Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-01-27
THE CHRONICLE.
The Total Eclipse Of the Sun Next
August.

The Total Eclipse Of the Sun Next
August.
Professor c. Able, Director of the
Cincinnati Observatory has prepared
the following account of the path of
the total eclipse of the sun next
August: Beginning on the earth at
sunrise on the 18th of August, at a
point i'm Asia north of China Proper,
it passes northeast, and eliminates at
o o at Sitka, in Alaska; then sweeps
southeast neSr Omaha, owe Lexing-
ton, Kentucky, and Beaufort, North
Carolina, leaving the earth at sunset,
It a point in the Atlantic, a little
southeast of the latter city.
at is evident that If we stand with
in the central dark shadow and look
upward at the sun, we shall find the
luminary recovered by the moon and
hidden from view for a few minutes,
during the middle of the eclipse. If
we, however, stand within this GEN.
trail shadow, we shall behold the
moon, at the maximum of the eclipse,
projected on the sun and hiding only
a portion OF his disc; an appearance
similar to that which precedes and
succeeds the total observation, as
seen by those situated upon the CEN
trail path. This region within which
some portion only of the sun is cover
ed by the moon, corresponds TO that
dusky zone that surrounds the shad-
ow cast by the sun, as before alluded
to. We have only TO remember that
in case of a solar eclipse the dark
central shadow is so encroached upon
as to have scarcely l-2O or Ills the
diameter of the moon, while the
penumbral zone is always very much
wider than that diameter.
"In the eclipse of the 18th of Aug
ust, 1868, the central One o tOtality
was about 100 to 40 miles wide by
| 5000 long, from the northwest to the
southeast. The region within which
some portion of the sun was ecliDsed
was, however, 5000 miles wide and
10000 long, from northwest to south
east.
sin the eclipse of August 1869, the
central shadow will have a varying
breadth of about 100 to lis miles, and
will extend 5000 miles, passing from
southwest to northeast, and then
pending to the southeast. The bread
tn of the penumbra, within which
there will be a partial eclipse, will,
however, be about 5000 miles, reach
ing from the Equator, and Sandwich
Islands and Japan, up to beyond the
North Pole.
= = "In order that we may
hope to observe, under favorable con
dition. the more interesting phenOm-
ena of a solar eclipse, we must be
upon the central line Of the tOtality.
For the eclipse of the approaching 18th
of August, 1869, the central line will
pass over Sitka in Alaska; and Ovel
Sioux City, Des MOines and Burling'
ton, in Iowa; owe MaeOmb and
Springfield, in Illinois /; New Albany,
Indiana; Louisville and Lexington.
Kentucky Abingdon, Virginia and
Beaufort, North Carolina. The ex-
actly computed time of beginning and
ending will be published in time fol
the use of those who desire making
more exact observations and who
will naturally by correspondence witt
each other agree upon sOme wei
matured plan of cooperation.
what the observation o
the eclipse of next August will bring
forth cannot be anticipated. Expe
ditions will be fitted out by the Coas
Survey and the National Academy o.
Sciences, and several private person:
have indicated their intention to seeE
more favorable locations. Although
Lexington and Louisville are so &C
cessible from Cincinnati, yet, in view
of the desirability of observing tbs
eclipse when the sun is high up in
the heavens, and as it is not to b,
total here, L have made many in
quiries regarding points further
northwest. When in Omaha, las
August, l received every assurance O
the readiness of the army officers t.
assist any expedition that might b
fitted out for points northwest of that
city. \ very favorable point is to b
found about n hundred and fifty
miles higher up the Missouri river
and which could be easily reached
from Cincinnati. The expense o
purchasing such additional instruc
lions as this observatory does not nov
posses would amount to from $3.50 t.
$500. 1t would be best to remain
several days upon the spot, in Ordel
to make all possible auxiliary prepa
ratiOns."