24 ELISHA MITCHELL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL 



No such persistence and rapid succession of spots and groups 

 has occurred in the past five or six years. They were certain- 

 ly heralds of an approaching sunspot maximum. 



These numerous July sunspots were indeed all relatively 

 quite small. And size as well as number is an element in such 

 a maximum. This element of size, however, has already be- 

 gun to appear. 



In October a very large group of spots darkened the sun's 

 disk. By using a shield of smoked glass, it could be seen 

 with the naked eye. My first observation of it was made at 

 noon on the 14th. It was then larger than any group seen 

 since the 13th of February, 1892. 



By October 18th it reached the sun's western limb and 

 passed out of view. But in due time — at its earth-rise — it re- 

 appeared to us on the sun's eastern edge. It was there in full 

 viewwhen I looked in the morning of October 30th. 



It had greatly altered in form. Earlier in the month it 

 was somewhat rectangular in shape. Its vast area excited 

 general interest. As estimated by good authorities it was 

 120,000 miles long and 40.000 miles broad. That is, it covered 

 an area more than 24 times the entire surface of our earth. 



When again seen at Wake Forest, October 30th, just after 

 its reappearance, it had divided into three great spots. Four 

 days later, when well advanced into view, it was more chang- 

 ed — one spot had almost closed; each of the other two had ex- 

 panded and about them were grouped 18 relatively small spots. 

 With like mutations it remained a conspicuous object until 

 yesterday, November 12th, when it again passed the sun's 

 western edge out of view. 



Meanw T hile. two other extensive groups appeared. The 

 first of these was observed October 26th, just as it rounded the 

 sun's eastern edge. 



It was triangular in shape and about one third the size of 

 the great group which has now twice passed the western edge. 

 My notes record its varied aspects from day to day until it too 

 passed the sun's western edge on the 7th of November. 



