3G6 On the Solar Eclipse predicted hj TImles, 



Moon's horary motion from the sun . SS'ss" 

 true latitiule 17 15 



horary motion in latitude , . . 3 30' 



By a trigonometrical calculation, I find that the sun rose 

 centrally eclipsed in S. lat. 3° 9' and E. long. 0' 46'. The 

 moon's umbra then passed over the continent of Africa ia 

 a north-easterly direction; and, grossing the Red Sea, en- 

 tered Arabia near Mecca, continuing its course over the 

 provinces oF Kerman and Segistan in Persia. The sun af- 

 terwards became centrally eclipsed on the n)eridian in N, 

 ]at. 354° and E. long. 6S^. Consequently tliis eclipse could 

 not be central in any part of Asicf Minor; and yet it has 

 generally been considered, of late years, as the only one that 

 could be reconciled to the fact. 



Lastly. I shall notice the eclipse jiroposed by M. Volney, 

 which happened February 3d, (j-i6 B. C. The ecliptic con- 

 junction took place at 4'' I9' 27" in the morning, inean time 

 at Greenwich, or -i'' O' ob" apparent time: and the elements 

 were as follow : 



True longitude of the luminaries 10^ 7^ 47' 47" 



Sun's declination, south IS 35 50 



semi-diameter IG 7 



Moon's semi diameter 15 16 



equatorial parallax 55 56 



horary motion from the sun . 29 13 



true latitude 44 28 



horary motion in latitude.., —2 53 



By a trigonometrical calculation, I have ascertained that 

 the sun rose centrally eclipsed to the inhabitants of Great 

 Buccharia in N. lat. 40' 17', and E. long. 61° 35': and the 

 moon's umbra then proceeded in a south-easterly direction 

 across Thibet and China. Consequently this eclipse (which, 

 moreover, was an annular one) C(Hild not possibly be cen- 

 tral in anv part of Asia lying to the west of the Caspian 

 Sea: and M. V^olney ought to have taken some steps to- 

 wards ascertaining this fact, before he ventured to set up his 

 own opinion in opposition to all preceding chronologists. 



I have thus shown, from the most correct evidence which 

 the present state of astronomical science affords, that not 

 one of the eclipses, mentioned by either of the authors above 

 alluded to, could possibly be that which is recorded in so 

 siu'iular a manner by Herodotus. In order, however, that 

 I mieht not leave the subject in the same degree of doubt 

 in which I found it, t have taken the pains to calculate all 

 the solar eclipses that were likely to have been visible in 



Asia 



