WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE SUN 

 RICHARD A. PROCTOR 



[Richard Anthony Proctor was an English astronomer of 

 varied and original powers. He wrote much and well, 

 always making his meaning clear to the reader. From his 

 "Other Worlds than Ours" the following is a part of the 

 second chapter. This work, together with his "The Moon," 

 "The Expanse of Heaven," and "Our Place Among In- 

 finities," are published by D. Appleton & Co., New York. 

 For works bringing the story of the sun to date, see the 

 mention of books by Prof. Newcomb and Prof. Young pre- 

 fixed to their contributions to this volume. Eo.fl 



LET us first endeavour to form adequate con- 

 ceptions respecting the dimensions of the great 

 central luminary of the solar system. Let the 

 reader consider a terrestrial globe three inches in 

 diameter, and search out on that globe the tiny 

 triangular speck which represents Great Britain. 

 Then let him endeavour to picture the town in 

 which he lives as represented by the minutest 

 pin-mark that cou.ld possibly be made upon this 

 speck. He will then have formed some concep- 

 tion, though but an inadequate one, of the 

 enormous dimensions of the earth's globe, com- 

 pared with the scene in which his daily life is 

 cast. Now, on the same scale, the sun would be 

 represented by a globe about twice the height of 

 an ordinary sitting-room. A room about twenty- 

 six feet in length and height and breadth would 

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