ng their
origin remote from the poles. Then there is the inner equatorial corona,
apparently connected intimately with truly solar phenomena, quite like
the polar rays; while the third element in the composite is the outer
equatorial corona, made up of the long ecliptic streamers, for the most
part visible only to the naked eye, also existing as a solar appendage,
and possibly merging into the zodiacal light. The total eclipses of a
half century have cleared up a few obscurities, and added many
perplexities. There is little or no doubt about the substantial, if not
entire, reality of the corona as a truly solar phenomenon. The Moon, if
it has anything at all to do with the corona, aside from the fact of its
coming in conveniently between Sun and Earth, so as to allow a brief
glimpse of something startlingly beautiful which otherwise could never
have been known, is probably responsible for only a very narrow ring of
the inner radiance of pretty even breadth all round. This diffraction
effect is accepted; but the problem still remains how wide this annulus
may be, and whether it may vary in width from one eclipse to another.
These questions once settled, the spurious structure may then be
excerpted from the true. Indeed the coronal streamers, delicately
curving and interlacing, may tell the whole story of the Sun's radiant
energy."

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 16: There seems sufficient evidence to show that the
Corona may be seen even on occasions when the Sun is not totally
eclipsed, provided that the visible crescent of the Sun is
exceedingly narrow.]

[Footnote 17: See p. 130 (_post_).]

CHAPTER VII.

WHAT IS OBSERVED AFTER THE TOTAL PHASE
OF AN ECLIPSE OF THE SUN IS AT AN END.

In a certain sense, a description of the incidents which precede the
total disappearance of the Sun in connection with a total Eclipse will
apply more or less to the second half of the phenomenon; only, of
course, in the reverse order and on the opposite side of the compass.
The Corona having appeared first of all on the W. side of the Sun, then
having shown itself complete as surrounding the Sun, will begin to
disappear on the W. side, and will be last seen on the E. side. Baily's
Beads may or may not come into view; the Sun will reappear first as a
very thin crescent, gradually widening; the quasi-nocturnal darkness
visible on the Earth will cease,