2 OF THE HEAVENS AND THE AIR. 



The northern boundary of the Annulus was beyond Invernefs in 

 Scotland, but how far could not be precifcly determined. Very 

 accurate obfervations were made of it by many curious perfons 

 in that kingdom * ; and particularly by the famous mathema- 

 tician, Colin Mac Laurin, of Edinburgh, who gave an account of it 

 to the Royal Society f . They all had in view, as well as the phi- 

 lofophical obfervers with us, the afcertaining the motions of 

 the moon on Sir Ifaac Ne-wtons, theory upon which a good deal of 

 the doctrine of the longitude depends. Sir Ifaac's calculation, 

 with refpect to the beginning of the eclipfe, was obferved to be 

 pretty exact, but with regard to its central appearance not fo ac- 

 curate. 



The air was cold both in Scotland and Northumberland, at the time 

 the obfervations were made, and there was a little thin fnow and 

 ice towards evening, about four o'clock. 



A Lunar Annulus, or a ring or circle about the moon, of a vail cir- 

 cumference, was feen by myfelf and family at Simonburn, 3 1 Oct. 

 1762, at 8 o'clock at night ; bright and luminous on its firft ap- 

 pearance, then changing to a beautiful azure ; and, at length, 

 after half an hour's difplay of its fplendor, funk gradually into 

 deeper ihades, till it entirely vaniilied. The Area between it and 

 the moon was magnificently fpaceous, a deep blue, the horizon 

 clear, the night froily. The night following, November ift. there 

 was an eclipfe of the moon, which began at 1 7 minutes pail 7 

 o'clock, and ended at 5 minutes pail 10. A great death followed 

 among men and horfes by a yellow fever. 



* The Lords Abardour, and Hopton; the Lord chief Baron Clerk ; Mr. Bayne, profeflbr 

 of the municipal law ; Mr. Short, Mr. Fulltrton, of Fullerton, near Air ; Sir Thomas Wallace, 

 at his feat near Lockryan, in Galloway. 



t Ph. Tr. N 447. 



At 



