THE SUN'S SPOTS. 383 



by the annalists may, on account of its duration for many 

 hours, possibly be referred to one or other of the three 

 following and very different causes: 1. A disturbance in the 



(727 to 565). Anno imperil nono deliquium lucis passus 

 est Sol, quod annum integrum et duos amplius menses 

 duravit, adeo ut parum admodum de luce ipsius appa- 

 reret ; dixeruntque homines Soli aliquid accidisse, quod 

 nunquam ab eo recederet." " In the ninth year of the 

 reign of Justinian I., who reigned thirty-eight years, the 

 Sun suffered an eclipse, which lasted a whole year and 

 two months, so that very little of his light was seen; 

 men said that something had clung to the Sun, from, 

 which it would never be able to disentangle itself." 

 Gregorius Abu'l-Faragius, Supplementum Historic 

 Dijnastiarum, ed. Edw. Pocock, 1663, p. 94. This 

 phenomenon appears to have been very similar to one 

 observed in 1783, which, although it has received a name 

 (Hohenrauch),* has in many cases not been satisfactorily 

 explained. 



567 A.I). " Justinus II. annos 13 imperavit (565-578). 

 Anno imperii ipsius secundo apparuit in coelo ignis 

 flammans juxta polum arcticum, x qui annum integrum 

 permansit; obtexeruntque tenebraB mundum ab hora diei 

 nona noctem usque, adeo ut nemo quicquam videret; 

 deciditque ex acre quoddam pulveri minuto et cineri 

 simile." '* In the second year of the reign, of Justinian 

 II., who reigned thirteen years, there appeared a flame 

 of fire in the heavens, near the North Pole, and it re- 

 mained there for a -whole year ; darkness was cast over 

 the world from three o'clock until night, so that nothing 

 could be seen ; and something resembling dust and ashes 

 fell down from the sky." Abu'1-Farag. 1. c. p. 95. 

 Could this phenomenon have continued for a whole year 

 like a perpetual northern -light (magnetic storm) and 

 been succeeded by darkness and showers of meteoric 

 dust? 



* A kind of thick, yellowish fog, common in North 

 Gciiauuy. 



