The only value to the picture is the record that it preserves of the parallelism of the three telescopes.

You would say it was stiff and unnatural, did you not know that it was the ordering of Nature herself--they all point to the centre of the solar system.
"As totality approached, all again took their positions.

The corona, which is the 'glory' seen around the sun, was visible at least thirteen minutes before totality; each of the party took a look at this, and then all was silent, only the count, on and on, of the young woman at the chronometer.

When totality came, even that ceased.
"How still it was! "As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, the corona burst out all around the sun, so intensely bright near the sun that the eye could scarcely bear it; extending less dazzlingly bright around the sun for the space of about half the sun's diameter, and in some directions sending off streamers for millions of miles.
"It was now quick work.

Each observer at the telescopes gave a furtive glance at the un-sunlike sun, moved the dark eye-piece from the instrument, replaced it by a more powerful white glass, and prepared to see all that could be seen in two minutes forty seconds.