Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s8.5

v2.c12.s8.5

Owing to the brilliance of the sun, the eclipse is not visible even if the twelfth part is eclipsed; whereas in the case of the moon, the eclipse is visible even if the sixteenth part of the lunar orb is eclipsed; Bhāskarācārya has remarked that an eclipse should not be declared if its calculated magnitude comes to be less than this. Almost all other writers have similarly observed that the eclipse becomes invisible, more or less within the same limits of observation. But on 19th August 1887, there was a solar eclipse and the magnitude of the eclipse was 7/100 at Gwalior, i.e. equal to about the fourteenth part of the solar orb. It was seen by Visaji Raghunath Lele with naked eyes, as also through a glass smeared with lamp-black and it was seen quite clear. He, however, found that it was very risky to see such a small eclipse with the naked eye, for the eye-sight is likely to be very much impaired.