THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF JULY 29, 1878. 267 



From Denver, Col., Prof. Sistini reports : Toward the end of totality, ob- 

 served some small continuous protuberances. There were streaks of light and 

 shade on the ground preceding totality, a bright corona around the whole solar 

 disc, with luminous offstarts on both sides in the direction of the motion of the 

 moon, each extending about one diameter and a half of the sun, also two more 

 offstarts nearly at right angles to the former, about half the solar diameter in 

 length. The Vassar party report unimportant observations. They saw three 

 planets and four stars. The Princeton party, the best supplied with improved ap- 

 pliances, made a special study of the structure of the corona and protuberances. 

 Prof. Young reports very satisfactory results, but the discovery of nothing not be- 

 fore known to science. The corona was unusually faint and remarkable for its 

 polar extension. No new bright spectral lines were visible in the ultra red or 

 violet. All the Fraunhofer lines were beautifully represented in most instruments, the 

 two H. H. strangely reversed. This is considered by astronomers quite remarka- 

 ble. A good photograph was obtained of the corona. No new planets were 

 discovered. Prof. Young expressed himself more than satisfied with the results 

 of his observations. Prof. Louder reports, about one minute after totality began, 

 a bright object like a star or planet was seen at a distance of 20 minutes from the 

 sun's limit ; position as seen in inverting telescope, 40 degrees to the right from 

 the bottom of the field of view. It remained visible in the telescope till the end 

 of totality. No known star or planet has ever been seen in this position. 



Prof. Colbert's observations on the corona did not disclose any specially new 

 features beyond the noting of the peculiar spiral character of coronal rays. To- 

 tality lasted 2 min, 40^ sec; Bailey's Beads noticed 2^ seconds at the beginning 

 of totality, and 1^ seconds at the end. Prof. Hough reports the entire phenom- 

 ena presented entirely different in appearance to the eclipse of 1869, and to Euro- 

 pean eclipses of 1870 and 1875. Measurement of corona, 26 minutes, indicating 

 diameter of solar atmosphere about 700,000 miles. Prof. Swift reports careful 

 search for Vulcan without success. He saw, three degrees from the sun, two 

 stars not down on the charts or star maps, and about as bright as the pole star, 

 pointing directly toward the sun. A brilliant corruscation of light was seen on 

 the moon's disc opposite protuberances. 



Reports from twenty-five observing parties agree in the main particulars. 

 No party has yet reported seeing the new planet observed by Prof. Louder. The 

 spectacle was magnificent, and no doubt the observations taken, upon the whole 

 will add largely to the world's fund of scientific knowledge. 



The time of first contact was 2:20, Denver time, and ten minutes later the 

 presence of the moon at the edge of the sun's disc was plainly perceptible to ordi- 

 nary observers with smoked glass. By three o'clock the sunlight had moderated 

 in a marked degree, showing a pale yellow color. Later on a lurid glare over- 

 spread the earth, the heat of the sun was no longer oppressive, and a light simi- 

 lar to twilight was shown in the horizon, and the light flecks of clouds began 

 slowly to dissolve, owing to a change in the temperature. As the period of total- 

 ity came on the sight from an elevated station was grand. An extreme dark 



