64 Notes on some of the Physical Appearances 



ance which I have seen with the artificial transit, but to a 

 more limited extent, the base of the triangle on the sun's 

 limb and the apex on the planet as thus : — 



The difference in the appearance from what I had seen with 

 the artificial transit consists in the much larger base. When 

 this phenomenon first appeared the time was taken by 

 Mr. Pirani, by chronometer 806 (Daniel's), viz., 3 h. 26 mim 

 54 '3 sec. The planet every once in a while jumped off the 

 apex of the triangle, and the rim of the sun's disc could 

 be distictly seen between the two ; the distance, however, 

 bet wen the triangle and the planet — when jumping — 

 growing less. I now looked out for the tangential contact, 

 watching at the same time the gradual diminution of the 

 separation between the planet and the apex of the triangle ; 

 the clouds became thicker, but still permitted me to see the 

 phenomenon distinctly, and what I considered the tangential 

 contact was observed at 3 h. 27min. 17'8 sec. The jumping 

 or separating of the apex of the triangle and the planet 

 ceased a few seconds before what I considered the tan- 

 gential contact." 



Mr. Todd says, respecting this phase, that " it was quite 

 clear at egress, which was well observed. No black drop, 

 but the continuity of the sun's disc was first broken by an 

 exceedingly fine black line, or rather a minute speck, which 

 appeared as the smallest possible protuberance on the edge 

 of the planet, but the apparent contact occurred 12 seconds 

 later. The planet was seen to be sensibly but very slightly 

 distorted immediately joining the sun's limb, the circular 

 outline of the ball being apparently drawn out into a thick 

 band. This, however, was so slight, that it might easily 

 have escaped notice." 



Mr. Gilbert, at Glenrowan, reports of the appearances 

 at internal contact of egress : — " The ligament commenced 

 to form at 11 h. 58 rain. 53 sec. a.m., Melbourne time, being 

 exceedingly well defined a minute afterwards ; the ligament 

 snapped very suddenly about h. min. 44 sec. p.m. Shortly 

 after this clouds came over, but still it was sufficiently clear 

 to note anything of interest. About 2 p.m. noted that the 



