Total Eclipse of the Sun, July 28, 1851. 869 



Dew. — A dew began to form ; and a newspaper that had 

 been left in full sunlight on the grass was taken up at 4^ 5™, 

 and found to be quite damp. 



These are the remarks and observations I actually made ; 

 but the time of one minute and seventeen seconds being so very 

 short, it is very possible that several minor phenomena may 

 have escaped my notice; but I only wish to state what I 

 actually saw. I shall add a few lines below as to what was 

 noticed by others, whose testimony I myself believe to be 

 true. J. W. Good. 



Elsinore, 30«A July 1851. 



Observations collected. 



At Helsingburg^ in Sweden, the middle of the totality, 

 which lasted twelve seconds, occurred at 4^ 2"^ 48s Copen- 

 hagen mean solar time. Sensitive plants were said to have 

 closed their leaves. On birds and pigs the effect of the eclipse 

 was very visible ; on cattle and horses less so. 



By inquiry, while the eclipse was yet in fresh remembrance, 

 as to the heavenly bodies seen, and their positions, I deduce 

 that Venus and Jupiter, Regulus, Capella, Vega (Lyre), 

 Atair (Eagle), and Arcturus, were seen. 



At Elsinore, in Denmark, I can only gather that the two 

 planets, Regulus, Capella, and, perhaps, Spica Virginis, 

 were seen. The Acacia lophantha^ and Convolvulus tricolor, 

 did not close ; but the Mimosa pudica partly closed during 

 the highest point of the eclipse, and opened when sunlight 

 got stronger. The eclipse in this town was not total, but 

 only a very small part of the sun was visible when the 

 eclipse was greatest ; from the aggregate of my inquiries I 

 should say a very thin line of sunlight, perhaps from 5° to 8° 

 of the moon's circumference long, only remained visible. I 

 deduce from these data, and the visual observations of the 

 inhabitants of both shores when the shadows passed, the 

 result, that the southern boundary of the shadorv which came 

 from the NW. has passed between the towns of Elsinore in 

 Denmark, and Helsingburg in Sweden, at a distance of about 

 one to one and a half English miles SW. of the latter. I 

 have not heard of any one in these parts who has seen the 

 planet Mercury during the darkness. J. W. GoOD. 



