Diapositives of photographs taken with the Kew Photoheliograph

Observing the Sun and Moon

These photographs of the Sun and Moon were taken with the Kew Photoheliograph, the large instrument in the corner of this showcase. The Moon image, on the right, was taken at Kew Observatory. The Sun image, on the left, was taken during an expedition to north Spain to observe the solar eclipse of July 1860. It shows a partial eclipse as the Moon crosses the Sun before blocking it out completely.