352 Dr Pearson, Observations of the Sun on the [Mar. 8, 



(2) J, B. Pearson, D.D., Observations of the Sun on the 

 Northern Sea-horizon, taken between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. August 

 1 — 2, 1879, at and near the North Cape. 



These observations were taken witli the view of ascertaining how 

 far the observed altitude of the Sun would correspond with that 

 required by theory. They were taken from the deck of a steamer 

 with a prism-circle of the Pistor and Martens' type, ten inches in 

 diameter, graduated to 20", in good adjustment: referred to in my 

 own Series of Lunar Distances, p. v. They are 32 in number, but, 

 on account of apparent irregularity, in a few cases the computation 

 has been made on the mean of two taken together. The first 

 was taken close to the small harbour of Kielvig, about ten miles to 

 the east of the North Cape, which was passed at a short distance 

 about three quarters of an hour before the Sun crossed the 

 northern meridian. Three or four more sights were taken before 

 the Sun's upper limb approached the visible horizon so near that 

 the distance could not practically be ascertained; which was about 

 twenty-five minutes before the time of meridian passage: after 

 that the ship was delayed at a small harbour named Gjoesvor 

 for about an hour, so that when the first view of the rising Sun's 

 disk was obtained, its upper limb was at an altitude of 5' 50": 

 about 40 minutes after its time of northing. The observations 

 were then continued at regular intervals, with two slight inter- 

 missions on account of intervening rocks, until about 2.45 a.m. 

 (local apparent time), when the Sun had risen so high as to 

 deprive them of their special interest. The point at which they 

 were first commenced may be fixed with tolerable precision as 

 71" 2' N. lat. and Ih. 45m. (26'' 15') E. long. The end of the 

 series may be fixed, with somewhat less certainty, for 70" 55' N. lat., 

 Ih. 37m. (24° 15') E. long. I subjoin a few considerations which 

 seem to prove that the observations, comparatively speaking, are 

 accurate and trustworthy. 



(1) The Sun was very bright, and the sky almost cloudless 

 throughout. 



