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On the Total Eclipse of the Sun^ as observed at Gotehurg in 

 Sweden, 28th Jultj 1851. By John Adib, Esq., F.R.S.E., 

 M.R.S.S.A. Communicated by the Author. 



From the interesting accounts that have been brought 

 under notice of the remarkable phenomena observed in the 

 total eclipse of the sun in 1842, I felt a strong desire to wit- 

 ness that of July last. In selecting a station for that purpose 

 I took into consideration what would be the most accessible 

 place, and one that would at the same time be near the 

 centre line of greatest duration. The town of Goteburg ap- 

 peared to present such facilities, in so far as the duration 

 was only about ^s^ seconds less than that at the most fa- 

 voured situations which laboured under the disadvantage of 

 being placed at a greater distance, and in many cases not 

 easy of access. The circumstances thus stated preponder- 

 ating in favour of Goteburg, I left Hull per steamer on the 

 19th, and reached the former place three days previous to 

 the eclipse. The weather during the Yoyage, and after ar- 

 riving there, proved very changeable and rainy, with very 

 little sunshine, so that almost up to the very hour of the 

 eclipse the expectations formed by me, as to being able to 

 make any favourable observations on the approaching total 

 eclipse, were not very sanguine. 



The morning of 28th July was ushered in with a heavily 

 clouded sky; I watched its changes from 4 A.M., and up 

 to noon entertained very faint hopes of the sun being 

 able to dispel the barrier which thus mantled the sky. 

 Shortly after that hour, however, the clouds began to break, 

 and before 1 P.M. the sun shone forth from a nearly cloud- 

 less sky, so that among those intending to make obser- 

 vations all was changed to life and expectation, and every 

 preparation actively made for viewing the approaching phe- 

 nomena. 



The telescope employed by me had an object-glass of lOf 

 inches focal length, and an aperture of l-j^^ inches, the eye- 

 piece gave the objects erect, or in their true position, and 

 had a power of fifteen diameters ; the eye end of the tele- 



