The eclipse chaser of 1780
The HinduWitnessing eclipses, be it solar or lunar, is rather easy these days. It was under this climate that the Americans sent their first expedition to observe a total solar eclipse that took place on October 27, 1780. In 1780, Williams not only became one of the founding members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, but also succeeded Winthrop as the third Hollis Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at Harvard College. In that same year, he was also chosen by the Academy to head an expedition to view the total solar eclipse that was to take place on October 27. Even though Williams was able to obtain permission from the occupying British forces to cross the enemy lines, the expedition party, which also included three assistants and six students, were restricted to the island of Islesboro, nearly five km offshore from the mainland where they wanted to observe.
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