A Letter from Mr. Stephen Gray, F. R. S. to the Publisher, Containing an Account of the Same Eclipse of the Sun, as Observed by Himself at Norton-Court: And at Otterden-Place, by Granville Wheler Esq; F. R. S. Both in Kent

V. A Letter from Mr. Stephen Gray, F. R. S. to the Publisher, containing an Account of the same Eclipse of the Sun, as observed by himself at Norton-Court: and at Otterden-Place, By Granville Wheler Esq; F. R. S. both in Kent. Norton-Court, May 19, 1733. SIR, Having observed the late Eclipse of the Sun, at Norton-Court, near Feversham in Kent, the Seat of my Honoured Friend John Godfrey, Esq; and the Week following being with my Honoured Friend Granville Wheler, Esq; at Otterden-Place, he was pleased to communicate to me his Observations of the said Eclipse. I presume, an Account of them may not be altogether unacceptable to the Royal Society. The Eclipse of the Sun on May 2, 1733, observed at Norton-Court, near Faversham in Kent. | Observat. | Appar. Time | |-----------|-------------| | | h m s | | 1 | 5. 49. 15 | Beginning | | 2 | 5. 53. 15 | 1 Digit | | 3 | 5. 57. 30 | 2 Digits | | 4 | 6. 2. 55 | 3 ¼ | | 5 | 6. 11. 50 | 5 | | 6 | 6. 16. 43 | 6 | | 7 | 6. 21. 7 | 7 | | 8 | 6. 27. 0 | 8 | | 9 | 6. 32. 45 | 9 | | 10 | 6. 37. 30 | 9 ½ | | 11 | 6. 40. 0 | 9 ¾ Greatest | | 12 | 6. 56. 56 | 8 | | 13 | 7. 0. 35 | 7 ¾ | | 14 | 7. 7. 0 | 6 | | 15 | 7. 11. 55 | 5 | | 16 | 7. 17. 0 | 4 | | 17 | 7. 21. 15 | 3 | | 18 | 7. 25. 55 | 2 | | 19 | 7. 32. 30 | End | Our Observations were made with an Helioscope, or Instrument consisting of a Telescope and Box with a Digit Scheme at the End of it. The Telescope was 6 Feet, the Box two Feet in length, and the Sun’s Image on the Scheme was 6 Inches and 8 Tenths in Diameter. The Clock was rectified on the Day of the Eclipse, and proved to need no Correction for several Days afterwards, by Observations of the Sun on the Meridian. The Sun’s Transit was taken by the Passage of its Rays through a Hole made in a Brass Plate, the Center of which Hole was at 6 Feet and 3 Inches. 3 Inches perpendicular Height, above the horizontal Plane on which the Meridian Line was drawn. Mr. Wheeler, at Otterden-Place, near Lenham in Kent, observed the Beginning at $5^h\ 49'\ 0''$, and the End at $7^h\ 31'\ 49''$. His Observations were made with a Telescope of 15 Feet in length, and his Time was also rectified by a Meridian Line; but it was done by a Transit of the Rays through an Hole at a much greater Height. For the Brass Plate in which the Hole was made was fix'd to a Window in the Roof of his Hall, at the Height of 27 Feet above the Meridian Line on the Floor. With my humble Duty to the Royal Society, I remain, Sir, Your humble Servant, Stephen Gray. VI. An Observation of the same Eclipse of the Sun, by Mr. J. Milner, at Yeovil in Somersetshire, communicated in a Letter to Dr. John Allen, M. D. F.R.S. SIR, I Beg leave to present you with the Observations I made on the Eclipse May 2, viz. The Beginning at $5^h\ 34'\ 00''\ 17.\degree\ 45'$ at $6.\ 00.\ 00\ 13.\ 36$ Sun's Alt. End at $7.\ 14.\ 30\ 2.\ 45$ I made Use of a Quadrant 2 Feet radius. J. Milner. Lat. Yeovil, $51.\degree$. May 4, 1733.