Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-09-04
GREAT ASTRONOMICAL EVENT.
The sun EcIipsed for Nearly seven
Minutes.

sa,x
An eclipse of the sun, visible only III pa
of the eastern hemisphere, took place yes
terday. of greater magnitude than mas peen
seen for many hundred years. AccofoinB
to astronomical calculations similar one
will not take place again for centuries "
come. A number Of favorable circumsta,n-
ces have combined to render this one Oh tue
most remarkable astronomical events VI IL TUG
century. and an intellectual treat 10 lhs
man of science, such as is rarely accoIaeu
to him.
On the 1st of July the Sun was III It's
greatest apogee, and it during the weeks
that have interviewed the apogee has souie
what lessened, it is still so great as to make
the diameter Of the sun appear very small
About midnight the Moon, on the contrary
was in its greatest perigee, which makes ITS
diameter appear extraordinarily large
The new Moon took place six hours after
ward. and IN addition to this unusual com
cidence, the Moon being in the ascending
node of its course threw its shadow over
the Equator, so that the eclipse not only
covered the greatest possible space on. the
earth, but in those places where 1t TOOK
place at noon the diameter OF the moon
appeared still larger, by which means the
duration of the eclipse was prolonged, while
the surface of the earth, which here reach
es its greatest speed of linear rotation ana
following the disc of the moons shadow
with greater velocity than at any otner
point. must have prolonged the whole phe-
nomenon considerably. In consequence OF
so many combining circumstances, the zone
of the total eclipse covered an area OF near
| " 2, 900 miles in length, and thirty miles in
| width. In places where the phenomenon
reached its highest point the duration OF
the eclipse was six minutes and nifty sec
onds
On the island of Perrin and IN Alden the
! total eclipse began shortly after sunIlS .
passing through the eastern part OF India
/ during.the morning it reached TennesseTin
at noon, and was visible during the after
noon, first in Annum then ON the islands
of Borneo and Celebes, and on many
islands of the Mollusk group, and toward
evening In New Guinea. 1t is thus appar-
ent that for the purpose OF close obser-
walton OF the physical construction OF the
sun, which science has not yet been able to
determine, a number of different points Of
observation offer themselves, and with this
view some of the European governments
fitted out expeditions in order that the re-
suit of their several observations might be
compared.
England titted out an expedition for In
dia, furnished with the best apparatus for
observing and analytical purposes. The
French Government fitted out two for
Cambodje and Malacca, and dispatched
several vessels of war to select favorable
points for observation. Germany also
showed laudable interest in this great
scientific event. the North German Reich
stag Imperial Diet having decided that
German science should have part III this
grand undertaking. In petition which
the author, Bernstein, addressed to the
Reichstag Imperial Diet tor this purpose,
he showed that if all civilized states
insured for themselves share IN this
grand service to science, then the
North German Bund that laid
claim to taking an honorable position
among commercial nations must not stay
back. and he then requested that the
Reichstag should summon the Federal
Government to institute such an expedition
and to grant the necessary means, to the
sum OF GOO thalerr. Accordingly com
mittee of the Reiehstag waited upon the
leading scientific men 10 hear their opln-
ion, and as they unanimously concurred III
that expressed by II. Bernstein, although
all agreeing that much larger sum than
the one named would be necessary, the
Reichstae granted 16, 900 thalers, so that
the greatest care might be expended on the
scientific organization Of the expedition
The renowned astronomer Secchi applied
to the papal government to ut out an eX-
petition, but its resources would not adj
nit OF the expense. It's gratifying 10 ind
that science has thus received a generous
recognition, and that at least three Euro
pean nations have co-operated in presenting
ior reference and inquiry, the result OF OBJ
servatlons taken under their patronage. At
4 80 lob
for the interests of science, more FORUM
ateiy taken place. The progress made IN
photography, in electrical science and
the construction Of mathematical instru-
inents, all combine to give increased sue
cess TO the researchas of the SCIENTIFIC.