of the Sun and Fixed Stars. rak 
jeét-fpeculum would bear a greater aperture; and thus en- 
abled me to fee with more comfort, and lefs danger. The 
furface of the fun was unequal; many parts of it being ele- 
vated, and others depreffed. This is here to be underftood 
of the fhining furface only, as the real body of the fun can 
probably be feldom feen otherwife than in its black fpots. 
It may not be impoffibie, as light is a tramfparcnt fluid, 
that the fun’s real furface alfo may now and then be per- 
ceived ; as we fee the fhape of the wick of a candle through 
its flame, or the contents of a furnace in the midit of the 
brightett glare of it: but this, I fhould fuppofe, will only 
‘happen where the lucid matter of the fun is not very accu- 
mulated, 
Sept. 9 93 1792. T found one of the dark {pots in the fun 
drawn pretty near the preceding edge. In its neighbourhood 
I faw a great number of elevated bright places, making va- 
rious figures: I fhail call them facule with Hevelius; but 
without affigning to this term any othet meaning than al 
it will hereafter appear ought to be given to it. I fee thefe 
faculz extended, on the preceding fide, over about 1-6th 
part of the fun; but fo far from refembling torches, they 
appear to me like the fhrivelled elevations upon a dried ap- 
ple, extended in length, and moft of them are joined toge~ 
ther, making waves, or waviig lines. 
By fome good views in the afternoon, I find that the ref& 
of the furface of the fun dees not contain any facule, excep: 
_ afew on the following, and equatorial part of the fun. To- 
_ wards the nerth and fouth I fee no facule: there is all over 
¢ 
the fun a great unevennefs in the furface, which has the ap- 
eee of a mixture of fmall points of an unequal licht ; 
but they are evidently an unevennefs or roughnefs of high 
and low parts. - 
_ Sept. 11, 1792. The facule, in the preceding part of the 
: fun, are much gone out of the difk, and thofe in the follow- 
jng are come on. A dari fpot alfo is come on with them, 
Sept. 13, 1792. There are a great number of facule on 
the equatorial part of the fun, towards the preceding and 
"following parts. I cannot fee any towards the poles; buta 
' toughnels is vifible every where. . 
r Vou, V. R Sept. 16, 
