xlviii President's Address 



later one, visible in North America, had left one or two 

 important points with respect to the chromosphere and 

 corona still doubtful. Expeditions from England, America, 

 and several European countries, eagerly availed themselves 

 of this opportunity of settling these doubts and furthering 

 our knowledge of solar physics. These expeditions chose 

 separate parts of the path of totality for their labours, but 

 unfortunately cloudy weather was so prevalent that only a 

 few of the many observing parties were able to obtain 

 satisfactory observations. The results still leave some mat- 

 ters undecided, which it was hoped would have been cleared 

 up, but they go far to confirm the observations of the 

 American astronomers in 1869, which had been received 

 somewhat doubtfully by some physicists. 



The great question of the true character of the coronal 

 light is still unsolved, yet the observations obtained are 

 sufficiently conclusive to render the theories held by some 

 untenable. I do not think any doubt now remains in the 

 minds of astronomers as to its being a truly solar phenomenon, 

 and neither lunar nor belonging to the earth's atmosphere, as 

 had been advanced. The observations with the polariscope 

 show that a large proportion of the coronal light is reflected, 

 and it appears that some of this reflection has taken place in 

 our atmosphere, though not by any means all. 



One great result at this eclipse was the obtaining a set of 

 magnificent photographs of the corona, notably one by Mr. 

 A. Brothers, of Manchester. This forms a most valuable 

 achievement. I see that Mr. Brothers is publishing true 

 copies of this, both on paper and as transparencies for pro- 

 jection, and I hope before long to be able to show you 

 specimens of both. 



The principal object observers of the total eclipse next 

 December will have in view will be obtaining more photo- 

 graphs, farther spectroscopic observations directed to special 



