THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16607, 3 December 1919, Page 9

THE SOLAR SYSTEM.

AND ELECTION DAY.

Mr. J- T. Ward, Director of the Wanganui Observatory, interviewed by a Wanganui Herald representative, says lie has never heard of Professor Porta and that there is nothing to worry about in regard to his predictions. “When Professor Porta says that 'The whole solar system will bo strangely out of balance’ and that ‘storms, eruptions, and earthquakes will be tremendous in the .strength and • scope’ on the 17th of December next, j he is dealing in hot air, and, 1 can as- | sure jour readers that they have no j cause for alarm, and need Jose no sleep over these direful predictions.” Mr. Ward is in close touch with the observatories of America and England. He say-; “To keep well within the bounds of scientific thought as ir exists | to-dav, it may be said that wo have i no direct evidence that great solar dis- , tin bailees are the inciting cause of the • earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or at-; jmisphoric .storms on this earth. W.l have evidence, and plenty of it, that ■ehe earth's magnetism is affected by almonmu cpfcditwms prevailing in the sun. and that the electro-magnetic conditions varv. roughly, with the variation of solar activity, but many largo disturbances happen on the sun without, ; apparently, causing any disturbance in ; tno norma! conditions of the earth. , .Mr. Maunder, of Greenwich Observatory, put forward an interesting aim .suggestive theory sbi' c years account for this. 1:1. _ contends ina.t a stream of intensely lino matter, in the shape of electrons, is projected from a sunspot. As the sun turns on us axis, this stream sweeps outwards into space like a gigantic (fuwch’icht, in |» direction from the sun’s centre through the spot. If the position of the sun k centre, the -pot. and the earth are roughly in a straight lino, them as the jzror'i ray swix-ps upon ns, 'uo fintl the magnetic noodlc-s in nil our obsorvatoi jus begin to twitch in response to the force; our telegraphic connections, especially i.vcr the side opposed to the sun, :ve often i '■a-'ccl with the solar waves to the exclusion of any messages we may wish to transmit at the time, and it generally happen- that the evidence, nl our being bathed nr these waves oi solar energy .s seen at ingut. in the a outlet - ful A -.n'orae-Borealis and Australis, but a ni-oat spot may appear on the sun. and none of these things may happen.