Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-08-31
From the Bridge,on Cronicle.
THE GREAT ECLIPSE OF 1879

perS in our country, and this early notice II
no doubt owing to some peculiar circum
stances connected with the phenomenon II
self For many years past we have bad, a
short intervals. IA large eclipse OF the sun
either total or annular--and this one ha;
been styled, by way of eminence, the last o
the series-for we'shall not witness another
similar eclipse for sixteen years, nor a tota
eclipse for nearly a generation to come ant
we cannot withhold the solemn reflection
that this will be the last remarkable eclipse
that many of us shall ever be permitted &c
see Yes, before another conjunction o
the heavenly bodies, which will cause u to
tai obscuration of the suns rays, a whole
generation Of our species will have passed
the ordeal Of death, and the retributions o
eternity and yet the undiSturbed affairs Of
the Almighty move on-and those splendid
spheres. launched from bis hands, with un-
deviating certainty fulfil their destined round
-praising their great Creator either in
lustre or ia shade But we leave our readers
to moralize on the subject at their leisure.
We hope the day may be 6ne-that not acloud
may obscure the horizon or dim the set
ting suns" effulgence-that all may enjoy
the pleasure of beholding-though none can
NAPNllCuNN Nv uNilSht - HNh " SINNN"NN
but the student Of nature, and the humble
worshiper OF its great Author
In order to furnish our readers with "A full
and accurate description, we have been at
considerable pains and labor 10 calculate the
exact phases and times Of this eclipse-ad-
apting them expressly to the latitude and
meridian Of Bridge,on, which we find to be
80 deg. 26 min. north, and Longitude rs deg
Is min. west, from Greenwich.
This eclipse will not be total, but %annular
that is, the moons apparent diameter be-
ing less at the time than the suns, cannot
hide the whole face of the sun, but will leave
the margin visible, like a luminous ring, 10
all persons within a certain distance from
the central path.
The eclipse will occur September rs ,lS3S,
between 8 and 6 o'clock, in the afternoon.
The first point of contact will be about 81
degrees from the suns vertex, Tor top) tothe
right hand, precisely at 3h. l7min. 5ssec.
The beginning Of the %annular eclipse will
be 4h. 35min. 81. sec. The luminous ring
will continue 6m. 20sec. and end at Alb. aim.
47sec. The nearest approach ofthe centres
of the sun and moon will take place at pre-
cisely All. 38m. 36sec., and the apparent
distance Of the centres will then be only
% l-2 seconds-the moons apparent lat
itude being lSsec. south-of course the ring
will be nearly concentric, the upper part be-
ing a small fraction broader than the under
part, on account Of the exact central path lal.
ling a little west of Bridgeton. This will
be by far the most interesting portion of the
phenomenon. The sun will in u great
measure be bIotted out from the heavens
anI b,e ,I,o, e,.,I.,J H., - l,ra,ro,. -.
of surprising beauty and splendor To wit
ness it would recompense ii voyage across
the great Atlantic. The shadow will then
gradually leave the sun, and the eclipse will
end at oh. SON. 53sec., just Is minutes be-
fore the sun sets 10 the inhabitants Bridge
ton, having continued Oh. 32m. 55sec.
The above calculations are all made to
solar or apparent time, being that which is
usually kept in this place-the equation Of
time is about 6m. fast, by deducting these
from the times above, you will have mean
or clock time.
AS it regards the earth in general, and
the tract OF country to which the eclipse will
be central and a%nnular, it is stated in the A.
merlcan Almanac 10 be as follows
Beginning to be visible in the unknown
regions at the north pole, the central annu-
lar eclipse will pass through Kamschatka in
Asia, the British possessions in North A.
merica, not far west of Hudson's Bay, Lake
Superior, Wisconsin Territory, Michigan,
the northeast part OF Ohio, the southeast
part OF Pennsylvania, the eastern part Of
Maryland, northeast pant of Virginia, and in
10 the Atlantic Ocean; its course being from
northwest to southeast. The eclipse will
be annular over a space OF 420 miles wide.
The ring, in the places where it may BE-
seen, will continue only from four TO about
six and a half minutes. AT Baltimore, the
eclipse will begin at 6m. past 3. p. NJ The
ring will be formed at % min. past a, and
be central at 81 min. past 8. AT Washing.
ton City and Richmond, the several Eases
will be within Il small fraction Of Il minute
of the same time. AT Raleigh within about
two minutes OF the same time. But there
no ring will appear. The sun will be a very
slender crescent. This crescent will be
wider, with horns less and less sharp, as we
60 south and southwest, and north aud
northeast, from the path ofthe central eclipse.
The path first touches the earth at a point
near the north pole, a little east of the mer-
idian Of Greenwich. In a few seconds
afterwards, it attains its greatest northern Iati.
tude, whilst for the first eight minutes ii
moves rapidly westward, until it is 90 de.
grees west of that meridian. In ten min
utes after passing out Of the U, States into
the Atlantic Ocean, it leaves the earth at
a point about "a degrees north latitude, and
SO minutes and 80 seconds after It's first
touching the earth having traversed a some
what circuitous track of5000 miles in length: