Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-05-13
THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MAY 2s, 1854.

At the meeting of the American Academy OF
Arts and Sciences, held at Boston on the l4th Of
March, 1858, Mr.. PAINE made.the following COM
munication on the approaching Eclipse Of the Sun:
On the afternoon Of Friday, the 26th CT May next
there will be eclipse Of the visible and generally
large throughout the United States and actually annuar
in part Of the Territories Of Washington and Minnesota
Of Vancouyer Island Of Canada West and of the States
of Michigan New York, Vermont, New Hampshire Maine
and Massachusetts,.
ga central very nearly central solar eclipse at any
place is indeed of occurrence AT the city Of Paris
only takes place in the 1913 years between l76 and
1900 and although in Boston have been favored
than Paris the phenomenon in the century and quarter
between l776 and 1901 and perhaps many more years.
occurs here but four tmesnamely in the annular OBJ
scurations of April 2 1871, May 20, 1854 and Septem
Der %, 1876 and in that which total June l6,
1906. The eclipse Of February IL, 1881, also
nular Mt Nantucket and at Chatham Cape Cod but not
| elsewhere in New England
From computations, the results of which are more
particularly given below, it appears that the path Of the
central eclipse of the Goth Of May first enters upon the
earth in the North Pacific Ocean, the Caroline
Islands, in latitude of about GO north, longitude 1878
west thence taking northeastey direction, it touches
continent Cape Flatery, in Washington Terri
tory it thence passes over Vancouvers Island, British
Oregon, Minnesota Isle Royale Lake Superior Canada
West, New York, Vermont New Hampshire, and Maine
to the Atlantic where it leaves the earth in latitude Of
about 500, longitude $50 having in Oh Aim. 2ls, the
time of its continuance thereon 145lo of long
| tude and $50 Of latitude.
cas- sxty-three years have passed since the OCCUR
Of the last annular eclipse in New England and
in the last orysx years Of the present century only
will take place. it is doubted that the
Of May 26th will be viewed with interest by every spec
taor but 1t is hoped that those observers within the
limits of the ring, who may be provided with good tee
scope, win give particular attention to the singular APP
pearances which often have been noticed at the second
and third contacts and which, in consequence Of having
been infinitely described by the late Mr.. Bay, known
by his name, especially there is for the
suspicion that these beads &C. may be at the
pleasure Of the observer, according he employs
screen colored red or green.
In the eclipse Of February ~ 1881, which viewed
by the writer at the lighthouse Monomoy Point, off
Chatham with red SCREEN these beads were just be-
fore the formation Of the ring very conspicuous that
lit difficult to determine with precision when it actu-
ally took places whilst in that which annuar in Wash
ngon in September 1885, and that which total
Savannah in November 1884, these appearances could
not be perceived by him, although carefully looked for
through screen composed of two glasses shaded
light red, the other light green.
Indeed, it particularly desirable that at places
there will be two observers furnished with telescopes Of
nearly the optical power but with colored
green and red, who after the second contact shall
change their instruments for their observations the
third and shall note carefully the appearances and phe
nomena by which each contact is attended"
The point the solar disc where the observation will
first appear will be 147ol from the suns vertex,
his most norherly point counting round to the right;
the general observer will fix his glass shielded by
colored screen from the strength Of the suns rays
about the southwest further edge of the SUMS face
the end Of the eclipse the glass must be pointed to
2l0S to the left Of the suns verex which will be the
hher edge, and little east Of the suns most northerly
{ point
The number of digts ecipsed at the Georgetown OBJ
seryatory and sensby the for the country round
9Sl4; that is to say, than three-quarters and
nearly ten-twelfths of the SUMS diameter will be OBJ
scured
( We would recommend those of our District readers
may wish to note the circumstances of this interest
ing phenomena take the precauton of having Their
pieces previously regulated by the meridian tmeba
the National Observatory other accurate standard