382 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP, 
tains. The true nature of these streaks is not 
yet understood. 
THE SUN 
The Sun is more than 400 times as distant 
as the Moon; a mighty glowing globe, in- 
finitely hotter than any earthly fiery furnace, 
300,000 times as heavy, and 1,000,000 times 
as large as the earth. Its diameter is 865,000 
miles, and it revolves on its axis in between 
25 and 26 days. Its distance is 92,500,000 
miles. And yet it is only a star, and by no 
means one of the first magnitude. 
The surface of the Sun is the seat of vio- 
lent storms and tempests. From it gigantic 
flames, consisting mainly of hydrogen, flicker 
and leap. Professor Young describes one as 
being, when first observed, 40,000 miles high. 
Suddenly it became very brilliant, and in 
half an hour sprang up 40,000 more. For 
another hour it soared higher and _ higher, 
reaching finally an elevation of no less than 
350,000 miles, after which it slowly faded 
away, and in a couple of hours had entirely 
disappeared. This was no doubt an excep- 
