TOTAL ECLIPSES OF THE SUN. 247 



135,000 miles to 281,000 miles. This implies a velocity of at least 100 

 miles per second. 



At times of total eclipse it is perhaps possible to obtain better 

 photographs showing finer details than can be made under other con- 

 ditions. Figure 5 is an enlargement of a photograph made at the 

 eclipse of 1900, by Professor E. E. Barnard, assisted by Mr. G. W. 

 Kitchey. It shows a mass of prominences at the southwest quadrant of 

 the sun. Along the iiTCgular limb of the moon, which appears black, 

 is seen the ragged storm-tossed surface of the chromosphere, of in- 

 creasing depth toward the right owing to the moon's position at the 

 instant of the exposure. Thrown up from this are the vast fantastic 

 masses of the prominences or 'red flames.' They remind us of pic- 

 tures which show the effects produced by the explosion of submarine 

 torpedoes. The larger mass at the left rises to the height of 60,000 



Fig. 5. Solar Peojiinences. Eclipse of May 28, 1900. Photographed with a Telescope 

 OF 6 Inches Aperture and 614 feet Focus, by Profes.sor Barnard and Mr. Ritchey. 



miles. This photograph was made with a telescope of only six inches 

 aperture and six and a half feet focal length, a small instrument 

 compared with some which have been used at recent eclipses. The 

 writer has seen no other photograph of prominences, however, which, 

 in delicacy of detail, surpasses the one here shown. 



The single feature of a total eclipse which can be seen jind studied 

 only at such times is the corona. In early ages small mention 

 was made of the corona. Apparently the dread of impending evil 

 overwhelmed man, and prevented careful observations. As fear dis- 

 appeared and scientific interest grew, attention was drawn to the 'red 

 flames,' and at nearly the same time to the beautiful halo of light 

 which has been fittingly named the 'corona.' Since that time the 

 favorable moments of totality have been too few to clear up the mystery 

 of its nature. Reasoning from the methods which have made the 

 study of the chromosphere and prominences possible without an eclipse, 

 various attempts have been also made to thus observe and photograph 

 the corona. The simplest way would be by direct vision or photog- 

 raphy. There is no doubt but that, if we could remove for a moment 

 the earth's atmosphere, whose glare interferes with our vision, we 



