The most extraordinary fact, however, in connection with the spots on the sun’s surface, is the singular coincidence of their periods with those great disturbances in the magnetic system of the earth to which the epithet of “magnetic storms” has been affixed. These disturbances, during which the magnetic needle is greatly and universally agitated (not in a particular limited locality, but at one and the same instant of time over whole continents, or even over the whole earth), are found, so far as observation has hitherto extended, to maintain a parallel, both in respect of their frequency of occurrence and intensity in successive years, with the abundance and magnitude of the spots in the same years, too close to be regarded as fortuitous. The coincidence of the epochs of maxima and minima in the two series of phenomena amounts, indeed, to identity; a fact evidently of most important significance, but which neither astronomical nor magnetic science is yet sufficiently advanced to interpret.--_Herschel’s Outlines._ The signification and connection of the above varying phenomena (Humboldt maintains) can never be manifested in their entire importance until an uninterrupted series of representations of the sun’s spots can be obtained by the aid of mechanical clock-work and photographic apparatus, as the result of prolonged observations during the many months of serene weather enjoyed in a tropical climate. M. Schwabe has thus distinguished himself as an indefatigable observer of the sun’s spots, for his researches received the Royal Astronomical Society’s Medal in 1857. “For thirty years,” said the President at the presentation, “never has the sun exhibited his disc above the horizon of Dessau without being confronted by Schwabe’s imperturbable telescope; and that appears to have happened on an average about 300 days a-year. So, supposing that he had observed but once a-day, he has made 9000 observations, in the course of which he discovered about 4700 groups. This is, I believe, an instance of devoted persistence unsurpassed in the annals of astronomy. The energy of one man has revealed a phenomenon that had eluded the suspicion of astronomers for 200 years.” HAS THE MOON AN ATMOSPHERE?