XIV. On the Phenomena of Newton's Rings when 

 formed between two transparent Substances of dif- 

 ferent refractive Powers. 



By G. B. AIRY, MA. F.R.A.S. F.G.S. 



LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, AND PLUMIAN PROFESSOR OF ASTRONOMY AND 

 EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. 



[Read March 19, 1832.] 



In a paper communicated to this Society about four months 

 since, I stated my expectation (founded on Fresnel's theory) that 

 if a lens of a low-refracting substance were placed on a plane 

 surface of a high-refracting substance, and if light polarized in 

 the plane perpendicular to the plane of reflection were incident 

 upon it, then so long as the angle of incidence was less than 

 the polarizing angle of the low-refracting substance, or greater 

 than that of the high-refracting substance, Newton's rings would 

 be seen with a black center ; but if the angle of incidence was 

 greater than the first of these and less than the second, Newton's 

 rings would be seen with a bright center. I have now to an- 

 nounce the fulfilment of this anticipation. 



Before describing the method by which I have succeeded in 

 the examination of these phenomena, I think it right to give 



