1868.] 



Anniversary Meeting. 



133 



III. " Extract from a Letter addressed by Chas. Babbage, Esq., 

 F.R.S., to Dr. Bache, of Washington, May 10, 1852. Com- 

 municated by Mr. Babbage. Received November 26, 1868. 



" Iu reading the account of the great solar eclipse of last year (1851) I 

 was much struck by the description of the pink excrescences apparently 

 attached to the sun's disk, and connected with its spots (see Proceedings 

 of Royal Astronomical Society). They are only visible during a few 

 minutes in a total eclipse. It occurred to me that it might be possible to 

 render them visible at other times by two different methods : — 



" 1st. By placing in the focus of an equatorial telescope moved by 

 clockwork an opake disk, equal to or a little larger than the sun's image. 

 This would represent a continuous total eclipse ; and if every known 

 means of excluding light were adopted, it might be possible to see those 

 faint pink objects, which are probably clouds raised by the eruption of 

 solar volcanoes. 



" 2nd. If this fail, it might yet be possible to render them visible by 

 taking daguerreotype or photographic images. 



" It is really surprising that nobody has yet taken such images regularly, 

 for the sake of recording the solar spots and their changes. 



" I have no clock-moving equatorial myself fit for these observations, 

 nor have I time to spare for them. 



" I cannot persuade my countrymen that they are important, so you 

 are at liberty to try them, or publish the plan on your side of the At- 

 lantic. 



,c Mr. Gould will probably have explained to you an old plan of mine 

 for mapping zones of stars without moving the eye from the telescope." 



November 30, 1868. 

 ANNIVERSARY MEETING. 



Lieut. -General SABINE, President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Newmarch, on the part of the Auditors of the Treasurer's Accounts 

 appointed by the Society, reported that the total receipts during the past 

 year, including a balance of s£495 10s. 3d. carried from the preceding 

 year, amount to ^£4/80 5s. lid.; and that the total expenditure in the 

 same period amounts to £4286 lis. bd., leaving a balance of £479 16s. Id. 

 at the Bankers', and of £13 18s. 5d. in the hands of the Treasurer. 



The thanks of the Society were voted to the Treasurer and Auditors. 

 The Secretary read the following Lists : — 



Fellows deceased since the last Anniversary. 

 Royal. 



His Imperial and Royal Highness the Archduke Louis of Austria (1864). 



