262 YEAR-BOOK OF FACTS. 



protuberances were fainter than the near portions ; it is not impro- 

 bable, therefore, that they consist of gaseous matter in an intense 

 state of incandescence. 



' ' The surface of some of the eastern luminous prominences next to 

 the moon was, when first seen, very irregular, and far more so than 

 was attributable to mountains as seen in the profile on the moon's 

 edge. This irregular outline may, however, be explained by sup- 

 posing these prominences to have been first seen floating like clouds 

 in a transparent atmosphere at some little distance from the sun's 

 surface, and consequently from the moon's edge — a supposition 

 which is supported by the fact, that one such prominence or luminous 

 cloud was seen distinctly detached, and at some distance from the 

 dark moon. 



" As the moon glided over the sun's disc, the inner outline of the 

 prominences in the eastern hemisphere became less and less indented, 

 and at last they were bounded by the nearly even outline of the 

 moon's limb. As the eastern prominences became gradually covered, 

 a mountain-like peak, seen at first as a mere point in the north- wist 

 quadrant, gradually grew in dimensions, then presented several 

 points, and at last resembled somewhat a colossal ship in full sail ; 

 and, extending from this through an arc of 60°, there came into 

 view in the north-west quadrant a long streak of luminous promi- 

 nences, varying in breadth, and with a few points projecting out- 

 wards. This streak became very jagged in its inner outline as the 

 moon glided off from it just previous to the sun's re-appearance, 

 these luminous prominences presenting the same pherjomi 

 on the eastern edge — that is, appearing like clouds floating in a 

 transparent atmosphere a little distance from the sun. This observa- 

 tion was also made by Professor G. llumker. 



" As the prominences which we see beyond the sun's limb on the 

 occasion of a total eclipse are merely such as are, from their situa- 

 tion, seen in profile, it is fair to presume that such prominences must 

 exist pretty generally diffused all over the sun's photosphere, and 

 that they must be at all times visibh either as light or as dark 

 markings on the sun's disc. Whether tiny are the bright portions 



or lamia-, or the darker portions (not the spots) of the sun's mottled 



disc, or whether they may not in some cases appear more bright, 

 and in others less bright, than the general brightness of thi 



must still be a matter of COUJl et lire. It is an interesting taet, 



however, that on the 19th and 20th, a large mass of Eacuke, but- 

 rounding a group of small spots, came round into view by the sun's 

 rotation, which must have oeeupied very nearly the position of the 

 brightest portion of a large streak of prominences on the south' 



n quadrant The prominences, in some eases, did oot i 

 beyond the moon's limb to ■ greater extent than the thinnest line, 

 but In others the prominenoe reached a distance of - . The d< I 

 cloud before mentioned, when first seen, was about half a minute 



(14,000 miles) beyond the positi ocupied by the moon's dark 



limb. It presented a double curvature on its northern side, both 



curvatures being convex towards the north. It inclined in a curved 



