60 



The Greed Solar Eclipse 



[Jan., 



could have been seen longer. At Wab-Tonne, M. Stepban records 

 tbat one of tbe protuberances remained visible for several seconds 

 after tbe tbird contact (tbe reappearance of tbe sun). Tbis per- 

 sistence may seem extraordinary, since tbe long protuberance did 

 not appear till tbe second contact ; tbis, bowever, may be attributed 

 to tbe fact, tbat at tbe tbird contact tbe eye was in a state of 

 repose owing to tbe darkness of totality." 



Anotber curious pbenomenon bas been recorded by some ob- 

 servers, from wbicb it would aj^pear tbat close to tbe surface of 

 tbe sun tbere is a bigbly luminous atmospbere. Tbis is most 

 strikingly described by M. Stepban. He says tbat tbe second con- 

 tact was not followed by a sudden disappearance of all brigbt ligbt ; 

 after tbe disappearance of tbe edge of tbe sun tbe moon still 

 appeared to M. Tisseraud and bimself as if it were smTounded witb 

 a narrow luminous border, about a quarter of a minute in tbick- 

 ness, of a brilbancy almost comparable to tbat of tbe sun : " tbis 

 ring is so brilliant tbat it miglit lead to an error in tbe estima- 

 tion of contact. Tbis luminous ring reappeared some seconds 

 before tbe tbird contact. Tbus, tbe actual globe of tbe sun would 

 appear to be surrounded witb a tbin diapbanous sbell, extremely 

 brilliant." 



Tbe captain and officers of tbe ' Eangoon,' steamsbip, belonging 

 to tbe Peninsular and Oriental Steamsbip Company, wbicb bap- 

 pened to be almost on tbe central line of totality, bave given a very 

 full description, witb drawings, of tbe pbenomena observed. 



Fig. 5 sbows tbe ap- 

 pearance presented to 

 tbem soon after tbe com- 

 mencement of totabty. 

 Tbe long flame was 5' 

 bigb, and very brilliant ; 

 in tbe upper portion was 

 anotber sborter and wider 

 prominence. One of tbe 

 officers on board says tbat 

 tlio long born became 

 suddenly visible about a 

 minute after the com- 

 mencement of totality. 



Fig. G sbows tbe po- 

 sition of tbe prominences 

 at tbe reappearance of tbe 

 sun. Tbe upper promi- 

 nence disappeared suddenly, but tbe inferior one remained visible 

 for about ten seconds longer, witb its dimensions reduced one- 

 half. 



Fig. 5. 



