The Economic Times

Solar eclipse: A strange yellow line appeared during the 1868 phenomenon in India, sparking a mystery that took nearly 27 years to solve and eventually led scientists to helium

Astronomers observed a unique spectral line during an 1868 solar eclipse in India. This unexplained yellow line suggested an element unknown on Earth at that time. Norman Lockyer later named this element helium, derived from the Greek word for Sun. William Ramsay finally discovered helium on Earth by extracting it from a mineral. This discovery confirmed the element's existence, linking solar observations to terrestrial findings.