New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-08-13
The Eclipse In SpaIn.

70 dte Editor d; the london Times Fl send You
| the following observation made at this place:
took my station on hill nearly west of the
town, ut the distance of above two miles. Below
me was the extensive plain or rather slope, dc.
scendng towards the Ebre, with Tudela its lower
edge upon the river. This slope is partly enclosed
by brown hills OF naked clay and gravel, and pre-
sents the appearance OF vast waste, the relic of
some great deuge, studded with yellow fields,
| light green vineyards, and dark green woods
which become thicker towards the river / had
assembled several hills in search of station, and
before began to ascend to the last at about nine
i minutes past two, by London time, could dis
/ tincty perceive by the reflection from the ground
! of clay, that the brilliancy of the sun dimn-
4 ished.
/ took my station at the top at twenty nine min
utes past two, near to a mound of stones adorned
with q black veil. Beyond Tudela the gravelly
landscape opened out in the direction of the flow
4 OF the Ebro. The brown hills surrounding the val
/ ley were backed by the higher mountains rising
i one behind another, some of them very distant.
Two conIcal hills were conspicuous in the extreme
distance TO the north-northwcst and the famous
hill Of San Moncayo. q gigantic mass, bounded the
prospect of the SOUTH at distance Of TWENTY-FIVE
miles. This mountain has been chosen as a prin-
cipai station by the astronomers. From Tndela
its summit appeared during the whole eclipse to
be enveloped in clouds.
Shortly after 8 o'clock 1t became evident that
the total eclipse was approaching from the north.
west. At three minutes past ) tho sky and the
horizon in that direction were rapidly becoming
dark, while the bright glow Of sunshine was IA YET
unchanged towards the southeast.
Atfaur minutes past an unearthly CHASTITY glow,
once seen never To be forgotten, covered the whole
scene. and was most evident upon the graveliy
graund at MY feet. The light now rapidly do.
creased. Bat, with the exception of this glow,
which was very conspicuous upon the clay hills, /
could see no particular change Of color in the trees
or landscape.
at iiye minutes past the western horizon was
lost darkness and the cDaical hills to the north
northwest were invisible, while the clouds toward
iii faFft, a tu, af utt fron =
sun still shining on their fronts. AT this moment
bright waving lines OF light fickered one after an
other over the ground parali to my line of sight
with the sun. On looking upward from these |
found that the sun had already disappeared, and
that had missed the formation of the corona The
black circle Of the moon was already surrounded
by this crown Of glory two stars ahone brightly
a few degrees from the sun. and so magnificent
was the spectacle above so glorious the spectacle
below. that could not help looking for few mo.
nients from the one to the other.
bright light, think OF greenish yellow color,
skirted the harizntal sky and the banks of cumuli
III ne with brilliant ginw. The darkness was not
intense tho light from the corona aud the distant
refraetions far surpassed the brightest moonlight.
II would have been easy to read the smallest type.
| now locked at the corona. 1t was not of uni
form breadth, hnt generally about half the naon's
| diameter, while long beams of light issued forth in
several directions. The longest, about ten degrees
| below the east side of the SUM- was considerably
longer than the moons diameter, il Lean trust my
| memory. after the totaly was past
| The beam next in length was not far from the
lowest point of The suns vertical diameter. few
4 degrees Go the west, and this beam. "a il ap.
proaohed the sun, appeared TO curve upwards, and
| 70 join another beam which was thrown off ahont
| foIty-Gre degrees below the eastern edge of the
sun. For few moments these two beams formed
a distinct crescent, with It's convex edge nearly
tnuching the sun, otherwise the beams remained
unchanged during the total eolipse but this cres-
| cent was noteyident during the whole time.
| Another of the longer beams was thrown OF
INT
| the vertical diameter.
also observed within the halo three darker
beams. much shorter than the breadth of the cor.
ona. One of these issued from the central point Of
4 the crescent have described. The other two
| were, believe, near the top Of the eastern edge
but OF this speak from recollection and not with
/ confidence.
/ While | was observing these beams the edge of
j the sun suddenly reappeared, about nine and q
nan minutes past three, and the first instantaneous
| burst OF light was very impressive. now OBJ.
| served iutenily the disappearance Of the corona
i ana can say with confidence that it did not disap
/ pear, hut was gradually rendered Invisible by the
increasing intensity OF the SUMS light Icnuld per.
eeiye IL gradually diminish in breadth till could no
4 AlngGf observe the sun without protection to the
/ eyes. Tie long rays disappeared first.
/ Lhnw lnaked again 70 the south. The north.
/ &est hgsizun vas glnwing with light and TO The
| saUtheasb The cloud bank beyond Fudcla was
scarcely sfsHlo. The total eclipse was passing ia
shatdifaetsan,.ths clouds presently became invsi.
bic. uni manned SO during about six minutes
When they gfAdtafy reappeared. The rapid in.
grease Of darkpeSs asstAe southwest, and that 0f
returning light 50 the nnrthwest, were very evi.
dent. otherwise .iJRereeiEed mo- line of Shadow
uponthe eaftas surfaees
+ K. A. THOMPSON,
I pS Z 'is 9}tseFfct in Inv tr4esFfs'ys Durham
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