Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-08-10
The Tetal Eclipse of the Sun as Seen in
SDafu

The fetal Eclipse of the Sun as Seen in
Spain.
To ths Editor of TIE London Times.
TUDELA, July Is, 1860.
SIR As observations of the eclipse by diff
ferent persons in different localities will be in
teresting, and may be useful, send you the
following, made at this place.
took my station on a hill nearly west of the
town, at the distance of above two miles. Be-
low me was the extensive plain, or rather
slope, descending towards the Ebro, with Tu-
della at its lower edge upon the river. This
slope is partly enclosed by brown hills of naked
clay and gravel, and presents the appearance
of vast waste, the relic of some great deluge,
studded with yellow corn-felds, light green
vineyards and dark geen woods, which be-
come thicker towards the river. | had as
cended several hills in search of station, and
before began to ascend the last, at about nine
minutes past two, by London time, | could
distinctly perceive, by the reflection from the
ground of the clay, that the brilliancy of the
sun was diminished.
took my station on the top at twenty nine
minutes past two o'clock, near to a mound of
stones, adorned with a black veil. Beyond
the gravelly landscape opened out in the di-
rectiOn of the flow Of the Ebro. The brown
hills surrounding the valley were backed by
the higher mountains rising one behind an
other, some of them very distant. The conf
cal hills were conspicuous in the extreme dis
tance to the north northwest, and the famous
hill of San MOncayo, gigantic mass, bounded
the prospect to the south, at distance of 2j
miles. This. mountain has been chosen as a
principal station by the astronomers. From
Tudela its summit appeared during the whole
eclipse to be enveloped in clouds. A bank of
cumulous clouds was conspicuous beyond Tu-
della, rising 20 deg. in the distant horizon, and
another to the northeast. Otherwise the sky
was clear and bright, and almost cloudless.
Shortly after o'clock it became evident
that the total eclipse was approaching from
the northwest. At three minutes past three
the sky and the horizon in that direction were
rapidly becoming dark, while the bright glow
of sunshine was yet unchanged towards the
southeast. At four minutes past three un-
earthly, CHASTITY glow, once seen never to be
| forgotten, covered the whole scene, and was
most evident upon the grayelly ground at my
feet The light now rapidly decreased. But,
with the exception Of this glow, which was
very conspicuous upon the clay hill, / could
| see no particular change Of color in the trees
! or landscape.
At five minutes past the western horizon
| was lost in darkness, and the conical hills to
the north northwest were invisible, while the
clouds toward the east sent forth bright glow
of light from the sun still shining on their
fronts. At this moment bright waving lines
Of light fickered one after another over the
ground parallel to my line Of sight with the
| sun. On looking upward from these l found
that the sun had already disappeared, and that
had missed the formation of the corona. The
black circle Of the moon was already surround
ed by this crown of glory; two stars shone
| brightly a few degrees from the sun, and so
magnificent was the spectacle above, so glO-
| rious the spectacle below, that could not help
| looking for a few moments from the one to the
| other. A bright light, think Of a greenish
IL. anIn al I'd fka hnr al eli,
| the banks of cumuli shOne with a brilliant
glow. The darkness was not intense the
| light from the corona and the distant refrac-
tions far surpassed the brightest moonlight.
| IL would have been easy to read the smallest
type.
now looked at the corona 1t was not of
| uniform breadth, but generally about half the
| moons diameter, while long beams of light is
sued forth in several directions. The longest,
| about 10 deg. below the east side of the sun,
was considerably longer than the moons diam
eter, if can trust my memory, after the to-
tality was past. The beam next in length was
not far from the lowest point of the suns ver-
ticaI diameter, few degrees to the west, and
| this beam, as it approached the sun. appeared
to curve upward, and to join another beam
| which was thrown off about 45 deg below the
eastern edge Of the sun. For few moments
these two beams formed a distinct crescent,
with it's convex edge nearly touching the sun;
| otherwise the beams remained unchanged du-
| ring the total eclipse; but this crescent was
not evident during the whole time. Another
| of the longer beams was thrown off from q
point about 80 deg. east Of the top of the YER
| tical diameter.
/ also observed within the halo darker
| beams, much shorter than the breadth of the
corona. One Of these issued from the central
| point Of the crescent / have described. The
! other two were, believe, clear of the top of
| the eastern edge, but Of this speak from rec
| objection, and not with confidence.
While was observing these beams the edge
| of the sun suddenly reappeared, about 81
minutes past 3, and the first instantaneous
burst of returning light was very impressive.
/ now observed the disappearance of the cor
| ona, and can say with confidence that il did
| not disappear but was gradually rendered
| invisible by the increasing intensity Of the
| suns light. / could perceive 1t gradually di-
miuishing in breadth, till / could no longer
observe the sun without protection to the eyes.
| The long rays disappeared FIRST.
now looked again to the south. The north
west horizon was glowing with light, and to
| the southeast the cloud bank beyond Tudela
was scarcely visible. The total eclipse was
passing in that direction; the clouds presently
became invisible, and remained so during
about six minutes, when they gradually re-
| appeared. The rapid increase Of darkness to
the southeast. and that Of returning light to
the northwest, were very evident; otherwise
perceived no line Of shadow upon the sarth's >
| surface. is ~. 4
Though much occupied with these obssrva-
| tions, the impression prodaced by the total
eclipse is one which can never be efaoed from
| the mind.
Tam, sir, your sbedient servant,
r. A. THOMPSON, (some time Observer
In the University Of Durham J