14 ARMSTRONG — LAST SOLAR ECLIPSE. [Vol. vil. 



Upon the trustworthiness of this discovery, which, let it be re- 

 niemberecl, refers to December, 1870, much unreasonable doubt 

 was thrown by some members of other observing parties that had 

 been less fortunate in their operations. However, the time of 

 waiting was not long, for an opportunity of testing its correctness 

 was expected in the following year. 



The Eclipse of 1871. the one, that is, wdth which we have par- 

 ticularly to deal, was of short duration ; and Monsoon weather 

 was, moreover, feared about the time of its occurrence. The 

 sequel, however, showed that neither of these circumstances 

 operated disadvantageously, for both Col. Tennant and Capt. 

 Maclear, and perhaps Professor Kespighi, who is somewhat 

 doubtful of the exact meaning of what he saw, were rewarded 

 with a fine spectroscopic view of the Chromatosphere itself, and 

 found it to be in all respects similar to the one already described ; 

 and so these distinguished observers were, therefore, enabled fully 

 to confirm the previous observation of Professor Young. It may 

 be unnecessary to sbate that neither Mr. Lockyer nor Mr. Moseley 

 were equally fortunate, since their failure can in no way detract 

 from the w^eight of positive evidence obtained by others. 



Thus then was a prediction, based originally on theory and 

 experiment, borne out by direct observation, and the infallibility 

 of true scientific method once again vindicated. 



We must now turn our attention to the Corona and the facts 

 which the late Eclipse has established as to its nature. The 

 Corona consists essentially of two parts, of unequal extension and 

 luminosity ; the shallower and brighter next the Sun ; the more 

 extended and dimmer extending far beyond the outer margin of 

 the former. It has been proposed to designate the smaller and 

 brighter the' Corona proper, and the dimmer and more extended 

 portion the JIalo ; a distinction that we propose to observe in 

 what follows. 



Various theories have from time to time been propounded as 

 to the nature and cause of the Coronal phenomena generally. 

 One maintained that they are entirely of Solar origin ; another 

 that they are due to the effects of the Earth's atmosphere and 

 have no objective existence; w^hile a third attributed them to the 

 effects of lunar diffraction or reflection. Tho Spectroscope, how- 

 ever, in the hands of Mr. Huggins, told us some time ago that 

 the Moon has no atmosphere. This last theory, therefore, had to 

 be abandoned, and the contest was consequently reduced to a 

 choice between the two others that remained. 



