VOL. XXIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. J 57 



the emersion was more so, as the sun came out in an instant with so much 

 lustre, that it surprised the beholders, and in a moment restored the day, viz. 

 at 9^ 12"^ 26^ true time, after he had been totally obscured for 3"* 23' of 

 time. 



It was universally remarked, that when the last part of the sun remained on 

 his east side, it grew very faint, and was easily supportable to the naked eye, 

 even through the telescope, for above a minute of time before the total dark- 

 ness ; whereas on the contrary, my eye could not endure the splendour of the 

 emerging beams in the telescope from the first moment. To this perhaps two 

 causes concurred ; the one, that the pupil of the eye did necessarily dilate itself 

 during the darkness, which before had been much contracted by looking on the 

 sun. The other, that the eastern parts of the moon, having been heated with 

 a day near as long as 30 of ours, could not fail of having that part of its 

 atmosphere replete with vapours raised by the so long continued action of the 

 sun ; and consequently it was more dense near the moon's surface, and more 

 capable of obstructing the lustre of the sun*s beams. Whereas at the same 

 time the western edge of the moon had suffered as long a night, during which 

 there might fall in dews all the vapours that were raised in the preceding long 

 day ; and for that reason, that part of its atmosphere might be seen much more 

 pure and transparent. But from whatever cause it proceeded, the thing itself 

 was very manifest, and was noted by every one. 



About two minutes before the total immersion, the remaining part of the sun 

 was reduced to a very fine horn, whose extremities seemed to lose their acute- 

 ness, and to become round like stars. And for the space of about a quarter of 

 a minute, a small piece of the southern horn of the eclipse seemed to be cut off 

 from the rest by a good interval, and appeared like an oblong star rounded at 

 both ends, in this form c:i^___^^ : which appearance could proceed from no 

 other cause but the inequalities of the moon's surface, there being some ele- 

 vated parts near her southern pole, by whose interposition part of that exceed 

 ingly fine filament of light was intercepted. 



A few seconds before the sun was all hid, there appeared round the moon a 

 luminous ring, about a digit, or perhaps a lOth part of her diameter in breadth. 

 It was of a pale whiteness, or rather pearl colour, seeming a little tinged with 

 the colours of the Iris, and concentric with the moon, whence I concluded it 

 was the moon's atmosphere. But its great height far exceeding that of our 

 earth's atmosphere; and the observations of some who found the breadth of 

 the ring to increase on the west side of the moon as the emersion approached^ 

 together with the contrary sentiments of those whose judgment I shall always 



