THE ECLIPSE OF 1871. IOQ 



where the halfpenny has just reached the raised edge. 

 At the corresponding moment of a total eclipse a sickle 

 of the sun's complex atmosphere is still illuminating 

 the air around and above the observer ; and an ordinary 

 spectroscope, such as would show the solar dark lines 

 if turned towards the sky in time of sunshine, ought, 

 if turned towards the sky at this moment, to show all 

 those lines as bright lines ; while one of those spectro- 

 scopes with which astronomers study particular parts 

 of an object, if directed towards the widest part of the 

 fine atmospheric sickle, ought to show the same lines 

 in a much more conspicuous manner. 



Professor Young, in December 1870, was able to 

 show that both these methods can be employed ; for 

 he himself used the latter, having his telescope 

 directed (and kept directed by clock-work) towards the 

 point where the moon would obliterate the last fine 

 edge of direct sunlight. And he prepared an ordinary 

 telescope for the use of Mr. Pye (a young English 

 gentleman residing near the place where Professor 

 Young's party were stationed), and instructed Mr. Pye 

 what to look for. Both observers saw that as the 

 rainbow-tinted streak forming the solar spectrum faded 

 away at the instant of totality, there sprang into view 

 a myriad-lined spectrum the spectrum, in fact, of the 

 sun's true atmosphere, now for the first time recog- 

 nised. 



During the recent eclipse, Colonel Tennant, Captain 

 Maclean, and several other observers, saw the beauti- 

 ful bright line spectrum of the sun's glowing atmo- 



