SOLAR PHYSICS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1902, 23 April 1913, Page 2

SOLAR PHYSICS.

(Contributed). j The study of the forces and benefits emanating from the sun and circulating through its surroundings planets and their satellites is a step towards knowledge of the Almighty God who when creating them implanted in each portion gf His Almighty power sufficient to develop them into such forms as He has designed for them. Starting with our own earth our forefathers in astronomy assisted by the spiritual aid of their days have made marvellous discoveries for us, inventing instruments to assist our eyesight, which though suitable to our usual conditions require aid when we would see heavenly obiects. We can now, assisted by that spirit, analyse the materials which enter into their composition. They also discovered for us means for calculating the movements of liquids, 01 matter moving in accoi dance with 1 tne laws which govern their existence. | The patient observations of the early astrologers without instruments excite admiration. They must have felt convinced some great benefit was to be got from their steadfast watching and were led to worship their heavenly bodies. This was a step towards the worship of Him who made their gods and is Himself the one God. By their watching and thinking their souls or minds were developed Thousands of years patient watching led to a certain amount of knowledge, but no further until Christ and his teaching came to earth and even then though many theories were put forward to account for the movements of the heavenly bodies it was not till after the Reformation of the Christian Church that progress was made which has stood all tests for nearly 500 years. That spiritual power obtained by Christ for man is now at work wherever it is sought for in accordance with his directions and leading men to all truth, may I say especially astronomers and physicists. Within the last 150 years has been revealed to Christians the wonderful power "electricity." It seems to be adaptable to every work man takes in hand. ' Every year brings news of its being utilised in some new way. Can any deny that this knowledge is a gift from God to the men of this generation, but where are the clergy that will teach us to thank God for this gift? I cannot find them, * Now there is little doubt that this electricity is working throughout our universe controlling the force of gravitation (which is only one form of electricity) through which the solar matter is being gradually condensed. The enormous forces working in the sun are made apparent to our senses through the heat we feel, the lights we see, and the motion we see in magnets during outbreak of sun spots. ✓lt is probable that light is only a manifestation of electricity, as both travel at the same speed, 186,000 miles a second. Knowledge of this means by which we obtain electricity in dynamos leads to the inference that all heavenly bodies are kept in electrical condition through the revolution on their axis, under the rays emanating from the sun concentrated on their equatorial belts, producing frictional electricity and those earth currents which make our earth a huge magnet whose poles lie under the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. The speed with which planets and satellites revolve on their axes seem proportional to their mass, thus enormous Jupiter whose mass is 310 times that of the earth revolves in 9h. 55m. so that the equatorial parts pass under influence of solar rays at rate of 448 miles a minute, whilst on ( our earth the velocity is only 17 ' miles and in Mars 9 miles a minute. If the electricity generated is proportional to the velocity with which the magnetic solar rays are cut, the force at work in Jupiter must be enormous.J Wejmay expect study of the work' of these forces on our earth will lead us on to knowledge of ocean currents,wind currents, the circulation of rays in plants, and everything that moves. Some years ago we had a most instructive lecture from the Rev. Dr. Kennedy, of St. Patrick's College. Later we had a more sensational one from Mr Clement Wragge, and now we may hope for an excellent one from Miss Proctor on Friday. All helps to expand our #iinds in a - right direction. J. D. R. HEWITT.