365^d 5^h 49^m + 27^d 5^h = 392 10^h 49^m.
392^d 10^h 49^m (= 565,129^m) : 365^d 5^h 49^m (= 525,949^m)
:: 27^d 5^h (= 39,180^m) : 25^d 7^h 44^m (= 36,464^m).
For exact results several circumstances have to be considered, such as the direction of the spot-motions across the disk, as the chords vary according to the season; thus in June and December the spots traverse straight lines, while in March and September their paths are curved, like a belt on Saturn when the planet is inclined. Some of the spots display considerable proper motion; so that it is best to observe a number of these objects, and reduce the times to a mean result. They are not very durable, rarely lasting longer than a few weeks; but some of the more extensive disturbances are sustained for several months, during which many singular changes are effected. The period of rotation, as determined by several observers, is as follows:—
d h m 1678. Cassini 25 13 55 1718. Bianchini 25 7 48 1775. Delambre 25 0 17 1841. Laugier 25 8 10 1846. Kysæus 25 2 10 1852. Böhm 25 12 29 1863. Carrington 25 9 7 1865. Schwabe 25 5 0 1868. Spörer 25 5 31 1888. Wilsing 25 5 47
The motion of rotation is similar in direction to that in which the planets move found the Sun, namely from west to east. Hence the spots come into view on the east limb of the Sun, and disappear at the west.
_Planetary Bodies in transit._—During observation the observer should particularly watch any very dark, small spots that may be visible, such as are isolated and pretty circular and definite in outline. If an object of this character is seen it should be examined with a high power, and its aspect critically noted. Should the observer entertain any suspicion of its being of a planetary nature, he should carefully determine its position on the disk, and, after a short interval, re-observe it for traces of motion. If it remains stationary, its true solar origin will be proved. If motion is shown, then the successive positions of the object during its transit, and its place of egress, with the time of each observation, should be recorded. In such a case it would be a good plan to project the Sun’s image, and mark the place of the suspicious object and chief sun-spots at short intervals. This would be more accurate than mere eye-estimation. The observer who scans the solar surface for intra-Mercurial planets must remember that, if any such bodies exist, they will probably be very diminutive. Venus, when on the Sun in December 1882, was a spot 63″ in diameter, and easily perceptible to the naked eye. Mercury, at the transits of 1861, 1868, and 1881, was a little less than 10″, but in 1878 was 12″. If “Vulcan,” the suspected interior planet, has any existence it may possibly be much smaller than Mercury, and will thus escape observation, unless the observer exercises great care in the search. The mobile, planetary spots asserted to have been seen on the Sun in past years prove nothing definite, and appear to have been illusory.