Abstract
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 878, OCTOBER 29.—In a communication to the Times in August 1872, this eclipse, in the days of King Alfred, was pointed out by the Rev. S. J. Johnson, of Upton Helions, Devon, as having been probably total in London. In the Saxon Chronicle it is merely stated that “the sun was eclipsed one hour of the day,” without reference to any phenomena of totality; the Chronicon Scotorum records “a dark noon;” in the Annales Fuldenses we read: “Sol quoque in 4 Kal. Novembris post horam nonam ita obscuratus est per dimidiam horam, ut stellæ in cœlo apparent et omne-noctcm sibi imminere putarent.” This night-like appears ance of nature clearly indicates that the eclipse was total at Fulda (Hesse-Cassel), and if our calculations assign elements for the eclipse, which show totality at this spot, it may fairly be assumed that they will give very nearly the true phase for London. Correcting the arguments of Damoiseau's Lunar Tables of 1824, so as to bring them into agreement with Hansen for moon and Le Verrier for sun, and taking the minor equations from the Tables, we find the following elements for 878, Oct. 29:—
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 11, 365 (1875). https://doi.org/10.1038/011365b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/011365b0