Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-11-27
M GILLIAN z.
THE GREAT ECLIPSE

AttO fottoouk uOuCC Oi Tue eclipse oil
the Sun, which is to occur in The course
Of the present month, is taken from the
American Almansck for 1884. In some
Of the papers into which it has been copi.
ed, Wednesday, the 5th November, has
been enormously stated as the day on
which il was to occur By reference TO
the AlmaBack, IL will be seen that SUNDAY,
the S0th Of November. Is the day stated
FRon THE AMERICAS ALsAsAck Foz 1894.
Great Eclipse Of The Sm.--The most re-
markable Of the phenomena that this year,
1884, will happen, is the Eclipse Of the
sun, on Sunday. the 30tb Of November
This is the third Of the very uncommon
series OF five large eclipses, visible % us,
IN the short term of seven years; the
fourth Of this series will take place the
18th May, 1886. and the last, Septem
Der 18th, 1888.
The eclipse of the present year will
doubtless receive great attention through
out our country. In those places where
its magnitude will not exceed II digits,
much dimunltIon Of the light is not 10 he
expected. even at the time Of the great
obscura''on; perhaps. however. il may be
suiiicient to render visible the planet
Venus, then above so deg. E. S. f. Of
the sun and much nearer TO the earth
Than Usual: nor viii the Observation be
sResS Sftat Gbese tie eclipse is almost to-
tai; mage II las been observed. on former
occasions. tirf the -sneclipsed part. even
when reduced d mere point. sheds sufii
cient light TO fcneer small objects visible,
and invisible the brightest Of the stars.
Indeed. on account Of the refract'on Of the
suns rays by the atmosphere Of the earth,
the darkness can hardly with strictness be
considered total, even when the sun is
completely shut oul from the sight In the
great and remarkable eclipse Of June 10th.
1876. when The sun WAS totally obscufed
at Boston for five minutes. as much light
remained as is given by the moon when
full, and greater darkness will not proba
bly, he experienced. in any place, on ahe
preseRt occasion.
Throughout the United States. however,.
a greater depression of the thermometer
II placed IN the sun. will probably be
noticed and Tor some minutes before and
ai.er the moment OF greatest observation
the power oil a lens 10 produce combustion,
by condensing the solar rays. will be nearly
If not entirely, destroyed AT the time of
the annular eclipse OF February 18th,
1881, 1t was observed by the editor, that
the thermometer, in the sun, fell from IS
to %; and that. during the continuance
OF the ring. no sensible effect was pro
duced by placing its blackened bulb in
the focus Of powerful bsrniIg- glass.
This eclipse, as will be seen on tracing
the path OF the centre, will be total in q
small part OF Arkansas, and of the
states OF Mississippi, Alabama. Georgia,
and South Carolina. The princial ola
ces in which the obscurity will probably
be complete. are, Charleston. Beaufort,
South Carolina, Savannah, Milledgeville,
Tuscaloosa. and Little Rock, The great
est duration Of total darkness in any place.
will be at Tuscaloosa and Beaufort-the
places lying near the central path. At
Charleston and Savannah, the duration
will be considerably less. the former being
situated about forty miles north of this
path, the latter about thirty miles south
The width Of the line of total darkness
varies in its passage across the
earth, but in the United States will be a.
bout one hundred miles Those of the
Atlantic states who, desire 10 behold this
rare speciace--ihe most gpificenr and
sublime of the phenomena OF nature, COM
pared with which. even Niagara sinks in
to med'ocrity will End Beaufort the most
eligible place in which TO make their 90
servalions, and they will not neglec, thi.
when they reflect that the
moons shadow willnot again. Cor the space
Of twenty five years, pass over any part Of
the inhabitable portion Of the United
States, or until Aug. Z, 1860
As, at the time oil the eclipse OF Febru
airy 1891, much inconvenience and even
injury was sustained from want Of care in
looking at the sun without any protection
Tor the eye, or through glass not suifici.
emily colored, il may be proper 10 remark,
That should the sky, during the continuance
Of the eclipse, be clear, one Of the very
darkest green or red glasses Of sextant,
aud, in default of this. piece OF common
window glass. free from veins, and rem.
dered quite black by the smoke of lamp.
oniy can oe used with safety. IL the lusire
Of the sun should be diminished by inter-
ven'ng clouds, lighter shade will be suf-
6cient.