430 Sun Vieiving and Drawing. 



those interesting and grand solar phenomena of which he may 

 have read; or seen depicted, in various works on physical 

 astronomy. 



We mean not to say, of course, but what very superior 

 views of these phenomena may be obtained by means of those 

 splendid instruments which are now to be found in the pos-* 

 session of not a few devoted lovers of astronomy, both amateur 

 and professional; and we are aware, too, that it is only in 

 the new, and fascinating-, and important field of spectrum- 

 analysis, specially in the hands of such sagacious observers as 

 KirchhofF, Huggins, Miller, Secchi, Donati, Alexander Herschel, 

 and others — armed with special and variously-modified apparatus 

 for the purpose — that our knowledge of the chemical consti- 

 tution of the sun and other celestial lights can be promoted ; 

 but still it is not too much to say, that, with the sole exception 

 of the much disputed " willow-leaf," or " rice- grain" shaped 

 entities (asserted by Mr. Nasmyth and other high authorities to 

 lie scattered in a nearly uniform but confused and interlacing 

 stratum over the whole solar surface), a good achromatic 

 telescope of only three inches aperture, and armed with a 

 magnifying power of from 120 to 200 linear, will, if employed 

 in the manner about to be explained, reveal nearly every solar 

 phenomenon which up to the last ten or a dozen years was 

 known to the scientific world. 



And even as regards these last mentioned " entities" (what 

 to call them exactly, we know not), which were described as 

 being about from two to three seconds in length by about 

 one-eighth or so of those measurements in breadth, though 

 they certainly are not individually and separately to be seen by 

 the aid of a telescope of only three inches aperture, yet may 

 they possibly be recognized (if indeed they really exist) flaked 

 together in those small, irregular, closely-approximated masses 

 termed the " coarser granulations," or the " mottling' 5 of the 

 solar photosphere. 



This mottling may be readily descried on days of steady 

 definition by direct vision by any tolerable telescope (using of 

 course some kind of darkening-glass in order to protect the 

 eye from the glare and heat) j but a much more distinct view of 

 this remarkable structure of the sun's surface may be obtained 

 by projecting the solar image on a screen, all due care .being 

 taken to procure the best and most perfect effect, by attending 

 both to the best amount of magnification, and to the sufficient 

 darkening of your chamber or observatory. 



Many a reader, probably, of the Intellectual Observes has 

 seen the solar spots by ordinary direct vision through a tele- 

 scope ; and if the spots have been of a tolerable size, he will 

 have been perhaps considerably interested in the sight. But, 



