Abstract
IN the list of papers read before the Paris Academy of Sciences, which was given in last week's NATURE, I noticed one on the magnetic perturbations observed at Alençon during the late total eclipse. Now it would at first sight appear reasonable to expect that any effect produced on the magnetic needle at Alengçon by a phenomenon whose maximum phase was as far removed as India or Australia, should have nearly equal effect on the needle in England, and in all countries adjoining France. It has moreover been established by frequent comparisons of carefully measured photographic records, taken at different magnetic observatories, that any disturbance of the earth's magnetic force is felt almost simultaneously at stations differing several hundred miles in both latitude and longitude. I was, therefore, justified in supposing that I should find some indications on our photomagnetic records of a disturbance corresponding to the perturbations of the needle at Alençon, alluded to by M. Lion in his note to the Academy. The result of my examination of the records is, that there is not the slightest trace of a disturbance on either the vertical or horizontal curves, and that the declination magnet has been more than usually quiet, although on the two previous days it happened to have been somewhat disturbed about the hour at which the totality of December 11 occurred.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PERRY, S. Magnetic Disturbances During the Late Total Eclipse . Nature 5, 269 (1872). https://doi.org/10.1038/005269a0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/005269a0