In 1706 there occurred a total eclipse of the sun, which was visible in the southern countries of Europe. At Montpellier, where it was observed by Plantade and Capids, the total obscuration lasted 4"' 10'.
— — lancing this time, the dark body of the moon appeared to be surrounded by a corvnr of pale light. The planets Venus, Mercury, and Saturn. and several of the fixed stars, were visible to the naked eye. On the summits of some of the mountains of Switzerland, where the view was not impeded by the gross vapoura which accumulate in the lower regions of the atmosphere, the stare appeared as thickly strewed as in the time of full moon.
On the 3rd of May, 1715, there occurred a total eclipse of the sun, which was visible in London, and of which Halley has given an interesting account in a paper published in the Philosophical Trans. actions of the Royal Society ' for the same year. The total obscuration lasted 22'. The pLancts Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus, as well as Capella and Aldebaran, were viaffite to the naked eye.
On the 22nd of May, 1724, a total eclipse of the sun occurred at Park The total obscuration lasted only a little more than two minutes. Venus, Mercury, and a few of the fixed stars were visible to the naked eye.
The next total eclipse of the sun recorded in history was visible in the northern countries of Europe. It occurred on the 2nd of May, 1733. The total obscuration lasted a little more than three minutes. The planet Jupiter, the stars of Ursa Major, Capella, and several other stare, were visible to the naked eye. Besides the corona, several reddish patches of light were seen around the dark body of the moon. This is the earliest allusion to the well-known red prominences which have excited so much interest in recent yearn.
A total eclipse of the sun which occurred in the Southern Ocean on the 9th of February, 1766, was observed by the persons on board the French ship the Comte d'Artois. The obscuration lasted only 5.3 seconds.
On the 24th of June, 1778, a total eclipse of the sun was observed at sea by the Spanish Admiral Don Antonio Ulloa, while proceeding from the Azores to Cape St. Vincent. The obscuration lasted four minutes. The corona around the moon appeared in great splendour.
On the 16th of June, 1806, a total eclipse of the sun was visible in North America, at Kinderhook, in the state of Newyork, where it was observed by Don Joachim Ferrers. The obscuration lasted 4° 37'.
Another total eclipse of the sun, which was visible in America, occurred on the 90th of November, 1834. At Milledgeville, Georgia, where it was observed by the French astronomer Nicollet, the obscura tion lasted 15'. At Beaufort, South Carolina, two planets and four stars of the first magnitude were visible to the naked eye.
On the 7th of July, 1842, there occurred a total eclipse of the sun, which was visible in the south of Europe. At Perpignan, where the phenomenon was observed by the late Iii. Arago and other French astronomers, the complete obscuration of the solar disc lasted only 2". 24'. In the countries of Eastern Europe, the interval of totality was somewhat longer. At Lipesk, it lasted 3° 5'. The corona on this occasion was very conspicuous. Several red protuberances were also seen around the dark body of the moon.
On the 5th of August, 1850, there occurred a total eclipse of the sun, which was visible in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. At Honolulu, the chief town of the Pacific Isles, it was observed by 31. Kutezyeki, who has given an interesting account of the phenomenon in the 'Comptes Rendus ' of the Academy of Paris for April 21, 1851, The red prominences were very conspicuous on this occasion.
The next total eclipse of the sun occurred on the 28th of July,1851, and, having been visible in the northern countries of Europe, was observed by a great number of astronomers. The totality, generally speaking, lasted about three minutes. Several rose-coloured promi nences were seen around the moon's limb.
On the 30th of November, 1853, there occurred a total eclipse of the sun, which was visible in South America. At Oceaje, in Peru, it was observed by IL Moesta, director of the National Observatory of Santiago, in Chili. The totality lasted 2° 59'. The planets Jupiter and Venus were very conspicuous. Antares, which was within 5° of the sun, was also distinctly visible. Several rose-coloured prominences were observed around the moon's limb.