HISTOBY OF PHYSICAL ASTRONOMY.
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the observers to come from some shining atmosphere about the bodyeither of the suu or moon.” *
The eclipse of September 24, 1699, which was total in some parts ofthe north of Europe was very considerable at Leipsic, where 1T20 digitsof the solar diameter was immersed. In an account of the eclipse, as itappeared at that city, it is asserted that when the cusps of the moon werealmost parallel to the horizon, the extremity of the moon looking down-wards was somewhat enlightened , and of a hind of saffron colour f.
The solar eclipse of July 14, 1748, although seen annular in variousparts of Scotland , failed in a small degree from being so at AberdourCastle, where it was observed by Lord Mortoun the proprietor, Lemonnierthe French astronomer, and Short the famous optician. In bis accountof the eclipse, Short states that when the interval between the moon’scusps did not exceed one-seventh of the moon's circumference, a brownlight was plainly perceived both by Lord Morton and himself, to extendfrom each cusp about one-third of the whole distance between them. Fieadds also, that he perceived at the extremity of this brown light, whichcame from the western cusp, a larger quantity of light than usual
The following is an account of the appearance presented by the partialeclipse of February 12, 1831, at Burlington, New Jersey, United States ,where it was observed by Mr. Gummere :—“ At the time of greatest ob-scuration,” says that individual, “ the cusps were very sharp and welldefined, but a thread of light extended from each along the circumferenceof the sun’s disk. About a minute after a spot of light was observed afew degrees from the south-western cusp, extending inwards from thethread which proceeded from that cusp.”§
Bessel thus describes the appearance presented during the solar eclipseof May 15, 1830, which failed in a small degree to be annular atKonigsberg , where that astronomer observed it; although in reality itwas of the annular species :— “ About twenty-live seconds before thenearest approach of the centres of the two bodies, T perceived near theextremity of the superior cusp a luminous point, which, without havingthe brightness of the sun, was very distinctly visible with the powerfulheliometer. As the cusps were then approaching each other, I hopedthat the annulus was about to form, but this did not happen. Withrespect to the point which I have just alluded to, it became more luminousOther similar points appeai'ed which soon united together, and renderedvisible all the portions of the moon’s limb, included between the extremi-ties of the cusps.” ||
Captain Smyth, who observed the same eclipse at Bedford, where it wasalso partial, has given the following description of a similar phenomenon :—“ A little before the greatest obscuration, the sun having then an altitudeof about 40°, the southern cusp was considerably the brightest, and I thendistinctly perceived a small portion of the lunar limb outside the solarorb. As the moon passed over, her following limb was brightened by afine line of light.” IT
The eclipse of February 10, 1838, although seen annular in severalparts of the United States, slightly failed to appear so at New York . An
* Phil. Trans., 1666, p. 295. + Ibid., 1700, p. 622.
§ Trans. Amer. Phil Soc., New Series, vol. iv., p. 128.|| Mem. Ast. Soc., vol. x., p. 32.
t Ibid., 1748, p. 586.