Total Eclipse of the Sun, 1901, May 18. 



253 



ccelostats which were necessarily quite close to the ground. The 

 position of the latter, in the open air and placed horizontally, would 

 render them more exposed to the effect of ground currents than the 

 two other telescopes would be, pointing upwards at an angle of 19 

 and within domes. 



The darkness during totality to the observers out in the open air 

 was not great, the general illumination being considerably greater 

 than at the full Moon. Five observers, noting the twilight illumina- 

 tion in the evening after the eclipse, considered it equal to that of mid- 

 totality at the following local times : 



h. m. 



Mrs. Claxton 5 58P.M. 



Mrs. Maunder 5 57 



Mr. Claxton 5 58 



Mr. Hall 5 58 



Mr. Maunder 5 57 



corresponding in the mean to 31 minutes after geometrical sunset, or 

 to a position of the Sun, neglecting refraction, of 6 53' below the 

 horizon. 



But the observers in the equatorial and photoheliograph domes 

 found it very dark during totality. A sudden gust of wind came 

 from the N.E. at the moment of second contact and blew out the 

 observer's candle in the equatorial dome. The recorder here, 

 Mr. Olivier, found it quite impossible to read his chronometer or to 

 write in the darkness, and hence Mr. Piggott's determination of the 

 times of the second and third contacts were wholly lost. 



Venns and Mercury were both very brilliant, side by side, some 5 

 below the Sun, whilst Jupiter and Saturn were prominent in the 

 western sky. No search was made for other celestial objects. 



Times of the Contacts. The following determinations were made of 

 the times of the three last contacts. As already stated, the first con- 

 tact was lost through cloud : 



