye, We know that should we enter the house and find ourselves in the rooms containing those windows, that the rooms would be unusually well illuminated and quite light. The windows only appear black in comparison with the brightly illuminated surface of the house side. 'l'his illustration will hold good also with the appearance of sun spots. It is possible that a nucleus or black portion is a hole in which we see a portion of the sun's interior through the outer visible photosphere, and it appears black by comparison. It is in reality more highly luminous than anything we can imagine mi the earth. The sun revolves on its axis once in 25 days, consequently the present spot will soon pass from our field of view and the disturbance caused by the eruption will have subsided before that portion of the sun's surface comes into sight.