Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-05-16
THE ,pppoAcTUNG ECLIPSE.

The eclipse Of the Sun, which occurs IN tlI, 2btli" ut
this month will br unnular.--llIa' is, the moon nj INC
time OF lis transition appearing smaller 1hhh me Su"'
it viii not entirely cover IT, but leave even III lar M
mcnt of is greatest eclipse, n nar1nw rill= OF HIGHT.
Both the beginning and the ciul Of the eclipse Will he
visible in Nil parts of the United Stuirs. lie NJ
Post furnishes some particulars that Will he rciid with
interest in view of the ncm approach Of the llicilolli-
cnon: -
The shadow of the moon coming ncross the Pncitic
first reaches the coast of California near San Francis-
co, at about half past Two III the afternoon ny WISH
in.,tnu time, or ut about half past eleven III III" morn
inr by the time of San FraIcisru; ond in two hours
will hive covered nearly hcwh"lcrnntinent "l North
America, with its southern limit i'll the southern part
of Mexico, and IFS northern limit beyond the northern
pole. 81. CT.
It will continue on the wli"l" Of the l',!''1' STATES
nearly nm hour and II hall, when first ending on the
Pncihc coast, il will pass from the whole country III
less than fifty minutes.
The c:lips. will l,c.iu in this city ahnut fifteen NM
utcs past four i'll the afternoon, ami end about Illrl.-
eight, minutes past six; in Baltimore it will com.
mcilCC and end q few minutes earlier the lllnnir VIII
cover from ten to cIcvcn-iwc!ltlis Of the suns dame
ter.
Toe effect Of an annular eclipse on the earth ana
sky IL lrS striking than that Of total cclirSeS, when
an. described lv these who have seen them us pre-
sculin@ IN awful aslcct during The short lime that to-
tai darkness lasts. The advance "ftlc total shadow
around the lurizmn can hcscrn from mn cinlncilcc, AMI
as il comes OH il plungrs the rr"iniis in its pntlI int"
appalling darkncss, while Il gloom hangs over the rest
al The country.
But The appearances Of the earth and the sky during
an annular eclipse, though worthy "f more notice tilii
is often given, are not tho principal features, unless
the day he clouly. Tile fnlna!iu:I Of the ring willb
where it cmI he seen, tlle srent attraction OF the "c-
casio,I, and will. probably. ininrc the eyes Of many
admirers. Opticians say that their business Is never
more lourisIring than after n solar eclipse.
Tits, probably, not lmknown't1 many of olr read
rrs, thai in n period oi about eighteen wears, called the
Chaldram prrin,l, nr the lunar cycle, cchlscs 70 through
mn order Of performances, which are repeated, with
hut slight variations, again and nguin, but that in the
course of time these variations amount 10 great
changes, so that from time 10 time some old eclipse
will b. dropped out and some new one taken up in
the eighteen year programme. This subject is finely
discussed in FcrglSun's astronomy, and Il history of
the returns Of the coming eclipse Is given as an cxa'n-
pie.
The approaching eclipse first hii'carcd nn the list
about the thirteenth century, and will continue tore
turn till about Il Thousand years after its first appear
ailcc, when, having gradually passed off the cartli,
the shadow, mt the corresponding returns Of tho new
moon. viii continue for more than ten thousand Years
to sweep 10y the earth without touching it, and then
will. again return To entertain "r tcrrity, perhaps, II
new race Of men.