Aug. 18, 1868: Helium Is Discovered
The spectral line marked the first detection of an element in an astronomical object before it was found on Earth, scientists said.
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On this day in space! Aug. 18, 1868: Total solar eclipse leads to discovery of helium
On Aug. 18, 1868, a French astronomer named Pierre Jules César Janssen discovered helium while observing a total solar eclipse in India. During the eclipse, Janssen was using a spectroscope to look at the spectrum of light emitted by the sun. This tool allows scientists to determine what elements they're looking at. While observing solar prominences during the eclipse, Janssen noticed a bright yellow line that didn't correspond to any elements t…
Aug. 18, 1868: Helium is discovered
During the total solar eclipse of Aug. 18, 1868, two astronomers, Pierre Jules César Janssen of France and J. Norman Lockyer of England, each independently discovered a new line in the Sun’s spectrum. Lockyer thought it showed an undiscovered element, which he named helium. (In Greek mythology, Helios was the Sun god.) Although scientists wouldContinue reading "Aug. 18, 1868: Helium is discovered" The post Aug. 18, 1868: Helium is discovered app…
On August 18, 1868, French astronomer Pierre Jules César Janssen made the discovery of helium by observing a total solar eclipse in India. This event marked a crucial moment in the history of science, revealing an element hitherto unknown on Earth. During the observation of the eclipse, Janssen used a spectroscope for [...]
Helium was discovered 158 years ago during a solar eclipse. While it is usually very common in the universe, it is a rare element on Earth.
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