Litchfield enquirer., 1860-07-26
MISCELLANEOUS.

 cences of the total solar eclipse of l8O6
 "The only total eclipse, as seen in New Eng land in the nineteenth century, occurred Mon day; June 18th, 1906. It is the same eclipse which takes place to-day (the 1Sth,) but now so far north as to bring the line of total darkness far beyond the limits of the United States
 "In 1906, the line of total darkness passed through Massachusetts and Connectcut, but not extending further south The statistics of the eclipse, calculated for the meridian of Worces- ter, Mass, were as follows Beginning, 9h. 48m. its eclipsed, l2. The period of total obscura- tion took place at twenty-two minutes past elev. en, and lasted about four minutes. It was said at the time that the centre of total darkness passed across New Preston, in Litchfeld coun- ty, a little below Etchfeld.
 "The day at Ltchfeld was clear and bright one and thousands of eyes during the morning were towards the sun, as the dark shadow of the moon began to creep over his face. At first all went about their usual occupations, but as the sun became more and more obscured, busi ness was given up, and evvery man, woman and child held piece ofsnoked glass to not, the pro- gress of the moons encroachments. When on- ly crescent form was left to the sun, the inter- stices in the shadows of the leaves of the trees assumed likewise crescent form. If we will notice such interstces where the interposinp object is so remote from the receiving ground as to produce an indstnct image, we shall see the : breaks in the shadows follow the shape of the Illuminating object At ordinary times, these interstices under trees will be circular like the sun. As the sun becomes more and more ob- scured, the crescent becomes thinner and thin. ner, assuming the form of the youngest moon we ever saw, until it was mere thread of light in the heavens, and mere thread in the shad. ows of the leaves. Suddenly it faded entirely away, and the sun was gone--put out-extin. guished in it's meridian path It hung there in the sky--a round, black funeral patch in the heavens s-rayless and heatless. The dews de- scended as if twilight had come in earnest. The fowls sought their roosts-the cattle uneasily directed their eyes to the expiring lumnarv- the air altered its weight and pressure-the smoke rushed down the chmneys-the earth was cold to the naked feet-and a gloom rested on all spirits. The darkness was about that of early twilight, but unlike it. It was twilight in the centre of the sky, not at the horizon. In the afternoon the wind rose and was boisterous, and the weather was cold. It was soon follow ed by violent hail storms in all parts of Now England
 "The New York Ereuing Post, then called the New York Herald) gives extracts from sev- eral New England papers, but says nothing of its appearance in New York. It was not total there Dr. Thomas Robbins. in his diary states that he was in Philadelphia that day, and mere ly mentioned that he watched it's progress, and that it was neovly total. The Norwich True Republican has an ably written article in ad vance upon the total darkness that was to occur at monday on the following Monday, and al- ludes to many of the phenomena which would take place, as we have described above. That | ,1 changes that had been observed in 1905 and thus far in 1906. In Boston, the Centinel says that the eclipse produced very great sensation, and that the whole population was abroad to gaze. In Washington, the National H,teligencer said it was cloudy and but little was seen There were about II E digits eclipsed in that place."
 TIE extraordinary meteor of Friday night, was seen over great extent of country We have accounts of it's appearance at Buffalo and all in termediate points east to Providence New Bed ford and other points, and from Maine to Della ware Merriam, the philosopher, writes from Brooklyn Heights as follows, in relation to the meteor:
 "It came. from the direction of thunder cloud in the West. It was probably lightning Udli, pOssesSlIS piopcttles ol adding to it's body as It moved through the at mosphere by magnetic attraction, and consuming a portion of these aGsRmulations in it's progress. The meteorolite of Sept. 30 1850. was more than whole hour in full view from the Harvard Col lege Observatory. Cambridge. Mass, and was ex- amined for that long period with the largest and best telescopes"
 TIE MErEoR.-The World gives the follow ing description of the meteor's appearance in New York:
 At about ten o'clock largo ball of bluish hue was seen in the western sky, at an elevation of about fifteen degrees its course was about E. by S.. and as it approached the meridian it burst, and the color was changed and then two reddish meteors, with tails of streaming fire, with falling sparks shot on towards the east the velocity of these meteors was about twenty degrees per sec ond they shot in a straight line, and at an equal elevation, disappearing in the east in about one minute and three-quarters after the phenomenon, was first seen."
 The Philadelphia Ledyer of Saturday morn- ing speaking of the extraordinary meteor, says :
 "Iast evening, about half past nine a very extraordinary meteor made it's appearance in the heavens. It arose in the north western part of the heavens. from cloud which was not reveal ed until the light of the meteor made 1t visible
 Then an object about the size of the full moon and as bright, suddenly started from the cloud traversed, in direct easterly line, the whole extent of visible space, dropping fire, ap- parently, in it's course, like rocket, till it passed SO far eastward as to resemble red ball. about twice the size of the planet Mars, visible in the southeast So soon as it disappeared. g flash like heat lightning revealed cloud to the east ward, low down in the horizon, which continued to emit fashes of light for half an hour after wards The phenomenon at one time seemed to separate like rocket when it bursts but the larger portion keeping in straight course towards the eastward"
 The New Havea Journal gives description of it's passage over that city:
 "Friday evening about l5 minutes before 10 o'clock very singular meteor passed over our city, in direction little south of east. It had about the apparent elevation of an ordinary fire rocket. There appeared to be three heads or balls of fire of intense brilliancy and beauty con nected in straight line by slender thread of short intervals sparks of fire in it's track which quickly disappeared, while the. three heads pre- served their brilliancy till they passed beyond vision. We never before saw meteor passing so near the surface of the earth It must have been seen by many thousands and we shall prob | ably have many accounts of it's appearance at 1 the different places over which it passed" The New York Herald has communications from innumerable localities giving description off this remarkable phenomenon, One correa-