410 MR PROCTOR'S THEORY. 



the sun, and cannot, therefore, furnish the "atmospheric 

 glare " on which M. Faye relies. 



M. Faye's theory is powerfully combated in a paper read 

 by Mr Proctor before the Royal Astronomical Society, and a 

 summary of which appeared in " Nature." * 



He remarked that if we in reality possess sufficient evidence 

 to determine whether the corona is or is not a solar appendage, 

 it would be unfortunate for, and in some sense a discredit to 

 science, if the precious seconds available for observers in 

 December next were wasted upon observations directed to 

 such a point determinable beforehand. 



He proceeded to express his belief that the corona was no 

 terrestrial phenomenon, arguing that the very blackness of the 

 moon as compared with the corona (to which we have already 

 referred), shows that the coronal splendour is behind the moon. 

 In fact, the moon is projected on the corona as on a back- 

 ground j whereas, if the light be due to atmospheric glare, the 

 corona ought to be a foreground. 



This argument, however, may fail on the ground of its 

 very simplicity. Mr Proctor, therefore, proceeded to inquire 

 whether air which lies between the observer and the corona 

 is really illuminated. He pointed out that all round the sun, 

 for many degrees, perfect darkness should prevail if the 

 illumination of the atmosphere by direct solar light were in 

 question. As to the atmospheric glare caused by the coloured 

 flames and prominences of the sun's disc, it must be com- 

 paratively small, bearing no higher proportion to the actual 

 " Nature," vol. i. p. 543. 



