Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-03
THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.

THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.
WI End in the Alexandra Gazette thembjoinsd COM
mulication fiom Mr. BENJAMIN HALLosELL, whose name
is akouoher for the merit of all hs he writes scien
fd subjects The closing paragraph especially has at
traeted our attention; and doubt not that it viii
cye from our readers respect its author deserves
and excite them to reflections which fail to heghten
their alteration of the great Author of Nature.
Observations on the recent Eclipse, and some at
i IA tending Phenomena.
W oasUpyApoRY. ALEXANDRIA BoARDIxG School.
Il 5TH MO. 9TH, 1854
The eclipse of the occurred last evening" our
citizens had the pleasure Of seeing in exact accordance
with previous prediction.
The weather was unusually favorable for observation
with pleasant breeze and elastic atmosphere, and
scarcely cloud visible through the whole day
We commenced our observations with the barometer
and thermometers at about o'clock p NJ and recorded
| them every fifteen minutes
Thebarometer varied very ite standing pretty uni
form at 80 OF inches, which reduced by making allow
ancefor temperature gives altitude Of 20 8S inches
! due to atmospheric pressure.
The standard thermometer in the shade was rs degrees
at o'clock it to IS degrees at quarter past g. and
then stood at ~ degrees till the eclipse was ended
II The thermometer, with blackened bulb placed on
black ground and exposed the direct rays Of the SUM-
to 44 degrees at 81 it then gradually fell
till hafpast 5, when it down to l00 after which it
till quarter past g. when it stood at 1l6 degrees
In the shade the net bulb thermometer previous the
of the eclipse was ten degrees below the
dry bulb The difference was least at As minutes past g.
when it was degrees below the dry bulb
When the thermometers were suspended and exposed
to the sunshine and free current of air. the greatest
difference IA degrees which pretty from
to o'clock at which time the dry bulb was 854 de-
grees and the wet bulb III The difference least at
As minutes past s. when the dry bulb 76 and the wet
at 81 degrees, showing difference of degrees
The black bulb suspended in the air highest at
quarter past A. when it 96a at half past it had
ollpnf IN on0 aft nm Ter n "a
degrees. .s8ses 9@.-..#",
Efforts made with the telescope the edge of
the previous to its contact with the sum- in accord
ance with the suggestion of Dese the correctness of
which suggestion partially verified during the eclipse
Of but the glasses used to protect the eye
too dark to render efforts successful The being
much larger than the moon it must necessarily illuminate
than one-ha of that body at the same instant; in
consequence of which, at the time Of conjunction
border of the thus illuminated surface of the
would be towards the earth broadcast the part nearest
the sun, and could, doubt under favorable crcum
Stances and with proper Of protecting the eye
be seen. As the traversed the SUMS disc minute
dark points were seen to project from the moons edge on
to the surface Of the sun.
Experiments made with the prism to determine if
any difference could be observed during the eclipse in the
relative proportion Of the red and violet rays of the spec
rum, through the rerdctiDe influence of lunar
sphere the infection Of light by the moons surface but
no such difference could be detected.
Several interesting drawings were made by the stu
dents Of the lights and shades through the leaves of the
different phases .
The shadow Of ball too very peculiar, exhibiting
enlarged penumbra the side with the eipsed
portion of the sun.
remarkable that not single solar spct was visi
BILE with telescope during the day. Circumstance We
have not known before for many years.
AT the time Of the greatest obscuracn the aspect OF
things peculiarly soft and poetica which was not
little heightened by the cearness Of the atmosphere and
the freshness Of vegetation Two little birds a we saw
went to roost, placing its head beneath its wing in
true evening posture but wos soon reused by return
ing brightness.
To witness phenomenon Of sublime character as
that Of solar eclipse occurring at the very instant that
had long been foreold by calculation especially when it
is recoected that this calculation has to balance the
rous influences producing irregularities in the move
of the moon and apparent positions of the sun,
arising only from the perpetual change in the dis
ances and angular positions of the three bodies the
EARTH and moon, which constant alteration in
both the direction and amount of the disturbing forces
but also from similar disturbances by the influence of
each Of the different planets Of SYSTEM cannot fail to
awaken feelings of pleasure, mingled with and gran
deur inspire the spectator with increased confidence
in the harmony and stability Of the universe and in that
Power by which it is governed and to give eleva
ted opinion Of the intellectual powers with which has
been endowed by his CREATOR that thus enable him with
such perfect precision make the predictions Perhaps
the full effect Of this be realized by those only who
acquainted with the ntrcacy Of the problem, but it
must to some degree be felt by all
BENJAMIN HALLOWELL.