The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-10
The Eclipse of Saturday.

At Raleigh, n. c., Immediately succeed
| ing the total observation the corona be-
| came visible and brilliant. Coruscations
seemed to fash and radiatc from the cir
conference of the moon. fluctuations OF
soft, white light burst out brilliantly and
repeatedly until the close, when Venus,
Mercury, and Mars, shone out in magnii--
cent splcndor. A peculiar gloom spread
like n pail over the landscape, while chang
ING tnts of black, orange, indigo, ana
leadcn hucs, covered the heavens near the
horizon north and south. The spectacle
was magnificent and sublime, and the
crowd about the cupola spontaneously burst
out with praise Cod from whom all
Blessings flow" During the totality two
blades of crimson light seemed to cut the
moons circumference. and curved lines
were visible across the disc Of the moon re-
sembling the groined projections OF the top
Of some Gothic cathedral.
At Louisville, one Of the important dis
covcrics made by Professor ". Winlock at
the spectroscope was elcTen bright lines in
the spectrum Of the protuberances OF the
sun, only five having heretofore been deter
mined. He also observed shower OF me-
.cors between the earth and moon. During
The partial observation beautiful red flames
or solar protuberanccs were visible to the
naked eve. BaiIcy's Beads, as well as dark
and disma' shadows Of the moon, moving
away through the air, were noted by n
party Of amateurs stationed on the top o.
Shclbyville College. Arcturus. vega.
| Venus, and Mercury. were visible to the
naked eye during the total phase. Mr.
scarlc, whose duty it was to search Tor
intermcrcurial planets, did not succeed IN
finding any. When the sunlight commence"
10 become dim q large number OF clt'zcnS
rushed to the college grounds, the mead
Quarters of the observations. Some minutes
before the total phase the usual phcnomc-
| non Of distraction among the birds OF the
mir and cattle occurred. Six minutes be-
| fore The totality dcatllly ashcn hue over
sprcad the countenanccs of al present, and
| for awhile the faint~hcartcd were terrified.
The scene during the totality was awful.
When the sunlight rc3ippearcd. shout Of
cxutation went up from the great crowd
in the college grounds.
At Chicago, the heavens and earth pre-
scntcd n scene Of awful Grbliuijty. bril-
liant amber colored corona appeared around
the sun and moon shooting rays Of light
outward III all directions, when the whole
horizon was illuminated with light o! the
same color. The planets Mercury and
Venus, and number Of fixed stars, were
distinctly visible, but no planctoids be-
tween Mercury and the sun were discover
ed. Brilliant rays of colorcd flame or pro-
tubcranccs were noticed on the western
limb Of the sun during the period Of total
obScuration.
The phenomenon known as " Ballcye
Beads" was also distinctly witnessed. The
phenomenon, Professor Pearcc thinks, Is
occaSioned by refraction OF Light. He is
also satisfied that the corona at the time Of
total observation was occaSiOncd by the
suns atmosphere.
The moment the eclipse became total the
famc-like protuberanccs were seen with
wonderful distinctness, one very large on
the lower limb of the sun, and three nearly
as large on the upper limb, while at least
seven or eight of them in all we're visible.
The one on the right-hand or lower limb
had somewhat the appearance of full
riggcd ship with sails set. In its part near
cgt the moon were two or three jet black
spots. 70 the naked eye it seemed as
though there we're openings or assures IN
The moon, two on the east side and one on
the southwest side. Just after the total
eclipse, through three openings the lurid
gow OF the sun was distinctly visible. The
corona was not as generally described i'll
books, &C.. halo OF light surrounding the
moon, but was distinctly seen to be fine
rointcd prong on the lower and two on the
"a, IF
points presented o radiant appearance. The
generally received theory rcgardn" this
corona, that it is the atmosphere OF the sun,
does moi seem to be sustained by obScr1a-
tons made at this point. 1t is conJcctured
that the corona is in some way caused by
the phenomena of light passing through
the atmosphere. Although search was
made. no planetary bodies were observed
between Mercury and tie sun. During
the totality phase Mercury, Venus, Rcgu-
lus. Mars, Saturn, and other stars, were yls!-
bic.
From the Wilmington Journal.
No sight of more sublimity or grandeur
could possibly have been imagined thanthc
cclinsc presented yesterday. Business was
for the time suspended, and every inhabl-
tant, large and small, gazcd with silent awe
upon this wonderful phenomcnon-onc OF
the rrandcst on record. The very breath
seemed suspended during the total phase,
and the magnificent sight was witnessed
with feelings impossible to describe. Ad-
miration, awe, wonder, curiosity, and de-
light, were all singularly blended and the
scene was we'll calculated to awaken such
| feelings.
The eclipse was total. The earth grew
dark, and as the light of day became OBJ
scured by this premature darkness, the at
mosphere grew cool, and chilly feeling
swept over us. The thermometer fell four
| degrees, and the wonderful change was eve
| rvwherc apparent, and even the chickens
| BEGAN to prepare for sleep, and actually
went to roost. The darkness was that OF
early night, but not quite SO great as actual
night lighted by the moon. 1t seemed q
premature and unnatural darkness, and one
| that could be felt.
The total eclipse lasted for the space OF
three minutes. The sight was one, then, tol
the naked eye. The body of the moon fully
obscured the sun, and around its edge wat
n crimson circle, from which mellow rays
shot forth. Upon the lower edge OF tht
moon appeared considerable spot or gap
through which dcadcned light was seen
In other parts of this planet and within the
circle were to bc seen two or three small
spots, through which the light penetrated AZ
through veil. Several stars made THEN
appearance bright in the heavens, and th(
armament denoted night. While the gaze
Of all humanity was thus fixed, the sun be
gan to emerge from the eclipse. The tirs
flash of his bright and golden rays ap
peared suddenly, and lie seemed rapidly t
emerge from the shadow. The dazzling eff
feet was not immediate, but that portion Of
the suns surface first seen appeared like
| l;or;A &ro nnd rnrs shot forth hnantifu