44 



TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE MOON, 24th MAY, 1891. 



Observed at Launceston ; Lat. S. 41deg. 26min. OIsec.; 



Long. E. 9hrs. 48min. 31sec. 



By A. B. Biggs. 



The computed times for this eclipse (disregarding the 

 penumbra) were : — 



hrs. min. 

 First contact with shadow ... 2 29*8 a.m 

 Beginning of total phase ... 3 38*2 ,, 



End of ' „ „ 4 57-2 „ 



Last contact with shadow ... 6 5*6 „ 

 (All local mean time.) 



Unfortunately, although I had made arrangements for 

 watching all through the duration of the eclipse, my hopes 

 were doomed to disappointment . in regard to a satisfactory 

 view of the event. On turning out I found the whole sky 

 overcast with clouds, the moon just peeping out now and 

 then between the thick clouds, but always veiled more or less 

 with haze. So transient were the views that it was some 

 time before I could adjust the telescope to focus. Having 

 missed the first contact with shadow, I hoped to get the 

 beginning of total phase, but it was not until 4hrs. Omin., or 

 2|min. after totality had commenced, that I could get a view. 

 There was at this time, however, a bright rim on the eastern 

 edge of the moon, apparently scarcely obscured, the moon 

 appearing through the thin clouds like the young crescent. 

 Again at 4hrs. 40min., or 17fmin. before the end of totality, 

 the crescent showed itself through the haze, but shifted to 

 the other or preceding edge. At no time during totality was 

 the darkness at all comparable with that of a cloudy, 

 moonless night. It was evident that even in the midst of 

 the cone of the earth's shadow some considerable amount of 

 the sun's light reached the moon's surface. This, of course, 

 can only be accounted for by the refraction of the earth's 

 atmosphere. 



The moon sank out of view behind the hills with the 

 penumbral shade conspicuous upon her western rim. 



The principal points which I set out to observe, namely, 

 the actual moments of contact, the progress of the edge of 

 the shadow over known points of the moon's surface, the 

 tint, the amount of darkening, etc., were almost wholly 

 missed. No definite estimate could be made as to the tint, 



