ON THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN, MAY 28, 1900. 
415 
(3.) The Minute St^ructure of the Inner Corona .—Lieutenant Doughty, R.N,, and 
myself made observations on the minute structure of the corona, in order to see if any 
small details could be observed, and whether they were the same I saw so well and 
recorded during the eclipse of 1871, at a period of sun-spot maximum. This question 
was specially taken up this year, as exactly two sun-spot periods have elapsed since 
1878. 
In 1871 I used a 6-inch object-glass, and distinctly observed marked delicate 
thread-like filaments, reminding one of the structure of the prominences, with 
mottling and nebulous indications here and there; some of these distinct markings 
were obvious enough to be seen till some minutes after totality."^^ 
This year, with a perfect 4-inch Taylor lens 5,nd a higher power, not the slightest 
appearance of this structure could be traced ; the corona some 2' or 3' above the 
chromosphere was absolutely without any detailed markings whatever. 
Lieutenant Doughty duplicated and confirmed these observations with a 3|-inch 
Cooke. Here, then, is established another well-marked difference between maximum 
and minimum coronas. 
* ‘ Solar Physics,’ p. 372. 
