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Signs in the Sun

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 24, 1873

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 42, No. 2.

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Signs in the Sun.

By A. M. Hunt

I inclose to you a brief statement of the wonderful phenomena that have more recently been transpiring in the sun. These statements are taken from a purely scientific work on the sun, by the French astronomer AMÉDÉE GUILLEMIN, translated by A. L. PHIPSON, Ph. D., and published by Charles Scribner & Co., Broadway, N. Y., 1871. The volume lies before me as I write, and is one of the series known as the “Illustrated Library of Wonders.” This volume is entitled, “Wonders of the Sun.” See Luke 21: 25–33.
On p. 250 will be found a cut representing the total eclipse of the sun, July 8, 1842. On the upper right corner, and the lower left corner, are seen broad flames of fire (apparently) extending out about seventy-five thousand miles. This is the first appearance of the kind ever noticed.
The next phenomenon worthy of notice was during the total eclipse on Sept. 7, 1858. Directly above is a broad, flat flame extending out, I should think, about one hundred thousand miles. Just immediately to the right of this are two tongues of fire, one bending to the left, and the other extending straight out from the body of the sun. From the lower right hand limb is another similar tongue, while there are two more on the eastern side. These all have the appearance of a person's tongue, and are from fifty to seventy-five thousand miles long.
On the opposite page is a cut representing the total eclipse on July 18, 1860. From each corner, or limb of the sun, are four bars of light extending out about one hundred thousand miles.
The next figure is on p. 257, representing the total eclipse of the sun Aug. 18, 1868. On the lower left side is seen a continuous margin of fire, while there is one tongue extending out, apparently, twenty-five thousand miles.
The next page represents the same eclipse at the close of its totality. Here the rough margin of fire is seen on the upper right side, while unusual rays dart out all around.
The following is an interesting account of a most truly wonderful phenomenon which was seen in the sun at Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 30, 1872. The account is taken from the Cincinnati Commercial of the same day. “A solar phenomenon of wondrous magnificence was witnessed here to-day. Shortly after 12 o'clock a thin haze halo was observed about the sun, which was shining in a cloudless sky. Gradually this halo assumed a bright yellow tint, and then, one after another, five rainbow-hued circles enveloped themselves around the sun. Soon myriads of glittering globes, apparently half an inch in diameter, were ejected from the various rings. Some came into view slowly, and sailed southward in a straight line, while others shot forth at a tangent, like the balls of a Roman candle. All of them gleamed with an intense white light, which grew less intense as they approached the earth, and totally disappeared at apparently the height of half a mile—the display lasted over two hours, was witnessed by every person in the city, and created great alarm among the ignorant and superstitious. The only other noticeable phenomenon was a marked reduction of temperature.”
A. M. HUNT.
Allen, Hillsdale Co., Mich.