Raging 'Sun Storm' Produces 61 Spots

One of the largest storms in years is raging across the face of the sun, observer Howard D'Mastus of the College Observatory said yesterday.

The storm consists of 61 large spots, with three of them larger than the earth, he reported. D'Mastus works for the University, at the Air Force Observatory in Sacramento Peak, N.M.

The storm started last Friday and reappeared at 7:30 a.m. yesterday. Such disturbances take 14 days to pass across the face of the sun. Thus, the storm may last until Feb. 23.

Some world-wide weakening of radio signals is foreseen as a result of the storm. Holloman Air Force Base reported it was completely blanked out on short wave reception for 30 minutes yesterday because of the disturbances yesterday morning.

The intensity has not been computed "but it may measure plus 2 on a United States Bureau of Standards' scale, which runs from minus one to plus three, D'Mastus estimated.