416 Dr. Burney on the late Solar and Lunar Eclipses [Dec. 



The sky presented the same modifications of cloud yesterday 

 as to day, except the cumulostratns; but the cirrocumuli were 

 more perfectly formed, and more prevalent to day. As this is 

 an indication of a rising temperature, and as the diurnal temper- 

 ature was evidently checked in its rising an hour and a half 

 before it generally arrives at its maxirnum height here, we are 

 inclined to think that the thermometer would have risen 2° 

 higher, which, if added to the maximum for the day, will make 

 72^ ; so that admitting the state of the thermometer that was not 

 so much exposed to the fresh breeze, namely, 60°, soon after the 

 greatest obscuration, we obtained by experiment a depression of 

 12° of Fahrenheit's thermometer that was placed in a northern 

 aspect, and in the shade 10 feet above the ground, by the 

 innuence of the solar ecUpse on the temperature of the day. 

 Indeed, we still feel more confident in this opinion, when we 

 consider that the minimum temperature in the night of the 6th 

 was 2° lower than in the night of the 7th, It is stated in the 

 newspapers that at the Royal Exchange in London the thermo- 

 meter had fallen but 6° at the time of the greatest obscuration ; 

 but it must be recollected that the greatest depression did not 

 occur for some time after that period, and that the thermometer 

 ought to have been watched longer. 



To determine this point in previous solar eclipses, it appears 

 that thermometrical observations were made by Dr. John Bevis 

 on April 1, 1764; and by Luke Howard, Esq. of Tottenham, 

 near London, on Nov. 19, 1816; the former gentleman stated 

 that " Fahrenheit's thermometer placed without door to the N. 

 stood at 50° when the eclipse began, and fell hut one division " 

 (or one degree) " uhile it lasted ; " and the latter ingeniously 

 shows in his Meteorological Observations lately published, that 

 his thermometer on Six's construction did not sink more than 

 one degree ; but on account of the forenoon temperature having 

 been checked in its rising by a considerable portion of the sun's 

 rays being intercepted, he therefore allows a depression of 3° as 

 a fair result. 



It will, however, be really seen, that neither the months, nor 

 the hours in which those eclipses happened were so favourable 

 for ascertaining the best results of such an inquiry, as the time 

 which this eclipse afforded. 



The barometer rose t-roth, and sunk -7-5-0^'^ ^^ ^^ "''^^^ '■> ^^^ 

 De Luc's whalebone hygrometer ranged from 51° to 57° during 

 the eclipse. 



Observatory, Gosport, Sept, 9, 1820. 



Eclipse of the Moon. 



The moon's southern limb immerged in the north side of the 

 earth's shadow, at two minutes past five, a.m. mean time. From 

 the beginning of the eclipse, the moon gradually grew dim, 

 changing from a whitish light to a dull red colour ; and the 



