ON THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN, MAY 28, 1900. 
413 
that the action which produced a brightening of the green ring also produces a 
brightening of the continuous spectrum, not only in the region where the gaseous 
mass is rendered more linninous, hut in the region immediately overlying it. It is 
only in the large-scale photographs of 1900 that the effects of lunar irregularities 
have been directly traced, and it is possible that some of the brigl^ter parts of the 
continuous spectrum in the 1898 series attributed to concealed elevations of the 
green ring should be ascribed to these irregularities. 
A detailed examination of the photographs has further shown that some of the 
brighter streaks of continuous spectrum correspond with polar rays of the corona, 
more particularly with those extending outwards in a direction nearly coincident 
with the plane of dispersion. 
Comparison of the Green Coronal Ring with the Inner and Outer Corona. 
The general results as to the distribution of intensity in tlie coronal rings are the 
same as those andved at from the photographs of 1898, namely ;— 
(1.) The positions of greatest brightness of the coronal rings have apparently no 
connection with the positions of the prominences. 
(2.) The brightest parts of the green ring correspond very closely with the 
brightest parts of the inner corona, but are apparently independent of the outer 
corona. This distribution, however, is less marked than in 1898, when distinct 
prominence-like masses in the inner corona, corresponding to the brightest parts of 
the green ring, were photographed. Some of the bright parts of the inner corona in 
the north-east cpiadrant appear to be unrepresented on the green ring only because 
of their unfavourable situation with reference to the j^lane of dispersion. 
These results are illustrated in the accompanying diagram (fig. 8). 
The Differences between the Coronas observed at the Periods of Sun-spot Maxima 
and Minima. 
My attention was called especially to these differences, because I saw the minimum 
eclipse of 1878, while the phenomena of that of 1871 (maximum) were still quite 
fresh in my mind. My then published statements have been amply confirmed during 
the eclipses which have happened since 1878, but certainly the strongest confirmation 
has been obtained during the present one, which took place two more spot periods 
after 1878. . . 
(1.) Abrni.—-With regard to form, at the instant of totality I saw the 1878 corona 
over again, the wind-vane appearance being as then most striking. 
This is also the appearance presented by the drawings made by some of the 
“Theseus” observers and reproduced in Part II. of this report; and also by the 
photographs obtained with the various coronagraphs. , . 
