24 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



disappeared as soon as the sun's rays became visible, 

 but the prominence itself remained distinctly visible 

 nearly five minutes after the reappearance of the sun. 

 The rest of M. Groldschmidt's account corresponds 

 closely with what is described by other observers. I 

 may remark that his opinion respecting the hollowness 

 of his * chandelier prominence ' seems founded on very 

 insufficient evidence. The transparence of the outer 

 parts of the prominence is a proof rather that the 

 central parts were denser than that the prominence 

 was hollow. But all that M. Groldschmidt says that he 

 observed may be accepted with the fullest confidence, 

 though no other observer has described similar appear- 

 ances ; for there has seldom lived so acute and skilful 

 an observer as this astronomer. He was well known to 

 fame as the discoverer of no less than thirteen asteroids, 

 and numbers of nebulae and variable stars. 



The Padre Secchi, of the Collegio Romano, remarks 

 of one protuberance, that the point was * rather slender 

 and curved, resembling a flame somewhat agitated.' 

 He remarked that as the moon passed across the solar 

 disc so many luminous points appeared on the following 

 edge of the black disc that he was embarrassed which 

 to choose for observation and measurement. The pro- 

 minences increased in size as the moon glided forwards, 

 and he ' saw, with surprise, an almost continuous arc 

 of purple light instantaneously formed, composed of 

 small protuberances, in that part of the lunar disc 

 where the reappearance of the sun was expected.' He 

 remarks that his observations have convinced him 



