10/20/1868 AD discovered
Lockyer set up a new, relatively powerful spectroscope and a prominent yellow line was observed in a spectrum taken near the edge of the Sun. With a wavelength of about 588 nm, slightly less than the so-called "D" lines of sodium.
The line could not be explained as due to any material known at the time, and so it was suggested by Lockyer, after he had observed it from London, that the yellow line was caused by an unknown solar element. He named this element helium after the Greek word 'Helios' meaning 'sun'.
An observation of the new yellow line had been made earlier by Janssen at the 18 August 1868 solar eclipse, and because their papers reached the French academy on the same day, he and Lockyer usually are awarded joint credit for helium's discovery.
Subjects Who or What discovered?
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Norman Lockyer English scientist and as...
Objects To Whom or What was discovered?
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Helium (He) A colorless, odorless, t...
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