The Solar Eclipse

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The returns from the different scientific expeditions, have been only such as have been made in the daily papers and the details are extremely meager. From Springfield, 111., Louisville, Ky., Des Moines, Iowa, Wilmington, N. C, Vincennes, Ind., Raleigh, N. C, Ottumwa, Iowa, and other prominent points comes the welcome news that the day was beautifully fair and the observations were made under the best possible circumstances. Tho principal points to be determined in the observation of this eclipse, were first and foremost, the nature so far as could be ascertained of the rose-colored prominences, second, tho true nature of the corona, and, third, the existence or non-existence of planets between the orbit of Mercury and the sun. The belief that the corona is concentric with the sun will be open to question, if the reports that reach us are correct in regard to the appearance presented by it in this eclipse. The form is stated to have been rhombidal rather than circular, as hitherto observed. The rose-colored protuberances appeared to the number of five or six. The result of the observations made upon them are not, however, yet sufficiently collated to justify any positive conclusion. So far as we can gather, no planets within the orbit of Mercury were discovered. It is reported that one of the observing party at Shelby, ville, Ky., observed eleven bright lines in the solar spectrum, thus adding six to the five already determined. Meteors were also observed passing between the earth and the moon. General success seems to have been secured in taking photographs and in all the other methods of observing.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 21 Issue 9This article was published with the title “The Solar Eclipse” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 21 No. 9 (), p. 137
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican08281869-137c

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