86 



COSMOS. 



" I observed large spots visible to the naked eye in almost 

 all the years not characterized by the minimum ; the largest 

 appeared in 1828, 1829, 1831, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1847, 

 1848. I regard all spots whose diameter exceeds 50" as 

 large, and it is only when of such a size that they begin to 

 be visible to even the keenest unaided sight. 



" The spots are undoubtedly closely connected with the 

 formation of faculse, for I have often observed faculas or shal- 

 lows formed at the same points from whence the spots had 

 disappeared, while new solar spots were also developed with- 

 in the faculae. Every spot is surrounded with a more or less 

 bright luminous cloud. I do not think that the spots exert 

 any influence on the annual temperature. I register the 

 height of the barometer and thermometer three times in the 

 course of each day, but the annual mean numbers deduced 

 from these observations have not hitherto indicated any ap- 

 preciable connection between the temperature and the num- 

 ber of the spots. Nor, indeed, would any importance be due 

 to the apparent indication of such a connection in individual 

 cases, unless the results were found to correspond with others 

 derived from many different parts of the Earth. If the solar 



