Observations of the Solar Eclipse of 1900 tiw.de in Spain. 385 



With regard to instruments, the reflecting prismatic camera has 

 proved to be a most efficient form of spectrograph for eclipse work. 



The uniform focus over the entire range of spectrum, and the 

 facility with which the adjustment for focus can be effected, are 

 advantages which those who have worked with prismatic cameras will 

 appreciate. 



Another important advantage in the use of the reflector is the 

 proximity of the exposing shutter to the plate holder, both of which 

 can easily be controlled by one person. There is no signalling- 

 between the man at the plates and the man at the shutter. 



There is again the advantage that there is no selective absorption of 

 ultra-violet rays which occurs in lenses, and if the mirror is freshly 

 polished there is no selective reflection for any of the rays which can 

 be photographed. 



In concluding, I have to acknowledge my great indebtedness to my 

 brother for his untiring devotion to the interests of the expedition 

 throughout. In all the negotiations necessary on- arrival in the 

 country he took a leading part, and was successful in obtaining the 

 goodwill of every person with whom we came in contact. 



The fine series of photographs which we obtained bear witness to- 

 his skill in carrying out, to the letter, the somewhat troublesome 

 arrangements which I had planned for erecting and adjusting the- 

 instruments. 



" Preliminary Note on Observations of the Total Solar Eclipse of 

 1900 May 28, made at Santa Pola (Casa del Pleito), Spain." 

 By RALPH COPELAND, Ph.D., F.R.A.S., F.R.S.E. Read at Joint 

 Meeting of the Royal and Royal Astronomical Societies, June- 

 28, 1900. MS. received October 1, 1900. 



I had again the honour of being nominated one of the observers for 

 the Joint Eclipse Committee, the station allotted to me being at Santa 

 Pola, on the south-east coast of Spain. 



On the 9th May I left Edinburgh, and sailed from Tilbury on the 

 llth in the Orient steamship " Oruba," accompanied by Mr. Thomas 

 Heath, First Assistant at the Edinburgh Royal Observatory, who was 

 going to Santa Pola to observe the eclipse on behalf of the Royal 

 Society of Edinburgh. 



My instrumental outfit had preceded me under the care of Mr. James; 

 McPherson, the experienced mechanician of our Edinburgh observatory. 

 This outfit comprised the 40-foot horizontal telescope of 4-inch aperture 

 previously used in India and Norway, together with a small Iceland 

 spar and quartz prismatic camera, with an effective aperture of 

 1-8 inch. 



