In the 19th century, scientists increasingly embarked on world-spanning expeditions to view solar eclipses. The Library has thousands of resources documenting these epic journeys, from captivating photos, to personal diaries, to letters and detailed reports. In the Prints & Photographs Division, one photo album offers a glimpse of what life was like for an expedition of over 400 scientists, researchers, and sailors during an arduous 1889 journey to coastal Angola, on board the U.S.S. Pensacola. Here is what they packed on that expedition to view a solar eclipse, over a century ago.
For transcript and more information, visit www.loc.gov/item/webcast-11282