The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-07-31

its being the result of the incande-
scence Of a gas, or whether it was solar
light reflected from some solid body or
AT SEPARATION.
Prof. j. G. Watson, of the University
of Michigan, and the fortunate discov-
erer Of twenty five planets and asteroids.
determined this time to confine himself
to efforts for the discovery of the planet
assumed by Leverrier to have its place
between Mercury and the sun, but
which had hitherto eluded all observers.
Mrs. Watson, Gov. Hoyt and MI.
D.. II. Talbot, of Iowa, were assigned
by the Professor to the duty of making
sketches Of the corona for future use.
Prof. Newcomb, of tile Normal OBJ
~servatory at Washington, was to make
photographs Of the partial phases of the
corona, and also to search for undis-
covered planets.
Prof. j. N. Lockyear, of London,
England, assisted by Mr.. Layman, of
Cambridge, England, and by MI. Silvis,
photographer, now of Rawlins, devoted
himself to a study of the structure of
the corona. with the telescope, and to
making photographs of it.
Commander Sampson, U. s. N, as
sisted by DR.. Dewitt, U. s. N, of
Washington, was to study the consti-
tuition Of the corona, with the aid of
the spectroscope.
Lieut.. Bowman, U. 5. N, was to
study the corona in like manner and
to search for planets.
MI. Close, Of Cambridge, England,
and Capt. Bisby, of Fort Steele, were
assigned to the duty of keeping the
time record for this party of observers.
AT CREsToN.
Prof. VIM. Hardness, of the U. S.
Naval Observatory, gave himself to
~spectroscopic observations ofthe corona.
Prof. Robinson, Of the University Of
Rochester, and Lieut.. Sturdy, u. S. N,
was to study the corona by means of
the polariscope.
MI. Alyan G. Clark, of Cambridge,
Mass, maker of the great instrument
now at Observation-Disclosures refractor
telescope in the world-made exposures
for photographing the corona, observe
contact and study the corona with the
~spectroscope.
Prof. Trouyelot and son, Of Cam
bridge, Mass, observed the corona and
the protuberances with the s~pectroscope.
The results of these observations were
in general as follows:
RESULTS OF THE OBSERVATIONS.
The corona as observed in this eclipse
is entirely different from that which
was observed in former eclipses. 1t was
shining by reflected light, and must
therefore consist of an aggregation OF
discreet particles in the immediate vi
cinity Of the sun. The lower atmo-
sphere of glowing gas was visible as
usual. The search for inter-mercurial
planets, made by Prof. Watson, re-
vealed one, believed to be Vulcan, then
situated about two degrees southwest
from the sun, shining during totally
as a star of four and a half magnitude.
The polariscopic observations made
show that the corona was shining by
reflected lights. The spectroscope gave
a continuous spectrum, from which it
must be inferred that the light of the
corona is identical with solar light.
The observations made by Mr.. Edi-
son with the tasimeter showed that the
corona radiated more heat than his in
strument was prepared to measure,
which fact further confirms the theory
that the ron is formed by the light
Of the sun reflected from solid sub
stances.
1t is worthy of note that the period
of totality was 1--WE seconds shorter
than predicted, and that the first con-
tact occurred about thirty seconds
later than was predicted.
Very great Importance is attached to
this total eclipse BY American astrono-
mers, because no other will be obserya-
bic in the United States until the year
1928. 1t appears therefore that as
only two minutes and fifty seconds were
allowed to the observers on this occa-
sion, the ACCUMULATION of definite
knowledge of the constitution of the
sun and Of bodies in its vicinity, must
be very slow. 1t is a ground Of CON
graduation among scientific men every
where that the observations OF the
eclipse of 1878 have been so pre-emi-