, 1860-09-28
The Recent Eclipse.

/
Mr.. Caleb S. Hallowell, Of the Alexan-
dria High School. says the Washington In
ioligeneer, observed the recent eclipse with
means much superior to these possessed by
the great majority Of spcctatOrs--not to say
observers-Who noticed these phenomena.
The following report, made by Mr.. Halo,
we'll to the Alexandria Ga-stte, will be read
with interest, as being the FIRST account that
has met our eye Of the peculiaritieS Of this
eclipse when seen through a telescope Of
respectable power:
AT the commencement Of the eclipse the
thermometer IN the shade stood at II deg. /;
at lbe moment Of the great obscuration it
marked y deg; and at the close 1t indica-
ted a temperature Of 7S deg. Gunpowder,
placed in the focus Of a large lens, was
found, on an average Of numerous trials, to
fash in 81 seconds during the time Of the
greatest observation, aud to require but 2
seconds at the end Of the eclipse.
"0wing to the prevailing mist, the pecu-
liar effect Of the suns light upon the inter.
stiees Of the leaves Of trees was far less no
ticeable than is usual in solar eclipses.-
This effect, however, was readily shown, on
limited scale, by crossing the fingers Of
one hand over those Of the other, to form
six or eight small openings, like the meshes
Of net: then permitting the light to pass
through, and receiving it upon a screen
about two yards distant A common burn.
ihg-glass, also, gave q bright representation
Of the eclipse at the moment Of greatest
observation.
During the observations as many as
seven groups Of spots on the suns surface
we're seen and examined by the telescope,
Of which three we're large and one peculiar
y fine. Indeed, this last is scarcely infe-
rior either 10 size or varied beauty TO any
spot that has fallen under our observation
here for many years 1t was covered by
the moon during the progress Of the eclipse.
"Iu close proximity to the moon. and jast
before she passed of the suns disc, three
due faeulr displayed themselves close to his
concaVe edge, aud parallel with it, and with
each other. These faeuLe or streaks are,
10 some respects, as interesting as the spots
themselves, being believed to be gigantic
waves trsVersing the surface Of the SUI.
"a total eclipse Of the sun occurring on
a clear day must be without doubt the
most impressive spectacle that can be pre-.
sented to the human eye; and among those
who have had the rare fortune to witness
this phenomenon, we find even the most in
lelligent have confessed to a certain feeling
Of awe during the period Of entire darkness
The present eclipse was total in the north
ern parts Of America, 10 Spain, and in the
north Of Africa. There will be one next
year visible only in the Atlantic Ocean and
the Desert Of Sahara.
"Ihe last total eclipse Of the century
will occur on May 2s, 1900. This eclipse
was projected and registered in our book in
the year ls4s, by John ]. Clarke, then Of
Richmond. Va. 1t will be nearly total in
Alexandria. The next fine eclipse Of the
sun visible here will occur in 1865; it was
calculated and beautifully projected during
the present year by student Edward ]. Far
quar-, Of Maryland. He tells it will be cen
tral aud Annular in Kentucky and Tennes-
see, and will doubtless there prove a splen-
did spectacle. Here itwillrea 9.7 digits
The last annular eclipse visible to US was in
1888, and consider it to have been one Of
the most beautiful astronomical phenomena
it was ever my good fortune to behold"