3i> Sir J. Norman Lockyer. 



Observations of Stars during Eclipse, 



This party of six volunteers was in charge of Lieutenant Henry 

 Blackett, R.N. Each observer was supplied with a photograph of a 

 small star chart of the region near the sun, prepared by Dr. Lockyer. 

 This was afterwards supplemented by another on a larger scale pho- 

 tographed at the office of the Trigonometrical Branch of the Survey 

 of India at Dehra. 



Two striking observations were made by most of the observers. 

 First, more stars were seen just before the commencement of totality 

 than during the actual period of totality ; that is, they were logged 

 as disappearing just before the total eclipse phase commenced. A 

 similar observation was made by Admiral Don Ulloa in the eclipse of 

 1778.* Secondly : two observers noted on the chart a bright body, 

 certainly not a star, midway between the planets Mars and Venus. 

 It was seen only for a short time, and that before totality, being 

 estimated as of the Second Magnitude. 



Meteorological Observations. 



Mr. Eliot, the Meteorological Reporter to the Government of 

 India, brought with him several important instruments with a view 

 of making observations similar to those he had arranged along the 

 whole line of totality. The report of his observations I have not 

 yet received. He was assisted by twelve volunteers. 



Observations of Shadow Bands. 



Staff-Surgeon Nolan, B.N., observed these phenomena with the 

 help of two assistants. Previous to the eclipse a large white table- 

 cloth was spread on a flat piece of ground in front of two walls inter- 

 secting at an angle of 115, which were whitewashed. The bands 

 were well seen before the second and after the third contact. None 

 were seen during totality. Their direction of travelling was before 

 totality towards the west (N. 88 W.), veering gradually round to 

 S. 60 W. After totality they practically reversed their direction, 

 travelling N. 60 E. They moved too quickly for their rate of 

 motion to be determined, but it was noted that their rate of motion 

 was not constant. 



They were estimated to be about ^ to 1J inches in breadth, 

 but this also varied. The interspaces were gauged at 4 to 6 

 inches in breadth. 



Each observer noted, one minute after totality, ajlong intermittency 

 during which a large band, about 2 inches broad, passed by itself in 

 a most striking manner. 



* < Phil. Trans./ 1779, p. 105. 



