Solar Spots Research Articles

Solar spots

Solar spots

Solar spots

Solar spots

XLV. Some account of the solar spots which appeared during the year 1816

XLV. <i>Some account of the solar spots which appeared during the year</i> 1816

X. An answer to the objections stated by M. De la Lande, in the memoirs of the French Academy for the Year 1776, against the solar spots being excavations in the luminous matter of the sun, together with a short examination of the views entertained by him upon that subject

Dear Sir, Having lately seen a paper on the Solar Spots by M. de la lande, in the French Memoires for 1776, published in 1779, I found such mention made of mine upon that subject, as appears to me to require an answer; not only in justice to myself, but to that honourable Society who admitted an account of my discovery into their Transactions, and to philosophy in general, whose cause it becomes a duty upon her followers to vindicate from such errors as seem likely to prevail.

I. Observations on the solar spots.

When the great Copernicus had revived the true system of the world, it was objected against it, that the planet Venus ought to be seen with different phases like the moon; to which he answered, that some time or another that very thing would perhaps come to pass. Who then would have thought, that this prophecy was so near being fulfilled, and that, by means of combining a convex and a concave glass, the common uses of which had been known for near 300 years before, the sight of man was to be extended almost to the remotest parts of the universe? This instrument, with nothing but its being so common hinders us from regarding with the greatest wonder, was invented, about 170 years ago, by one of those happy accidents, to which we owe many of the finest discoveries.

XXVI. Extract of a letter from Mr. Humphry Marshall, of West Bradford, in Chester County, Pennsylvania, to Dr. Franklin, sent with sketches of the solar spots, dated May 3, 1773

Having for some time declined making any more observations, on the dark spots that appear on the Sun's disk, I now send a copy of the figures, I drew of them; which I desire may be presented to the Royal Society.

XXXVIII. An attempt to determine the height of the Sun's atmosphere from the height of the solar spots above the Sun's surface: in a letter to Mr. J. Ellicot, F. R. S. From the Rev. Mr. Horseley, F. R. S

I return you many thanks for your obliging communication of the observations of the late transit of Venus by Mayer and Rohlius. The phænomena which they relate of the atmosphere of that planet are highly curious. They were perhaps the more interesting to me, as they confirmed some conjectures of my own, concerning the great height of the atmosphere of the sun, and of those of the two nearer planets.