Every Saturday, 1871, vol. 2, n. 60

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Men of science hoped at the Eclipse of 1870 to determine the nature of the corona, including beams and streamers; but the clearest possible sky was indispensable for the roper use of so delicate an instrument as the polariscope, and this condition was not accorded at Gibraltar even for a second. A correspondent of The Graphic who viewed the phenomenon from the Signal Station on the crest of the Rock, succeeded in making a drawing of the total eclipse, which drawing we reproduce on page 125. This gentleman, a member of the English Expedition, writes as follows: “An interesting map of the path of the total phase of this solar eclipse is published in the Nautical Almanac Circular. Gibraltar lies south of the centre line of the total phase, and the limit of totality extended about twenty miles south beyond us. The cusps were beautiful at the Station all through, and one feature connected with them which excited my interest greatly from time to time, was the vividly stereoscopic or globular form of the dark moon, as she was gradually advancing to cover up the sun. His disc, on the contrary, appeared to be perfectly flat, and to be throwing a species of rosy light over the eastern limb of the moon, in spite of her dark side being towards us, which displayed, with thrilling sense of proximity, her orange roundness.”

Every Saturday, 1871, vol. 2, n. 59

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L'articolo The eclipse at Gibraltar. sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

It is satisfactory to know that in spite of the worst Possible weather, as well as of misfortunes and losses of Various kinds which fell to the lot of the English and American savants who went to Africa, Spain, and Sicily to 9bserve the eclipse, the results are of real value and importance, and that the grant of £2000 of public money as, therefore, not failed to purchase substantial benefits to science and the nation.
In the first place, then, this eclipse was only total on coming into the western hemisphere near Cape Farewell, leaving it at Taganrog, covering only a narrow strip of the earth’s surface. The duration of the totality (the only time when the wished for observations could be made) in no place exceeded two minutes, and in many situations, even on the central line, was several seconds less; so that it was before all things necessary to choose a good situation, and for each observer to have a definite and tolerably simple set of instructions to follow. Such instructions were carefully drawn out by Professor Stokes and Mr. Lockyer as Soon as the despatch of the expeditions were settled and placed in the hands of every member of the party. In order to avoid disappointment from bad weather, detachments of observers, complete in every necessary branch, and fitted with instruments for the examination of all the Various phenonema of the eclipse, which the experience and foresight of the leading astronomers and spectroscopists of the country could suggest, were dispatched to three chief stations. The conduct of the Oran division on the coast of Africa was undertaken by Dr. Huggins, facile princeps in spectroscopic astronomy; the Cadiz division under the Rev. S. J. Perry; the Gibraltar party under Captain arsons; and the Sicilian party led by Mr. Lockyer. The American astronomers, under the leadership of Professor Peirce, of Harvard, were likewise divided between Spain and Sicily. Each of these various parties contained men charged with four sets of observations: first, spectroscopic; secondly, Polariscopic; thirdly, photographic; fourthly, sketches with naked eye or with telescope. he main obect of all the observations was concentrated on the examination of the solar corona – that halo of white silver whose light strange and varying forms, as drawn by different persons, even during the same eclipse, has so long proved an enigma to astronomers. In spite of the numerous attempts which had previously been made to certain the true character of the corona, this secret of nature had yet to be unravelled, but it was to be fairly expected that the united and systematic endeavours of English, American, and Italian observers of the eclipse of 1870 would do something to settle the question.
To describe the various hypotheses concerning the corona which have from time to time been set up by astronomers after viewing one eclipse, generally only to be knocked down by other savants on observing the next eclipse, is here out of the question. Suffice it to say that it has been supposed first, that the corona was altogether a solar phenomenon; secondly, that it was none of it solar, but all due to diffraction or irradiation; thirdly, that part of the phenomenon is really caused by outlying zones of incandescent solar atmosphere, whilst a portion is to be ascribed to the action of our air; perhaps another portion to irradiation Produced only in the eye of the observers. To give an idea of the singular differences existing between the drawings of the corona we give the following figures. No. 1, copied from an illustration given in a pamphlet on the eclipse of December last by Professor Angello Agnello; No. 2, from the eclipse of 1868, as seen by Dr. Mayer, at Burlington, U.S.
Let us next see in what way each of the four modes of attack was expected to force the capitulation of this citadel. In the first place, as regards the spectroscope, contradictory results had been obtained in the former eclipses. Colonel Tennant, in India, observed that the corona, in the eclipse of 1868, gave a continuous spectrum ; whilst in 1869 Professors Young, Harkness, and Pickering, in America, saw one or two bright lines in the corona spectrum. If, now, the Indian accounts were correct, the light from the corona is not due to reflected solar light, for then the dark solar lines would have been seen, neither is it caused by incandescent gas, like that of the red prominences, for then bright lines would be seen, but it just be, in all probability, emitted from incandescent solid bodies, such as the clouds of meteors which we know circle in enormous numbers round the sun. If, on the or hand, the American observations are correct, the gaseous and self-luminous nature of the coronal matter is ascertained beyond shadow of doubt.
The object of the spectroscopic observers was, therefore, simply to note the appearances presented by the spectrum of the corona spreading to a distance of at least the sun’s radious from the solar limb. None of the previous observers had determined exactly the position or wave length of the green line with exactitude, although Professor Young believes that it coincides with an iron line marked 1474 on Kirchhoff’s scale. The methods adopted for catching this line and marking it down with accuracy were various. Dr. Huggins arranged a registering scale, which he finds accurate and useful. Mr. Lockyer adopted the plan of directly comparing the corona spectrum with one of incandescent hydrogen; I, myself, did the same with the iron spectrum, and Professor Winlock devised a special plan for mapping the position of the lines. Unfortunately bad weather prevented most of these plans from being tried. D. Huggins saw nothing at Oran; Mr. Lockyer’s station at Catania was overclouded during totality; whilst I was in a snow storm on Etna with all my instruments 5000ft. above the sea. Professors Young and Winlock at Xeres, and Mr. Burton and the Italian astronomer Fr. Denza at Agosta, however,
luckily had a view; they saw and mapped the position of the green line, which really turns out to be 1474 on Kirchhoff’s scale. It extends all round the sun to at least 20 min. from the disc, and therefore plainly points out :-(1) That the corona is a solar phenomenon; (2) that part of the light is given off from a glowing gas. What the nature of the substance may be which emits this singular light it is as yet impossible to say; we may, however, affirm, in the first place, that it is probably not iron, because other equally bright lines of iron are not seen; and, in the second place, we learn from the observations of Angström and Young that a similar green line is visible in the spectra of the aurora and the zodiacal light. Here a new field of interest at once opens out. Is the solar corona in some way connected with these other phenomena about which we know so little? Is the corona simply a gigantic solar aurora? and if so, what can be the nature of this material which either occupies space or exists in the highest regions of the planetary atmospheres; and how is this substance heated so as to become self-luminous?
Thanks to the Janssen-Lockyer method, we need not trouble ourselves now with drawing, photographing, or observing the red prominences during a total eclipse. We can map them when we please. May we not with confidence look forwad to a time when the green coronal line may be also seen when the sun shines brightly? Indeed this line has already been seen high up in a prominence by Mr. Seabrooke. It was nevertheless of the greatest importance on the occasion of the last eclipse to map the prominences immediately before or during totality, in order that the relation between the extent and position of these red flames should be compared with the outline of the corona as sketched by trustworthy observers. And here one of the most satisfactory results of the late expedition may be mentioned. Mr. Seabrooke at Catania carefully mapped all the prominences existing on the sun’s disc thirty minutes before totality. Professor Watson, the celebrated astronomer of Ann Arbor University, drew the corona as it appeared to him at Carlentini, observing with a 2½ in. refractor. On comparing the two drawings thus independently made a most interesting series of coincidences presented themselves; wherever on the solar disc a large group of prominences were seen in Mr. Seabrooke’s map there a corresponding bulging out of the corona was chronicled on Professor Watson’s drawing, and at the positions where no prominences presented themselves there the bright portions of the corona extended to the smallest distance from the sun’s limb. Hence the close connection between the great solar cyclones or storms which become visible to us on the edge of the sun as red flames, and the outlying portions of solar atmosphere which we term the corona is no longer a matter of doubt or surmise, but a conclusion founded upon observational proof of the most convincing kind.
To sum up the results of the spectroscopic observations as regards the chemical nature of the corona, prominences, and chromosphere, we have the existence of the following bright lines and substances proceeding towards the photosphere: – (1) Corona (possible new element), green line (1474); (2) prominences, highest portions, hydrogen, F, C near G (27 96); (3) prominences, lower portions, h; (4) chromosphere (possibly a new element), near D; magnesium, b and other lines; sodium, D; barium and iron, several lines.
The next set of observations are those made with the polariscope. These have for their object to ascertain how large a portion, if any, of the light from the corona is polarised, and therefore reflected sunlight. Now as no dark lines had been seen in the corona spectrum, we might feel inclined to assume that the coronal rays contained no reflected sunlight, but Mr. Lockyer has pointed out cogent reasons why, as generally observed, the fine dark lines in the sunlight would probably not be seen in the corona spectrum. If, therefore, the polarised condition of the coronal light were ascertained it would go far to show that the faint continuous spectrum of the corona was due to reflected sunlight. Such proved to be the case; for Mr. Raynard at Villasmondo, Mr. Peirce, jun., North of Catania, and Mr. Ladd in Spain all observed strong radical polarisation in the corona.
Next we come to the results of photographic work, perhaps the most interesting chapter of the whole. It is clear that any impression produced upon a photographic plate by such a phenomenon as the coronal light is of the greatest possible value as a true record of its extent and distribution. Only once before has a satisfactory photograph of the corona been obtained, by Mr. Whipple at Shelbyville, Kentucky, in August, 1869. Hence great preparations were made both by American, English, and Italian observers to photograph the phenomenon in December last. The American photographers in Sicily saw nothing, and obtained no picture; the well-known photographer Dr. Vogel, of Berlin, was with me on Etna in a snowstorm; at Oran no photograph was obtained, but at Syracuse, thanks to the energy and skill of Messrs. Brothers and Fryer, at any rate one perfect photograph of the corona was secured, and the results to which this single photograph may lead will in themselves repay for the expense and trouble of the expedition.
The first important fact which this negative reveals is the actual existence of dark, nearly radial bands shooting out from various portions of the sun’s disc through the luminous portions of the corona; the second fact which it records is that a distinct chemical action is observed on the plate, extending in certain directions from the sun’s disc to a distance which we should previously have conceived to be incredible, viz., more than two solar diameters! These two facts are quite new, and as entirely unexpected as they are unexplained.
Lastly come the sketchings and drawings, a class of observations with which it is most difficult to deal, because they are less precise and definite, and, therefore, more liable to error. According to the instructions, the sketchers — situated at different as well as the same station—were to draw the corona in the same way, using similar telescopes. So that if two men—one in Spain and the other in Sicily—were to draw the streamers or dark radial bands in actually the same positions on the sun’s disc, we should be convinced that these appearances were truly solar, and not produced either in our own atmosphere or in the eye of the observer. Whereas, if two sketchers — drawing independently at the same place – drew pictures which were identical, but different from those drawn at a distance, we should infer that the rays, &c., were not solar, but due to our air; and if even the pictures of the neighbouring sketchers differed, we should fairly conclude that the difference in the drawing was due to some effect produced in the eye of each observer. It is difficult, not to say impossible, to estimate truly the differences in the drawings without careful scrutiny. Still, we have good evidence to show that the sketches made in December last, even from the same locality, exhibit differences at least as marked as those drawn on former occasions Dr. Macdonald, on board the Lord Warden, off Catania saw eight rays ranged with perfect symmetry. Captain Brandreth, on the same ship, saw only two elliptical hoops crossing each other at right angles. Captain Cochrane, of the Caledonia, saw, besides the ring, a complicated stellate figure with rays of nearly equal length; whilst Mr. Dexter, at sea, between Catania and Syracuse, saw only one ray of great length. From the differences between these sketches we should therefore conclude that a part of the phenomena of the corona have a subjective origin.
Under these circumstances it would seem as if these sketches of the several appearances of this singular phenomenon were not of much value for recording the physical outlines of the outermost portions of the corona. The permanent impression on sensitive plate can and must always be substituted for the transient one on the retina. Still there are certain parts of the corona exhibiting structure to the eye which probably never . can be reproduced by photography. Thus, a laminated structure similar to that well known to exist in the heads of comets was plainly seen in the bright portions of the corona by Professor Watson, and this may prove to be a most essential feature of the coronal light.
Until all the various observations of the “AngloAmerican Eclipse Expedition of 1870” are collected together, and the numerous drawings compared, it is impossible to form an opinion as to the exact conclusions to which they may lead; enough has, however, been said to show that this expedition, undertaken and carried out under difficulties (not to say dangers) such as few have encountered and surmounted, has succeeded in the great object of its mission, and that man’s knowledge concerning the great luminary which supports our life and being is more complete than it was before the hundred seconds of darkness fell on the face of the earth at 2 p.m. on the 22nd of December, 1870.

The Engineer, 1871

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L'articolo The eclipse of December, 22nd, 1870 sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

The illustrated London news, 1871, vol. 58, n. 1632

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L'articolo The Eclipse of the sun. sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

L’eclisse di Sole del 1870 osservata a Jerez, Acquerello di Paul Jacob Naftel ufficiale della spedizione britannica. Dalla collezione della Royal Astronomical Society

From the accounts received from the astronomers who went abroad to see the eclipse of Dec. 22 it appears that the different parties of observers were not very fortunate. From the Moorish Castle at Gibraltar nothing was seen of the eclipse when total. At Estepona Mr. Buckingham reports there was heavy rain. Mr. Richard Abbott, who stayed at Gibraltar, was able to observe the total phase for about two seconds ; and others there appear to have made somewhat fuller observations. At Cadiz Lord Lindsay succeeded in taking several excellent photographs. The American party at Xeres saw the totality for about a minute. At Seville it began to rain at 12.10 p.m., and the sun was lost to sight until the conclusion of the eclipse, which occurred at 1.30 pm. The eclipse was total for seventy seconds, and the effect was very striking, the whole sky becoming of a lurid purple and very dark. The birds were hushed and frightened, and the charcoal burners’ fires in the mountains, some five leagues distant, were plainly visible.
A report has been received from that portion of the eclipse expedition which went to Oran. When the astronomers reached there they found that M. Janssen, so distinguished by his spectroscopic observations of the red flames in 1868 in India, had arrived at Oran, having escaped from Paris with his instruments in a balloon. He had fixed his station about seven miles from the town of Oran. As at this distance the ship would be inconvenient for the English observers, a station was chosen near the railway station, about two miles and a half from the port. The earlier stages of the eclipse were seen and a photograph was taken, but ten minutes before totality a dense bank of clouds came over the sun, which extinguished all hope and rendered useless the laborious preparations of many weeks.

The illustrated London news, 1871, vol. 58, n. 1631

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L'articolo The eclipse expedition. sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

The line of totality stretches from the North Atlantic across the south of Spain, passing over Cadiz, then over Algeria, thence over Syracuse, in Sicily, into Turkey, Greece, etc. The duration of the eclipse will not vary much from two minutes at any place, too short to make the eclipse a very important one, and still less so from the low altitude of the sun. Congress has appropriated nearly $30,000 to equip observers, and we believe, after a good deal of pressure, the British Government has provided a ship and $10,000 for a similar purpose. The astronomical data derivable from a solar eclipse are of two kinds : one respecting the moon’s motions, the other the physical constitution of the sun. The first is not important just now, but we may observe that the moon, coming against or in front of the sun, allows an observation of our satellite’s place in the heavens to be made at a very central point in her orbit. This is of importance to mathematical astronomy, but can only be properly made at a fixed observatory, which need not be on the line of totality.

I componenti della spedizione americana nel monastero dei benedettini di Catania

The expeditions above referred to must devote themselves to the acquirement of physical and cosmical knowledge, from appearances which are only shown when the disk of the moon completely hides the disk of the sun, and permits the view of certain solar surroundings, otherwise too faint to be seen. These surroundings are of two-fold character. First, there is a silvery white glowing radiation of considerable breadth, which encircles the moon, apparently, but doubtless the sun really. This has been seen in eclipses from the earliest times, and is known as the “corona;” second, there is, close to the sun, a narrow rim of bright red excrescences, first seen during an eclipse in 1706, supposed to be an atmosphere round the moon. This phenomenon seems to have been forgotten, until observers of the eclipse of 1842 saw, at the instant of totality, flame-colored masses of light protruding from the lunar disk. From that time this light became the chief feature of a solar eclipse. In 1860, it was settled by aid of photography that this light came from the sun. In 1868, the spectroscope was used, and showed that these red excrescences are part of a shell of glowing gas surrounding the solar globe. Since then, this light has been seen without an eclipse, even in the dazzling rays of the sun, owing to properties of the spectroscope in dilating the heterogeneous light coming from the sun’s general surface, while it allows to pass unaffected the homogeneous light emanating from gaseous bodies, such as these excrescences prove to be, which were seen by turning the spectroscope to the edge of the sun. The sun was virtually put out by spreading its light over such an area as to make the resulting brightness less than that of the prominences — the light of which will not spread itself— and then these were clearly seen. These prominences are but the higher parts of an irregular and tempestuous atmosphere of glowing gas, which cover the whole globe of the sun.
What are familiarly known as “Baily’s beads” no longer attract the attention of eclipse observers. They seem due simply to the sun’s light glancing between the mountains on the edge of the moon, just before totality. The “corona” will be the absorbing phenomenon, doubtless, in the present eclipse. Theories concerning it exist in plenty. Some call it a glare in our own atmosphere, but the whole of it cannot arise from this cause. Some regard it as an atmosphere of the moon, but this idea is quite untenable. It may be an atmosphere about the sun; it may be a dense portion of the zodiacal light; but these are hypotheses. For a fact, we only know that a bright part of the light near the sun seems to be tolerably persistent; and that fainter outlying parts, which shoot out two or three times the sun’s diameter, seem to vary their form during an eclipse, and to present different appearances to different observers. To acquire more facts, we have photography, the spectroscope, and the polariscope. The former of these will probably determine whether the silvery light comes from a luminous gas, or from solid matter in a state of incandescence, or it will show if both qualities of light are present. The polariscope will determine whether the light is the corona’s own self, generated luminosity, or reflected sunlight. To analyze the light of the corona, and attempt to decide its source, must be the main ends of the coming observations. Chiefly to solve this eclipse enigma have we sent some of our highest official philosophers to Europe, and the result of their labors will be awaited with much interest.

Scientific American, 1871, vol. 24, n. 1

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L'articolo The solar eclipse of the 22nd December, 1870 sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

L'articolo eclipse de sol de 22 de deciembre de 1870 sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

It was far into the night of the Shortest Day of the disturbed, disastrous, and dismal year, 1870.

But Mr. Punch, the Philosopher, was not meditating on disturbance, disaster, or dismalness. He sat pondering on Eclipses, with the assistance of Mr. Norman Lockyer’s Elementary Lesson-book, and he had nearly persuaded himself that he partly understood something of the theory of those Phenomena.
”The longest time an Eclipse of the Sun can be total at any place is seven minutes,” he read, and he seemed to derive comfort from that knowledge. ”There has been no total eclipse of the sun in London since 1715,” he went on. ”Let’s see, that was the year in which the Northern Lights vainly tried to eclipse the Star of Brunswick.”
A card was brought in unto him, inscribed

Monsieur Helios.
Mademoiselle Selene.

”I do not know them; probably some balloon-refugees from Paris. They are welcome. Show them in.”
His visitors entered. For a second, he was conscious of a blaze of golden glory, which was succeeded by a silvery effulgence, and then the new arrivals ceased to be more brilliant than other people of the world.
”Delighted,” said Mr. Punch, whose imperturbability is proof against Gods and Men. ”How are you, Queen and Huntress chaste and fair? And how are you, my far-darter, Lord of the Unerring Bow?”
Olympian laughter rang musically, and then Diana said, with the smile that made Endymion’s dream a Paradise ”We have a little performance for the Astronomers tomorrow, and we thought that you might like a Private View.”
”Thanks very much,” said Mr. Punch, playfully adopting the affectation of the hour. ”But you will have to put the performance off. A vessel, laden with Science, has come to grief. I believe she is called—excuse my naming her,” ho added, with a sly glance at the lady.
”You may name her, Sir,” said Diana, laughing, and tossing her radiant head. Psyche was nothing to me.”
”Lemprière –––”
”O, if you ‘ll believe Lemprière, you ‘ll believe anything,” said Diana.
”I don’t believe anything,” replied Mr. Punch. ”But may I offer you terrestrial hospitality? I fear that I am out of nectar and ambrosia.”
”Has not Mr. D’Ixion told you that we consign such old-fashioned stuff to the sideboard?” said Apollo. ”There are some stupid old deities, uncle Neptune for one, who believe in them, as old fogies on earth see luck in mince-pies. I ‘ll have brandy-and-seltzer, and Miss Di will, I dare say, take some maraschino and a cigarette.”
”As Byron says, ‘There was a light cloud on the Moon,’ ” said Mr. Punch, handing her a paper of exquisite papirosses Turc fort, the gift of the Russian Ambassador, and marked ”Moscou.”
”This is the way I am going to put him out to-morrow,” said the Goddess, interposing her fair, round face between her brother’s and the Philosopher’s. ”You ‘ll be thirty years older, dear clever boy, before I do it again.”
”I daresay it’s all right, and all very clever,” said Mr. Punch, ”but I want a bit of astrology, not astronomy, from you. Raise your voces stellarum, and tell me what’s going to happen in this Sublunary Wale.”
”Do you mean to say,” said Diana, reproachfully, ”that, with a grand Eclipse to behold, you care about Emperors of Germany, Balloon-Ministers, battles and sieges, broken treaties, and rubbish of that kind? Who will be thinking about them when the next Eclipse happens?’
”Goddess excellently bright,” said Mr. Punch, with that exquisite tact which combines a compliment with a repartee, ”it is a good while since that fire occurred at a certain lady’s house at Ephesus, and yet we talk of it still.”
”Don’t talk about that,” said Diana. ”Do you know that the priests who incited that poor mad Erostratus to burn my temple, cheated him out of his share of the assurance money?”
”Their Reverences made a good thing out of that Dis-establishment, eh? It does them credit. But now, news, news, news! What say the heavenly bodies? What planet rules the destiny of France, and what is the benefic Jupiter about, and does the violent Mars run retrograde?”
”Tell him something,” said Apollo, finishing his B. & S.
”Listen!” said Diana. And leaning down, as erst she leant over her sleeping Shepherd, she whispered.
But what the Moon said to Punch is laid away in the golden casket of his Memory, and locked with the diamond key of his Fidelity. It may be revealed, however, in ”due season.
”By Dad,” said Apollo —
”By Jove, you mean, I suppose?” said Mr. Punch.
”Didn’t I say so? Diana, my dear, we shall be late. It will never do, after good-naturedly appearing at the times predicted, and having the Astronomers’ credit so often, to stultify ‘em now, and show that they only make flukes. Kiss him, and come along, will you? We ought to be in Spain by this time. But I’ll touch up the fiery-footed steeds, and make ‘cm gallop apace.”
The salute of Diana was given, and the bright guests were vanishing:
”Don’t hurry your show,” cried Mr. Punch. ”If the Sun is Eclipsed for ten days, no matter, I will enlighten Creation. Here is my

Fifty-Ninth Volume

Punch, 1870, vol. 59

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L'articolo He sat pondering on Eclipses sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

Séance du 26 décembre 1870.

Eclipse totale solaire de jeudi dernier. — Hélas ! M. Delaunay communique une triste nouvelle : M. Janssen a pu franchir les ligues, hostiles; l’aérostat leVolta, qui le portait bien haut dans les airs, l’a tenu à l’abri des balles; il a traversé les brouillards, la pluie, la neige; il a finalement et heureusement atterri près dé Saint-Nazaire, non loba du rivage de l’Océan. Lebut de l’astronome était d’éviter tout choc capable de briser les instruments si délicats, si parfaits qu’il emportait, afin de se livrer à l’étude es phénomènes les plus intéressants que l’éclipse totale, visible en Algérie, devait favoriser. Le choc a été trop rude encore, le vent de tempête du nord-est a, dès l’arrêt du ballon, produit une secousse telle, que les instruments ont été en partie le directeur de l’Observatoire d’Alger tenait de mourir de la petite vérole, en sorte qu’il a été impossible de procéder aux observations dont la science attendait tant de beaux résultats.

Le Temps, 1870, A. 10, n. 3590

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L'articolo Eclipse totale solaire de jeudi dernier sembra essere il primo su StarLight.

The eclipse of the sun, which took place on Thursday, was witnessed under the most favourable circumstances in Wrexham, and indeed in all parts of the country. At the time when the eclipse commenced, about eleven o’clock, the sky was perfectly free from cloud, but the otherwise ardent rays, which, even on one of the shortest days in the year, when the sun is farthest from the zenith, and consequently most subdued in power, were sufficiently strong to make observation with the naked eye a matter of difficulty and uncertainty, if not quite impossible. The astronomers were again right to the minute in their time calculation and ten minutes past eleven the commencement of the eclipse was quite appreciable, even to the casual observer. The first contact appeared to be due west of the sun; and by half-past eleven the black indent on that side of the great red orb had a most peculiar effect. The ascension of the sun then appeared to be more rapid than that of the moon, and up to noon the eclipse as it deepened changed slightly in direction rom due west to south-west, passing at its height across the lower limb of the sun. Between twelve and one o’clock, when the eclipse was at its height, the sky cleared somewhat, and the distinct outlines were lost in the increasing glow. The greater clearness also compensated for the reduced amount of sunlight, so that the gloom, which might naturally be expected from a sudden docking off of four-fifths of our sunlight, was not nearly so great as it otherwise would have been. After one o’clock the obscuration declined, and the last contact appeared to be about half-past one, on the south- eastern limb of the sun. In London the weather was very thick, and only the latter part of the eclipse was perfectly seen. The eclipse was well seen at Leeds, and at Norwich it was only partially seen. Mr Justice Lush adjourned the assizes to witness it. At Edinburgh the eclipse was seen only at intervals, between twelve and half-past. The sun’s disc appeared to be marked with very fine spots. The eclipse has been exceeded in magnitude by more than one of the eclipses which have occurred in this country during the last thirty years, but it is the greatest that can be witnessed in England during the remaining thirty years of the present century.

Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register, 1870

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L'articolo The eclipse of the Sun sembra essere il primo su StarLight.