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PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS OF TF 



ni PSE. 



26 J 



most hidden from view by a number of light, silvery clouds, that, as the shadow 

 approached, were instantly transformed to a delicate purple. Warned by this 

 beautiful token, all made instant preparation to observe the phenomena of totality. 



Sketch of Corona and Protuberances as they appeared during the latter part of totality. The prominences are 

 exaggerated in order to more clearly show their peculiar shapes. 



The time of second internal contact (beginning of totality) was 3:29.4. At the 

 instant of contact the Corona flashed into view. Its light was of the purest, sil- 

 very white, unsullied by any other tint, and faded gradually from the greatest 

 brightness at its base to the faintest silvery thread, barely perceptible on the deep 

 violet back-ground of the sky. Its light seemed constant ; could detect no fluctu- 

 ation whatever. Its general structure was radial, not nebulous. Individual 

 rays could be traced throughout their entire length. In the direction of the 

 ecliptic the rays were mostly straight and coincident with the sun's radii prolonged, 

 although some curved quite notably, intersecting others at various angles. But by 

 far the more interesting and peculiar features were the distinctly spiral polar ex- 

 tensions, remarkable for their length and decided curvature. This was especially 

 true of the rays springing from the upper limb, some of which, at first glance, 

 seemed almost tangential, but a careful, observation revealed the fact that the 

 greatest angle formed by any with prolongations of the sun's radii at their bases 

 could not exceed 30 or 35 °, which, of course, would form very respectable 

 secants. 



The greatest extent of the corona was from the western limb in the direction 

 of the ecliptic, and was a trifle more than a semi-diameter of the sun. From the 

 eastern limb the extent was not so great, while from the upper and lower limbs 

 it was least, being rather greater than the sun's semi-radius. Owing to the grad- 



