152 REV. H. H. JONES ON THE OCCULTATION OF JUPITER. 



of several seconds. In a few minutes afterwards the sky 

 became quite obscure, and a heavy shower of rain began 

 to fall. 



The observations were made with a seven-inch Newtonian 

 reflector, and all the phenomena watched with as much 

 vigilance as could be commanded on the occasion, but no 

 perceptible distortion of the planet or the limb of the Moon 

 was observed to take place. Nor did there appear to be 

 any greater difference in the colour of the discs of either 

 Jupiter or the Moon than what might naturally have been 

 expected. During the process of the immersion of the planet, 

 there certainly did seem to be a rather darkly shaded line of 

 demarcation between Jupiter and that part of the Moon's 

 limb projected on the planet's disc. The same phenomenon 

 occurred during the emersion of the planet; but I have a 

 strong impression that this was nothing more than an ocular 

 illusion, occasioned by the juxtaposition and contrast of two 

 objects reflecting differently coloured light, and also differing 

 widely in the intensity of their illumination. Astronomically 

 considered, the whole phenomena were extremely interesting, 

 and, viewed with a contemplative eye, presented a scene of 

 surpassing beauty and sublimity, calculated to awaken in the 

 reflective mind feelings of unusual and intense admiration. 



