Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-30
Hams, Flour, Bacon and


tive force. The halo surrounding the
chromosphere is the corona, the nature
and origin Of which are still q mystery.
The spectroscops shows that an unknown
and probably highly rarifed gas exists
there, and that some portions Of the cor
ona shine also BY reflected light, but be.
yond this little is certain.
WHAT is A CORONA?
The corona is not a solar atmosphere
in the sense in which the word is usually
understood, since the great comet Of
lS43 passed through 300, 900 miles of it
at the enormous velocity Of $50 miles
per second without suffering visible dam
age or being in the least retarded; yet
shooting stars passing through the upper
portions OF the earth's atmosphere are
completely vaporized, although their
speed never exceeds fifty miles per sec
ond. What then is the corona2 This is
one Of the points, aud the principal
point, on which the eminent scientific
men who went to Colorado and Texas to
see the eclipse hope to get sopie light.
1t was examined with the spectroscope
and the polariscope; it was attacked
with the photograph armed With more
sensitive chemicals than have ever been
used before for sue q purpose; skilful
observers were to make accurate draw.
inga OF it, and every possible device that
science can suggest was to be employed
to extort its secrets.
VULCAN SEARCHED FOR.
Another incidental use Of the eclipse
was to search for the supposed planets,
so confidently believed by the celebrated
French astronomer, La Verrier, to exist
between Mercury and the sun. The
transit of Mercury, in May last, has
shown that LIE Verrier's supposition il
undoubtedly correct. The unknown
bodies are, however, 80 small and &C
near the suns surface that they car
, probably only be seen during totaI
eclipses. Some of the observers yesier
day were detailed specially to watch TO
, these intrs.mercurial bodies. They not
down everything visible in the sky, care
fully compare their work with the bes
maps of that part of the heavens, an
: hope in this way to discover the mystt
rious Vulcan, if its existence is nc
wholly mythical.
AND VULCAN F0USD.
A telegram from R9wlings, Wyoming
; says that "Elison's experiments wit
! the tasimeter were quite satisfactory
DR.. Draper, Of New York, succeeded i
, obtaining several photographs OF th
: sun eclipse. Professor Watson, of An
Harbor, and Mr.. Norman Lockyer hav
>, just returned from Separation, where th
total eclipse lasted two minutes aud fit
. seconds. Professor Watson discovere
y an intra.mercurial planet Of the size {
a four and q half magnitude star, aboJ
: two aud a half degrees southwest of th
y sun"
s. II OBJECT OF Hi EXPERIMENT
at Rawlings was to make photograph,
Is spectroscopic and thermotetric observI
e. tons. Mr.. Edison was to experimer
with his tasimeter or heat measure, I
be determine, If possible, whether the sun
90 corona gives forth heat to any exten
ID aud TO discover and measure the hel
~ spectrum which observers now believ
to exist in the extreme rays Of the solG
r spectrum. Tests made with the new i
1s strument have shown that il measure
accurately the l 5000 part Of a degre
IN of Fahrenheit's thermometer, and NJ
is Edison thinks, with an increass of ele
IT trio power and the aid OF q nicely adjus
is ed g~alvanometer, it will be possible
oy measure the 100000 part of a degre
" HOW OFTEN ECLIPsEs OCCUR
CO This eclipse, like all others, whetht
IS solar or lunar, recurs at regular interva
ns of eighteen years aud ten or eleven day
-
to 1t always takes place at the descendi1
a node. or the point where the orbit Of Il
as moon iRtersects that of the earth. I'll
GO e%clipses touch the earth at the norI
of pole as partial eclipses, and at every T
90 turn pass acrossthe earth on an averaI
to of about 100 miles farther southwar
81 till after appearing seventy.seven time
requiring 1888 years, they pass off h
Earth OF the. south pole. A compile
ey cycle Of eclipses comprises 1880 year
he during IL, 492 years OF which they occ
OF in spsce-that is to say, the shadow
90 not thrown upon the earth, but falls
ly interstellav space. From the summit
10. the peaks Of the Rocky Mountains, owl
is to the excessive purity Of the air, obieC
he a hundred miles distant can be seen, al
as as the total shadow will move only abo
ne half a mile per second, the grand spt
es. tacle Of light and darkness chasing ca
be other around the world ought to be "
If messed for at least two minutes before
ed reaches and alter it passes the observe,
hi. FUTURE ECLIPsEs.
of The following is a list of the to-
as sclipses of the sun that will occur d.
nts ing the remainder of the present centuI