The presence of these spots has enabled scientists to prove that the sun, like the earth, revolves on its axis.
The last period of activity for sun-spots was in 1893, and, according to the eleven-year theory, there should be few, if any, at this time. Prof. Garret P. Serviss, however, tells us that at times during the quiet period of the sun, large spots like the present one will appear on its surface, and after assuming immense proportions, vanish.
The present phenomenon appears to be about one hundred thousand miles in length, and some people insist that they can see it gradually detaching itself from the sun and forming itself into a new world.
This is regarded as a hoax by scientific men who understand such matters.
It is hard to prove exactly whether the present great sun-spot is a large hole in the surface of the sun, or a large mass of the body of the sun which is about to be detached from it; but in all such matters it is wiser to take the most practical and least sensational view. Similar phenomena to that which is now interesting us have been observed before, and so, until we have proof to the contrary, it is more sensible to believe it is a sun-spot than to listen to sensational tales of a new world running wild through space.
Sun-spots were first observed about 1610 by Galileo, so they have been known long enough for us to believe that they are not new worlds about to be flung into space.
Galileo was the great Italian astronomer who invented the telescope.
The chances are that the present sun-spot may give us an opportunity of seeing a fine aurora. In 1892, when the last large spot was visible, there was a notable aurora. The light rays reached so far south that to the people in New York it appeared like the reflection on the sky from a great fire.