66 
MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SECTION, 
February 12 th, 1863. 
Robert Worthington, F.R.A.S., President of the Section, 
in the Chair. 
Mr. W. L. Dickinson read a Paper “ On the Eclipse of 
the Sun, May IT, 1863.” 
This eclipse, which is a partial one, will not he of great 
magnitude to any part of the United Kingdom. In this 
neighbourhood about three-tenths of the sun’s diameter will 
he obscured by the moon. The following particulars, which 
have been computed from the numerical equations in the 
Nautical Almanac , are offered to the members, to enable 
them to compare the calculated results with their own obser- 
vations. 
Eclipse of the Sun, on Sunday afternoon, May IT, 1863. 
Computation for Manchester (Royal Infirmary), lat. N. 
53° 29', long. W. 2° 14': — 
h 
m 
8 
Begins 
... 5 
3T 
12 
Greatest Phase . . . 
.... 6 
25 
32 
Ends 
. . . T 
11 
4 
Greenwich mean time. 
Magnitude of the Eclipse (Sun’s diameter = 1) O30T. 
Angle, from North Pole, of 
first contact, 49° towards the West, 
last contact, 45° towards the East, 
Angle, from Vertex, of 
first contact, 88° towards the West, 
last contact, 9° towards the East, 
for direct image. 
The position of the points of contact may he familiarly 
illustrated in the following manner. If we suppose a Victoria 
shilling to represent the sun, the moon will appear first to 
touch it on the right side, at the last r in the word Britannia)': 
and to leave it on the left side near the vertex, at the letter i in 
the word Gratia. A line drawn between these letters will 
indicate the direction of the moon’s path. 
