where we were we could trace the fainter | half of miles, and its longitudinal extension light of the surrounding atmosphere to a - that is, its extension measured along the distance of about half a million miles from orbit of the system must be far more the sun's surface. As for the white streaks enormous, even if the system does not and streamers, they were too irregularly form a closed ring, as in other cases known spread and too complicated in their struc- to terrestrial astronomers. It is, however, ture for us to form a clear opinion as to somewhat unlikely that this can be the their extension. Moreover, it was obvious case; for we observed that the meteors that their real extension was greater than were travelling at the rate of about twenwe could at present perceive, for they ty-six miles per second, which implies (so, gradually became less and less distinct at at least, X. asserted) that the path of a greater and greater distance from the these meteors is a very eccentric one, exsun, and finally became imperceptible, tending farther into space than the paths though obviously extending farther than of the most distant known members of the we could trace them. solar system. We had passed more than two million Most of the meteors were rounded, miles beyond the moon's orbit - our pro-though few were perfectly globular; some, gress being now exceedingly rapid- when however, appeared to be quite irregular in we encountered a meteor-stream, which shape. We were interested (and Y. was appeared to be of great extent. We had not a little amused) to observe that most already noticed the passage past us of many of the meteors were rotating, as steadily single meteors, which seemed to cross our as though they were of planetary imporpath in all directions. But the members of tance; the sets of meteors, also, which I the meteor-system now encountered were have already referred to, were circling all travelling nearly in the same direction, round each other with exemplary gravity. coming from below (if we may so describe A strange circumstance, truly, that those the portion of space lying south of the gen-peculiarities of planetary motion, which we eral level in which the planets travel) are accustomed to associate with the exisslantingly upwards, and nearing the sun, though not on a course which would carry them within several millions of miles of his globe. This meteor-system is not one of those which our earth encounters; nor could X.- who, as you know, has closely studied the subject-recall the path of any comet which travels along the course which the meteors of this system were pursuing. tence of living creatures (whose requirements these movements so importantly subserve) should thus be simulated by the minute orbs which wander to all appearance uselessly through space! After passing this interesting region, and travelling more than three million miles farther on our course towards the sun, we noticed for the first time that a change had passed over the appearance of the sun's We paused to study, with not a little atmosphere and the surrounding regions. interest, a system which belongs to a class The radial streamers respecting which asof cosmical objects playing, as would ap-tronomers have so long been in doubt had pear, a most important part in the econo- come into view in the most unmistakable my of the universe. The members of this manner. We could trace them from the meteor family were small-few of them very border of the sun's globe; across the exceeding a few inches in diameter-and inner glowing atmosphere as well as the separated by relatively enormous dis-outer and more faintly illuminated region; tances. Except in the case of a few sets and beyond that region to distances which of two or three or more of these bodies, we judged to vary from some seven or which evidently formed subordinate eight millions of miles opposite the solar schemes, I could not perceive any instan- spot zones to about two millions and a half ces in which any meteor was separated by opposite the polar and equatorial regions less than a hundred miles from the nearest of his globe. Yet it must not be inferred of its fellows, insomuch that it was impos- that the radiated glory now visible around sible for us to perceive more than a very the sun was, strictly speaking, four-corfew of these objects at a time. More com- nered. There was a general tendency to monly, indeed, two or three thousand miles the four-cornered or trapezoidal form, but separated each meteor from its immediate the apparent figure of the light was gapped neighbours. Yet the actual number of the and striated in an irregular manner, sugbodies forming this system must be enor-gesting that the real shape of the portion mous, for we found that the system ex- of space through which these radial gleams tended in the direction in which we were extended was far from simple. We could travelling for no less than a million and a not trace any actual outline of the coronal glory; so far as we could judge, it merged itself gradually into a faintly illuminated background of light, which, as we could now perceive, surrounded the sun to a vast distance on all sides, but with an obviously fixed extension opposite the sun's equatorial regions. The most remarkable circumstance, however, in the radial aspect now presented by the outer corona, was the fact that it had undoubtedly not been so well marked even if it had exis ed at all—only a short time before. There could, indeed, be no mistake about the matter; some strange process of change had taken place whereby the coronal region had become thus marvellously striated. The same process of change had caused all parts of the solar atmosphere, excepting only the chromosphere, to glow more resplendently. But the streaks and sprays of faint white light remained unchanged, as well in shape as in lustre and colour. They appeared now by contrast somewhat fainter than they had been; and, of course, owing to our having drawn nearer to them, they appeared *somewhat larger: but we agreed that, in reality, no appreciable change whatever had affected these mysterious objects. As it seemed not unlikely that we should shortly witness farther changes in the radiated glory, which we could not but regard as probably auroral in its nature, it appeared desirable to X. that we should endeavour to time the continuance of the aspect now presented. A sufficiently accurate measurement of time seemed likely to be obtained by noting the moon's motion. The earth and moon were now far behind us, appearing as two planets of great splendour and close together. The apparent diameter of the earth was about a sixth of that commonly presented by the moon; while the moon, which was approaching the earth (in appearance) from the left, showed a diameter equal to about a fourth of the earth's. Both seemed appreciably "full," that is, shone with full circular discs, the moon seeming to shine with a somewhat fainter degree of luminosity. This was no doubt, due to the inferior reflective qualities of her surface, or rather, to the superior reflective power of clouds in the earth's atmosphere. For we could distinctly perceive that the middle part of the earth's disc, occupied at the time by the Atlantic Ocean, showed a band of whitish light, north and south of which the ocean presented a purplish colour much darker than we should have expected, and certainly not shining with more light than the general surface of the moon. The ice covered regions round the southern pole could be plainly recognized by the brilliant whiteness of the light they reflected; and all the appearances suggested that this part of the earth is occupied by an ice-covered continent. Not to digress further, however, I return to the consideration of the method by which X. proposed to time any solar changes. The moon was now, as I have said, very close to the earth in appearance, and slightly below or south of the earth, speaking always with reference to the general level of the paths on which the planets travel - on which level, as I have said, we judged it well to pursue our course. At the moment we could see that the distance separating the moon and earth was equal (in appearance) to about six times the apparent diameter of the earth; and X's long experience enabled him to form an exact estimate on this point. It was only necessary, therefore, to compare this distance with that noted subsequently, as occasion might arise, to form a tolerably exact estimate of the time which should then have elapsed. For it will be understood that, placed as we were, we could quite readily recognize the relatively rapid motions of the moon on her course round the earth. And in passing, I may mention how strange it appeared to us to see the earth, so long known to us as a body to be contrasted with the celestial orbs, now taking her place as a planet among the stars. There, not far from Jupiter, (whom she very much outshone at the time), among the familiar though now enhanced splendours of the constellation Gemini, shone our earth and her satellite, double planet, and next to the sun himself the most beautiful object in the heavens. a During the next ten million miles of our progress we passed the neighbourhood of several meteor systems, actually traversing three, whereof two were far more important, so far as we could judge, than the one already described. It was worthy of notice also that the members of all those systems travelled much more swiftly than the meteors formerly seen. But what appeared to us a most remarkable circumstance was this, that as we drew nearer towards the sun, these meteor systems became more numerous and more important, while we could recognize many objects resembling comets in their general structure (only they had no tails), but much smaller, insomuch that many of them appeared to be only a few hundred miles in diameter. They were in a general sense round, and became more nu merous as we proceeded; while in several doubt that electricity is the main cause of instances we observed that they appeared the phenomenon. in groups. It would seem from this that Passing Mercury (some twenty millions multitudes of comets, too small to be dis- of miles on our right as we crossed his cerned by any telescopes yet made, exist orbit) we began to draw so close towards within the confines of the solar system; the sun, that many of the features shown but whether these are the remains of by good telescopes could be clearly recoglarger comets, or have an independent cos- nized. His spots already presented a mical existence, it is difficult to determine. striking appearance; but we were most Before we reached the orbit of Venus (now interested at this stage of our progress shining very brilliantly on the left of the by the aspect of the coloured prominences sun, and through our own motion passing and chromosphere. Nothing more beaurapidly from Aquarius to Pisces) these tiful can be conceived than the fringe of objects began to appear in countless num-coloured light surrounding the intensely bers, with obvious signs of an increased white orb of the sun. The varieties of condensation in the sun's neighbourhood. colour mentioned above seemed now to We could perceive that for the most part be multiplied fifty-fold. There are no they were followed by flights of meteors, terms by which the beauty of the scene individually minute, but more closely can be described. To say that the sun appacked (so to speak) than the meteor sys-peared like a shield of glowing silver set tems near our own earth. We began to round by myriads of sparkling jewels of suspect that this unexpected wealth of all the colours of the rainbow, is as far cosmical matter in the sun's neighbour- from the truth as though one should comhood, might supply the explanation of pare the hues of the most brilliant firethose interlacing streaks and sprays and works with the sombre tints of autumn hanks of whitish light to which reference foliage. has already been made. The glowing inner atmosphere amidst When we were about half way between which these prominences displayed their the paths of Venus and Mercury, we for splendours, had now, owing to our near the first time noticed a diminution in the approach, increased very largely in appardistinctness of these auroral radiations ent extent. We could distinguish many which had first made their appearance varieties of colour and brightness within when we were but some six millions of its limits, and from time to time radial miles from the earth. It seemed as though striations appeared, over the solar spot the glowing streamers were slowly fading zones, though they showed but faintly from view, in the same way that streamers compared with those we had seen earlier, of an auroral display wane in splendour and remained visible but a short time. even as we watch them. In a short time When they were most clearly seen they we could no longer distinguish the radiations, the solar atmosphere resuming the appearance it had presented when we first observed it. Unfortunately we were unable to estimate the length of time during which the radiated appearance had continued visible, for we were now much too far from the earth to estimate with any degree of accuracy the amount by which the moon had advanced on her course. But although X's. ingenious plans had thus failed to supply an exact estimate, we could still infer from the aspect of the earth and moon, that some three hours of common time had passed since the radial streamers appeared. could be traced outwards into the less luminous atmosphere, which we could now distinguish to a vast distance from the sun's surface. This outer atmosphere was not irregular, as we might have judged from the earlier appearance of the radiations; for we could now see that those radiations had been wholly within the limits of this exceedingly rare atmosphere. We could trace the envelope to the distance of about eight millions of miles from the sun on all sides; at which distance it appeared to have a definite boundary. But outside, as well as within its limits, the irregular streams and sprays of whitish light could now be seen with greatly enhanced It seems difficult to understand how the distinctness, and could be traced to a phenomenon we had witnessed could be much greater distance from the sun. otherwise regraded than as a solar aurora. had become perfeetly obvious to us that How the electrical action causing such an these whitish streaks were due to myriads aurora is excited, seems open to question; of meteor systems existing in the sun's though the facts to be presently described neighbourhood. We had long since obsuggest a probable cause. But after what served how much more richly these syswe had now seen, I had myself very little' tems were congregated close by the sun; It been on this account that we had hitherto experienced a sense of unreality when considering the mighty processes at work, as telescopic research had shown, in the solar orb. But now that we could, as it were, hear the working of the mighty machine which governs our scheme of worlds, now that we could feel the pulsations of the great heart of the planetary system, the sense of the sun's amazing vitality was brought home to us, so far at least as so stupendous a reality can be brought home to the feeble conceptions of the human mind. and the nearer we ourselves approached mighty energy of the sun, as this amazing his orb the more surprising was the rich- circumstance. Somehow we had always ness of meteoric aggregation. We now associated the idea of perfect silence with encountered, not systems of meteors, but the solar activity; and perhaps it had systems of meteor systems; while amidst these systems, and seemingly associated with them, were countless thousands of those relatively minute comets which have been already referred to. That these comets glowed chiefly with their own inherent lustre, we could not doubt; but the meteor systems shine by reflecting the sun's light; and we could already perceive how much more brilliantly they are illuminated than the meteors which pass close by the earth. For the sun presented a disc many times larger than as he appears to the terrestrial astronomer. So that the Amidst a continually increasing uproar, meteor systems, infinitely more numerous and through an atmosphere so intensely as well as severally richer in the sun's heated that no creature living on the earth neighbourhood, and illuminated many could for an instant have endured its fiery times more brightly, formed a conspicu- breath, we passed onwards to the glowing ous but irregular halo around the sun. inner atmosphere, and still onwards to the We could perceive also that as their mo- very limits of the chromosphere, where tions (far more rapid than those of the it seemed fit that our course should be meteors first encountered) carried groups stayed in order that we might contemplate and clusters of them into the solar atmo- the wonders that surrounded us. It would sphere, they began to glow with inherent be useless for me to attempt to describe light, partly, no doubt, because of the in- all that we had witnessed during this last creased heat to which they became ex-stage of our voyage to the sun; wonders posed, but chiefly, as I judge, because the had surpassed wonders, glories that had sun's electrical action was then more free-seemed incredible had become lost in yet ly communicated to them. We cannot more amazing glories, each moment had suppose that atmospheric resistance can seemed to bring the climax of splendour, have been in question, since even such of fierce energy, of inconceivable uproar, tenuous bodies as comets pass far nearer to the sun without being appreciably affected by this cause. -- and yet at each moment we seemed as though we should forget the wonders we had witnessed in those which were being newly revealed. We were now within twenty thousand miles of the sun's surface. All around us were waves of flaming hydrogen into which uprose continually vast masses of glowing vapour resplendent with all the colours of the rainbow, if a rainbow can Some It was the sudden access of brilliancy in meteor systems close by us, which gave us the first intimation that we were about to cross the boundary of the solar atmosphere. We were all prepared, as we thought, to experience in some striking manner the effects produced as we passed from the ether of interplanetary space into be conceived as of intensest fire. the sun's atmosphere, infinitely rare thirty thousand miles from where we were, though it might be at this distance from a mighty prominence towered aloft to a his surface. But we were in no sense pre- height of at least seventy thousand miles. pared for the surprise which actually We had arrived close by the spot zone. awaited us. Of a sudden we passed from and between us and the prominence the absolute silence to an uproar infinitely surface of the intensely bright photosphere surpassing the tumult of the fiercest ter- was tossed into what appeared as the imrestrial storms. We were still some eight mense waves of a white-hot sea. We millions of miles from the sun, yet the tre- could perceive that along the whole length mendous processes at work within his do- of the prominence, even to its very summain produced the most stupendous rever-mit, which seemed to be almost vertically berations even at that enormous distance, above us, a rush of fiery vapour was passand in an atmosphere rarer than the so ing continually upwards with incredible called vacuum of the experimentalist. velocity. From time to time masses of Nothing in all our progress thus far, had matter which resembled molten metal given us so startling an insight into the were expelled as if from a vent far be neath the lowest visible part of the fiery. As we approached the scene of the outcolumn. After each such outburst, the burst, we perceived that we were nearing prominence seemed to glow with increased the borders of an enormous region which brilliancy, its shape also changing, as seemed dark by comparison with the inthough the surrounding atmosphere wer. tense brilliancy of the rest of the photoagitated by tremendous hurricanes. But sphere. The faculæ, forming here imeven as we watched, the explosions grew mence ridge-like waves, prevented us for less fierce and presently ceased; after a time from fully discerning the nature of which, the whole prominence, vast as was this region; but after we had passed some its extent, seemed to dissolve, until in an of the loftiest of these seeming waves, we incredibly brief space no trace of it could could perceive that the dark region formed be perceived. a sort of lagoon, though of an extent But a circumstance which surprised us exceeding the whole surface of the greatly was this. Although the uproar earth. We had, in fact, approached one and tumult which prevailed were incon- of those regions which terrestrial observceivably great, yet during the whole pro-ers call spots. We could readily infer that gress of the solar eruption which we had the spot was not one of the very largest; been witnessing, there were no sounds in fact it was little more than twenty which we could associate with the tremen-thousand miles in width. We found that dous outbursts which must in reality have (as astronomers have inferred) the dark taken place. Accustomed to associate ter- region lay below the general level of the restrial volcanic explosions with sounds photosphere. But terrestrial observers of exceptional loudness, we were amazed have wholly underrated the extent of the to perceive no distinctive sounds during depression of these regions. The reason the infinitely mightier eruption we had of this X. considered to be the refractive just watched. power of the dense atmosphere within But as we passed towards the scene of these depressions, which causes them to the eruption eager to contemplate the appear shallower than they really are, effects of an outburst competent to destroy much as a basin when filled with water anthe whole frame of a globe like the earth pears shallower than it really is. We -the mystery was explained. While we judged the depth of the depression in the were still far from the place of explosion, case of this particular spot to be fully ten and intent on the study of the great facu- thousand miles. lar waves which were passing swiftly be- Placed as we were now at the borders neath us, we suddenly heard a series of ex- of an enormous sun-spot, we could underplosions so tremendous that we imagine stand the real meaning of some of those a new eruption was commencing close by. appearances which had seemed perplexing Yet we could perceive no signs of unusual during the telescopic scrutiny of the sun. solar activity. All round our horizon, in- In the first place, we could perceive that, deed, we could descern prominences of throughout the whole extent of the depresgreater or less dimensions; but these we sion before us, there was the most intense had observed before. Whence then came activity; but the most violent action took the tremendous noises now reverberating place all round the borders of the spot. through the solar atmosphere? - noises We could see, in fact, that several of the so tremendous, that the unutterable up- prominences we had observed during our roar which had prevailed unceasingly all progress sprang from the borders of the round us, seemed hushed, by comparison, relatively dark depression; and though into perfect stillness. X. was the first to scarcely a trace remained (to our great see the meaning of the phenomenon. amazement) of the mighty erpution we These sounds were those produced during had so lately witnessed, we could judge the explosion which had ceased sometime from the aspect of the region we had before the interval which had elapsed reached, that here (on the nearer border corresponding to the vast distance which of the spot) that tremendous outburst still separated us from the scene of the had taken place. All round the spot imoutburst. Just as a perceptible interval mense waves of faculæ raised their glowelapses between the flash of a gun and the ing crests above the general solar level; moment when the noise of the discharge and we could see that this was due to the reaches the ear of a distant observer, action of some cause by which the matter so in the present case a comparatively long of the photosphere had been driven outinterval elapsed before the sound-waves wards from the region of the spot, and had traversed the distance which light had tra- so become heaped up in great ridges all versed in less than a second. ¡round. Descending to a lower level, we 1157 |