Last Year's Solar Eclipse ¹

Abstract

WE have received an interesting account of the observations made during the late eclipse in Texas, under the direction of Mr. Waldo. The first part of the Report is chiefly taken up with an account of the determination of the geographical position of Fort Worth. The second part contains the reports of the various observers. Mr. Waldo gives a description of the photo-graphs obtained. Unfortunately the camera had no proper clockwork An ingenious, though most likely shaky, arrangement was used to correct the sun's motion in altitude, while his motion in azimuth was left to take care of itself. Each point more luminous than the remaindei of the sun's corona is therefore drawn out into a line; but this outline of the moon's edge at the beginning and end of totality is sufficient to determine the position of these brighter points. An attempt was made to obtain photographic evidence of the polarisation of the corona, by inserting a double image prism between the lenses of the camera. The result was doubtful. The photographs were examined by Prof. Pickering, who found inequalities in them, which, as far as they go, tend to indicate a tangential polarisation; but in the opinion of Dr. Hastings, the evidence is not conclusive.