forty-three minutes past eleven
A few planets , amongst t others Mercury and Venus , began to appear , and some constellations -- Caplet , -LSB- symbol -RSB- and -LSB- symbol -RSB- of Taurus , and -LSB- symbol -RSB- of Orion . The darkness deepened every moment . Thomas Black remained motionless with his eye glued to the glass of his instrument , eagerly watching the progress of the phenomenon . At forty-three minutes past eleven the discs of the two luminaries ought to be exactly opposite to each other , that of the moon completely hiding that of the sun . `` Forty-three minutes past eleven , '' announced Hobson , who was attentively watching the minute hand of his chronometer . Thomas Black remained motionless , stooping over his instrument . Half a minute passed , and then the astronomer -LSB- astonomer -RSB- drew himself up , with eyes distended and eager .