February 23, 1905] 



NA TURE 



393 



from inwards, sufficient ground only being available 

 outside for " a long pull and a strong pull." 



In former notes I have referred to Mr. Cunning- 

 ton's remarks on the remains of the syenite trilithon, 

 and his suggestion that it formed part of an older 

 temple. He expressed the view that the structure of 

 Stonehenge as we know it with its trilithons was, 

 in fact, suggested by it. 



Now if we attempt to find the place it occupied 

 before it fell bv seeing where it would be most 

 symmetrically placed in relation to the adjacent stones 

 of the blue stone circles still standing, we are led to 

 an interesting result. Using the old centre as 

 determined fr~om the N.W. and S.E. stones we find 

 tliat the Mav sunrise would be seen through the 

 >mall syenite' trilithon. In this way also we can 

 account for the fact that so far as is known this is 

 the only trilithon which existed in the old blue stone 

 circle; it may well have been that the centre and 

 diameter of the new blue stone circle were so regulated 

 as to retain it in position ; I have already remarked 

 Ihat this was done in the case of the older unhewn 

 sarsens, as a memorial of the past. 



Norman Lockver. 



■YHE APPROACHING TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 



OF AUGUST 30. 

 'PHERE are many special features about the total 

 *■ solar eclipse of August of the present year. 

 In the first place, perhaps the chief of these is that 

 it will occur about the time when the solar atmo- 

 sphere is greatly disturbed, or in other words, at 

 a time when the number of sun-spots is about a 

 maximum. Second, the localities from which it may 

 be observed are well distributed over land surfaces, 

 and some are easily accessible from the British Isles. 

 Thirdly, observers will have to wait many years 

 before another favourable eclipse occurs. That in 

 iqo7 will be visible in Central Asia, but its occurrence 

 in January will deter many from seeing it. Tlie two 

 eclipses in 190S will be visible only from the Pacific 

 and South Atlantic. The eclipse of 1909 will occur in 

 June in Greenland, while that in 1910 will be visible 

 only from the .Antarctic regions. In 1911 only a short 

 portion of the end of the eclipse track will pass 

 through a part of South Australia. It is therefore 

 the eclipse of 1912, that will take place in April in 

 Spain, which will be the next easily accessible one to 

 observe ; but as totality will only last 60 seconds, its 

 duration will be brief compared with that of this year, 

 which will last for more than 35 minutes. 



Further, the fact that the approaching eclipse 

 occurs in a month, such as August, when a great 

 number of people are taking their summer holiday, 

 and therefore can more easily leave these shores, 

 should ensure the presence of many volunteer 

 observers at the more easily reached stations. In 

 the present instance the zone of totality commences 

 in Canada towards the south of Lake Winnipeg, 

 skirts the extreme south of Hudson's Bay, passes a 

 little to the north of Nova Scotia, and then crosses 

 the .Atlantic. In Europe it strikes Spain (Fig. i) on 

 its north-west coast line, and leaves the eastern 

 coast, enveloping the islands of Majorca and Iviza. 

 Reaching Africa in the neighbourhood of eastern 

 Algeria (Fig. 2), it passes through Tunis, Tripoli, 

 Egypt, and the Red Sea, and finally terminates in 

 Arabia. 



In Spain an opportunity Is afforded of making 

 observations at some stations of high altitude, for 

 the eclipse track includes several lofty mountains. 

 For instance, Penas de Europa, south-west of 

 Santander, and 8000 feet high, is one of numerous 



NO. 1843. VOL. 71] 



possible observing peaks, and advantage should be 

 taken of this or some other elevated region. 



It will thus be seen that there is plenty of scope 

 for observers to scatter themselv'es along the line of 

 totality, and this should be done as much as possible. 

 The low altitude of the sun during totality at 

 Labrador (27°) and Egypt (24°) renders both these 

 regions somewhat unfavourable for the best observ- 

 ations, but there parties should at any rate be present. 

 The former region can undoubtedly be left to 

 Canadian and American observers, for it does not 

 seem necessary that European observers should 

 journey so far when more favourable stations are 

 nearer at hand. The close proximity of Egypt to 

 many European countries renders this part of the 

 zone of totality easily accessible. Here the central 

 line of totality passes just a little north of .Assuan, 

 the outer limits enclosing Edfu on the north and 

 Darmut on the south. 



The probable weather conditions at the different 

 stations form an important item in eclipse matters, 

 for clouds can easily mar the work of even the best 



Fig. 1.— The path of totality across Spain. The duration of totality and 

 the altitude of the sun at that time are given for four different stations 

 along the line. 



organised expedition. Omitting Labrador, a station 

 that will not be occupied by observers from this 

 country, the north-western portion of Spain does 

 not seem to be particularly favoured with the re- 

 quired weather conditions. According to Sefior 

 F. Iniguez, the director of the .Astronomical and 

 Meteorological Observatory of Madrid, this locahty 

 during August is not only cloudy and damp, but 

 storms are of frequent occurrence. Such a report, 

 however, should not prevent one party at least from 

 taking up a position there, but it should suggest to 

 many who had up to the present made up their 

 minds to observe in that locality to seek stations 

 further along the line, and not congregate at a 

 very probably unfavourable station such as this 

 appears to be. At stations towards the east the con- 

 ditions seem to be more suitable the closer the 

 Mediterranean side is approached, and, according to 

 the authority mentioned above, the probability of fine 

 weather on this coast is very high. Inland stations 

 will probably have the disadvantages of dust and 

 heat combined. 



