New measurements with a torsion pendulum during the solar eclipse

During the solar eclipse of 11 July 1991 in Mexico the period of a torsion pendulum was measured in order to reexamine possible anomalies observed in previous experiments of this kind. In our experiment no significant change was found as the relative change in the period associated with the eclipse was less than 2.0×10^–6 (90% confidence). Results were similar to our previous ones made during the eclipse in 1990 in Finland when the Sun was much lower in the horizon. However, two small but distinct shifts were observed in the horizontal position of the pendulum wire which were well correlated with the beginning and the end of the eclipse.