CIjc IlIiimijTcitiaii of tjic idij^scb 



0011. 



By GEOEGE E. BURDEE, M.D., F.R.Met.Soc. 



Uoad May 3ni, 1888. 



TT in a mattor of common kuowlodge tliat the moon, in 

 -*~ a total oolipso, doea not, as a rule, entirely disappear, 

 but remains as a tolerably conspicuous object in the 

 heavens, shining with a dull rod light tliroughout the total 

 phase. The amount of light varies. In some eclipses, the 

 moon lias boon so bright that people have been led to 

 doubt whether the astronomers had not made a mistake. 

 In other eclii)seB, the moon has boon so dull as to be 

 practically invisible. Eclipses are recorded in which the 

 moon was said to be absolutely invisible, the sky pre- 

 sumably being clear ; and in October, 1884, we had our- 

 selves the rare opportunity of observing an eclipse in which 

 the moon, altliough not strictly invisible, was so obscure 

 that many persons in looking for it failed to discover it. 



It has been suggested that these differences might be 

 explained by differences in the clearness of the atmosphere 

 at the time and place of observation, or by difFeronces in 

 the moon's altitude in different eclipses. Such circum- 



355 



