The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-17

t1ONuO0 by tle people oil HCOtlauu, anu hlbuOuBn
the eclipse has long since been forgotten, the
expression is still used IN many parts OF that
country.
have recorded had led to any observations of
any value to the physical inquirer. Modern
ecilpses on the contrary, derive their chief
interest from observations of this sort.
In the total eclipse of l706, which was OBJ
served at Montpelier and variety of other
places in Western and Central Europe, the
bright stars Aldebaran eand Capella, and the
to the naked eye. "Bats flew about as they do
at dusk. Fowls and pigeons flew hastily to their
roosts. Cage birds were silent, and hid their
heads under their wings. Animals at labor in
at Geneva the Council were compelled to
close their deliberations, as they could see
neither to read nor write. "In many
places people fell PROSTATE. on the. ground, and
prayed with earnestness, imagining that the
Day of Judgment was come. From the tops of
the Swiss mountains many stars we're seen
as at the time of full moon. A peculiar color
overspread the sky, resembling neither the
darkness of night nor the mixed colors of the
twilight sky. Even those who were prepared
for the spectacle were appalled, by the solemn
gloom which fell upon the face of nature.n
HALEY speaks in similar terms of the last total
eclipse which was visible in London. 1t took
place in the year l7l5. "I fcrbear," says Hal
ley, ito mention the chill and damp which
attended the darkness of this eclipse, of which
most spectators were sensible and equally
judges. Nor shall / trouble you with the CON
Cern that appeared in all sorts of animals, birds
beasts, and fishes, upon the extinction of the
sun, since ourselves could hardly behold it
without some sense of hOrror.o
The eclipse of May 2, 1873, is remarkable as
being the first in which the singular appearances
termed the red promlnencesr were observed.
-Four spots of q reddish color were seen near
the limb of the moon, but not in immediate
contact with it," The chief interest attending
the observation Of total eclipses is at present
centred on these mysterious protuberauces. 1t
has been shown very clearly that they belong to
the sun, but what they may be, or what tremen.
dous processes going on within his atmosphere
they may be held TO indicate, remains as yet
unknown. 1t is hoped that the long duration of
the totality of the approaching eclipse, and the
circumstances that 1t will be possible to observe
the eclipse at several points along the shadows
track (Which 1t will be remembered is upwards
of 5000 miles long) will enable astronomers to
gain some knowledge respecting the red promi-
nences. Yet more hopeful is the fact that now,
for the first time the subtle analytical power of
the most wonderful instrument of research yet
invented-the spectrOscope- will be applied to
examine the strange solar eXcrescences.
We pass over several total eelipses to the first
Of those which have been made the object of
scientific expeditions. The eclipse of July 8,
1912, which was visible in the north of Italy,
and in parts of France, Germany, and Russia,
aroused an intense interest among European
astronomers, The leading observers of
France Italy, England, Germany, and
Russia repaired to various suitable stations
along the track of central eclipse. NJ. Arago
went 10 GeTDlSud0, M. NdlZ 10 marSellleS,
M. Petit to Montpelier; M. Carlni went to
Milan; NM. Santinl and Cont to Padua the
Astronomer Royal went to Superga, Baily to
Pavia; M.sSchumacher and Littron awaited the
eclipse at Vienna; and, lastly, the Russian OBJ.
servers, o. Struve and Schidlowski, went to
Lipesk. All these observers were fortunate in
obtaining excellent views of the phenomenon.
We shall quote NJ Arago's interesting descrlp-
tiOn of the occurrence
cat PerpignaD, persons who we're seriously
unwen alone remained within doors. As soon
as DAY began to break, the population
covered the terraces and battlements Of the
town, as well as all the little eminences in
the neighborhood, in hopes of obtaining view
of the sun as he ascended above the horizon.
At the citadel we had under our eyes, besides
numerous groups OF citizens established on the
slopes, body of soldiers about to be reviewed.
The hour OF the commencement of the eclipse
drew nigh More than twenty thousand persons,
with smoked glasses in their hands, were
amining the radiant globe projected upon an
azure sky. Although armed with our po owerful
telescopes, we had hardly begun 10 discern the
small notch on the western limb of the sun,
when an immense exclamation, for med
by the blending together of twenty thousand
different voices, announced to US that we
had anticipated, by only a few seconds, the
observation made with the unaded eye by
occasion, whose first essay this was. A lively
curiosity, spirit of emulation, the desire of not
beng outdOne, had the privilege Of giving to the
natural vision an unusual power of penetration.
During the interval that elapsed between this
moment and the almost total disappearance of
the sun, we remarked nothing worthy of relation
IN the countenances OF so many spectators. But
when the sun, reduced to a very narrow flament,
began 10 throw upon the horizon only very
feeble light, sort of uneasiness seized upon all;
every person felt a desire to communicate his
impressions to those around hln. Hence arose
deep murmur, resem bling that sent forth by
the distant ocean after tempest. The hum OF
voices increased in intensity the solar crescent
grew more slender; at length the crescent disap.
peared, darkness suddenly succeeded light, and
an absolute silence marked this phase of the
eclipse, with as great precision as did
the pendulum of our astronomical clock. The
phenomenon in its magnihcence had triumphed
over the petuance OF youth, over the leyity
which certain persons assume as q sign of supe-
riority, over the noisy indifference of which
soldiers usually make profession. profound
stiffness also reigned in the air; the birds had
ceased to sing. After an interval of solemn
expectation, which lasted about two minutes
transports of JOY, shouts of enthusiastic ap.
plause, saluted with the same accord, the same
spontaneous feeling, the first temperance of
the rays of the sun. To a condition of melan-
chOly, produced by sentiments of an indeiuable
nature, there succeeded lively and ineligible
feeling Of satisfaction, which no one sought to
escape from or moderate the impulses OF; to the
majority of the public the phenomenon had
arrived at its term. The other phases of the
eclipse had few attentive spectators, beyond the
persons specially devoted 10 astronomical pur-
suits.n
Remarkable effects were produced on birds
and animals by the sudden darkness Bats and
owls came out from their retreats; domestic
fowl went TO roost; and swallows were seized
with so great terror that in some places they
were caught in the streets. herd Of cattle
erazing in the fields near Montpelier "formed
themselves into a circle, their heads directed
outwards, as if to resist an attack Horses
and oxen employed III the fields ceased
from their labors when the sun was
totally eclipsed, and lay down, neither