The Recent Total Eclipse of the Sun

Abstract

IT may be interesting to your readers to supplement the description given in NATURE, vol. xxxii. p. 631, with the following notes which I have just received from a friend who observed the eclipse at Nelson, N.Z.: “As the period of totality passed away, a bright point of light as from a diamond of wonderful brilliance shot forth from the upper surface of the moon, and at first this seemed to be only a flame, but it speedily extended to the moon's shadow, passed downwards and to the right, and totality was over.” Another feature was the fall in the temperature: “A thermometer which registered 50° at seven o'clock, stood at 30° immediately after totality; the keen breeze which was blowing before the sun was shadowed died completely away at the time of totality.” I inclose a photograph which clearly shows the protuberances noticed by all the observers.