394 . SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1885. 



Eclipse of the sun, 1885, September 9.— The track of the line of total 

 eclipse lay almost wholly in the Sonth Pacific Ocean, the only land on 

 which the total phase was observable being the shores of Cook's Straits, 

 New Zealand, The duration of totality was about two minutes at the 

 point most favorably located. " It would appear that no central eclipse 

 has traversed these islands during the j^resent century ', an examina- 

 tion of the various ephemerides points to the annular eclipse of Decem- 

 ber 29, 1796, as the last which was there central. An annular, though 

 nearly total, eclipse will take place near the north extremity of the North 

 Island on January 3, 1927, while on May 30, 1965, when the sun is 

 barely risen to an altitude of 5°, he will be totally eclipsed on the east 

 coast of the North Island, near its north extremity, for about 2™ 20^" 



From the reports we have seen it would appear that many of the 

 parties which Avere organized for the purpose of observing the expected 

 phenomena were seriously interfered with by bad weather. At Taho- 

 raite, a point Well within the belt of totality but some 40 miles north 

 of the central line, Mr. Graydon succeeded in obtaining five slietches 

 during totality ; these sketches show five or six long rays (besides a large 

 number of shorter ones) projecting from the sun's limb, the longest ray 

 being some two or three diameters of that body in length. A dark rift 

 was observed in the corona, and near this rift a red flame was noticed 

 by some of the bystanders to shoot out just before the end of totality. 

 Photographs were obtained at Blenheim, at Masterton and at Nelson ; 

 and other observations were made at Wellington, Dryertown, and Pal- 

 merston. 



Eclipse of the sun, 1886, August 28-29*.— The eclipse of August 28-29, 

 1886, will be total only in the torrid zone, and the path of the total 

 phase will fall mainly in the open Atlantic Ocean, but at Benguela, on 

 the western coast of South Africa, it will be observable at about 3 

 o'clock of local time in the afternoon. It will be remembered that this 

 eclipse is of rather more than ordinary interest on account of the long 

 duration of totality, 4™ 41% near Benguela. Another interesting circum- 

 stance has been noticed by Dr. Herz, of Vienna, in the fact that at 

 totality two stars, 47 p Leonis and 49 Leonis, are close to the sun, the 

 latter within the corona. It is suggested that by means of measure- 

 ments upon these two stars, something may be learned in regard to the 

 refracting power of this peculiar atmosphere of the sun. A bill is now 

 pending before Congress, appropriating $10,000 to enable the Secretary 

 of the Navy to fit out an expedition to observe this eclipse. 



Transit of Venus.— 'Prom Professor Harkness's t report to the president 

 of the American Transit of Venus Commission, we make the following 

 extract : 



" At the date of ray last annual report experiments were in progress 

 to determine whether or not the heliostat mirrors u ndergo any change 



* See, also, Account of Progress of Astronomy, 1883, Smithsonian report, p. 391. 

 tSee Report of Superintendent U. S. Naval Observa|ory, 1885, p. 12. 



