RAGOONATHA CHARRY AND OBSERVATIONS OF THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OF 1868 FROM VANPURTHY (WANPARTHY), INDIA

Abstract

The eclipse of 18 August 1868, often called as the 'The Great Indian Eclipse', and described as a 'watershed event', took place at a time when what can be called as 'old eclipse studies' was fading and the era of solar physics, using spectroscopy, photography, polarimeter and so on, was starting to bloom. It was also a notable event in the history of the emergence of modern astronomy and astrophysics in India. Although observations of eclipses were conducted earlier, it was in 1868 that the Madras Observatory organised an eclipse expedition, and for the first time an Indian astronomer led a modern astronomical eclipse expedition. Ragoonatha Charry, the First (head) Assistant at the Observatory led a team of astronomy enthusiasts to observe the eclipse from Vanpurthy (Wanparthy) situated near the central line of the path of totality. While the significant scientific breakthroughs, such as the discovery of helium and the spectral characteristics of prominences and the corona, were made during the 1868 eclipse mainly by the British and French expeditions at Guntur and Masulipatnam, this expedition led by an Indian astronomer, had an impact on the public imagination and subsequently on calendar reform in southern India. In this paper, we focus mainly on Ragoonatha Charry's expedition to Vanpurthy, a principality under the dominion of the Nizam of Hyderabad state. We examine the preparatory scientific work done by Ragoonatha Charry, associated personnel on the expedition, the selection and establishment of their observing station, the scientific instruments that they used, the observations that they made, and the impact that this particular eclipse had on the public imagination.