Year: 1872

Now let the reader carefully note the
importance Of this method as applied TO The
corona. AS applied during eclipse 10 the
colored prominences, ii could teach nothing
new-ior II would merely resolve the pro-
minences, already visible as rose colored
objects, into four several pictures-allke IN
figure, but differing in color The effect
might be exceedingly beauliful-or rather
was so, for Respighi has seen such images
but 1t caught nothing new. AS applied to
the corona, however, the value OF the method
was far greater. So soon as totality began
Respighi saw, instead of The bright green
line which Professor Young had proved 10
belong to the corona, beautiful green
image of the inner ring-iormed corona. Here
Indeed was proof patent TO the eye that the
green light is inherent in the inner corona,
and not merely due TO reflection in our own
atmosphere. For just as our sky in the day
time, when we examine 1t with a spectre
scope, is found to give the solar dark lines,
but cannot possibly give an image of the
sun, so the sky in eclipse could give the
green line by reflection, but not an Image
OF the source whence the green light comes.
Only because the inner corona is itself that
source, could Ws image be rendered visible
by applying Respigh's method.


30 far, however, Respighi's work only
confirms result already established But
another result, and one altogether new, was
al the same time obtained. The green
image of the inner corona was not alone;
two others-one red, and the other blue
green-made their appearance, in or near
the places corresponding 10 The two bright
lines oil hydrogen called by speciroscoplsts
The Q line (red) and the F line (blue green).
The three images were not alike, and we
may infer from the brief telegraphic account
sent in the first instance that the hydrogen
images were not quite so extensive as the
green image. But into minute of this sort
we need not at present enter. The great
facts rendered patent by Respigbi's late oh.
servation are these-that surrounding the
sun to depth OF nearly 100000 miles,
reaching, therefore, above the submits Of
the lofIiekt pTominences, there is an almos.
rhere consisting OF glowing hydrogen, and
OF some other vapor, distinct in condition
and composition from the chromatosphere.
whose average height is but about 1000
miles. This enormous external atmospheric
shell must be of EXCEEDING rarity or the
pressure on the chromatosphere would
enormously exceed the actual observed pres
sure. 1t is outside this atmosphere that the
radiated space 10 distances often exceeding
million miles. We may confidently ex-
pect that the news which we have received
respecting the inner ring formed corona
will be SO supplemented by the Photographic
records now on their way to Europe, that
we shall obtain much clearer ideas than we
have hitherto had respecting The outer and
radiated corona. Truly, a remark with
which the spectroscopsl Jansen closes his
letter TO the Paris Academy respecting his
own observations seems abundantly justified
1.-THE question whether the corona is due
TO the earlh's atmosphere is now disposed of
(tranchse), and we may look forward to
series of researches into the matter sur.
rounding the sun which cannot fail to be
extremely Interesting and fruitful "-London
Spect tor.