1882.] On the Recent and Coming Total Solar Eclipses. 295 



Fact. — When we leave H, Mg, Ca, and Na, most of the lines are 

 either of unknown origin or are feeble lines in the spectra of known 

 elements. 



8. From the above sketch, hasty though it be, it is I think easy to 

 gather that the new view includes the facts much better than the old 

 one, and in truth demands phenomena, and simply and sufficiently 

 explains them, which were stumbling blocks and paradoxes on the 

 old one. 



This being so, then, it is permissible to consider it farther. 



9. Let us first suppose, to take the simplest case, that the sun 

 when cold will be a solid mass of one pure element, i.e.,- that the evo- 

 lution brought about by reduction of temperatures shall be along 

 one line only. Let us take iron as the final product. Then the 

 sun's atmosphere on the new theory qua this one element may be 

 represented as follows : — 



Fig. 4. 



Strata 



> 0/ 



Incandescent 

 At?tiosphere 



Assume strata A — L. Then — 



(1.) The Fraunhofer spectrum will integrate for us the absorption 

 of all strata from A to L. 



(2.) The darkest lines of the Fraunhofer spectrum will be those 

 absorbed nearest the outside of the atmosphere. 



(3.) We shall rarely, if ever, see the darkest lines affected in spots 

 and prominences. 



vol. xxxtv. x 



