The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-07-15

THE COMING EcLrpsE.-During the
afternoon of a'urday,> August It'll, q
total eclipse IF the s,ua, one Of the most
imposing spectacles of nature as well
one of the most important phenomena,
will he visible to a wide belt of country
from northwest to southeast across
North America. AS Il partial cell pse it
will be visible all over the northern part
of this continent.
The belt Of country from which the
eclipse will appear total is about l43
miles in width, beginning in the United
States near the origin of Milk river, Ion
gitude 500 west. thence extending
through the southwest corner of Min
nesota, and diagonaly across Iowa, the
central line Of the umbra crossing the
Missississippi river between Burlington
and Keokuk thence through Illinois,
just north of Springfield, and crossing
the Ohio river near Louisville, KY;
thence through the southwest corner of
West Virginia, and through North Car
DINA, just south of Raleigh, and thence
to Newburn, and entering the Atlantic
just north of Beaufort. y. G..
Only twice has a total solar eclipse
been visible from any part of the United
States during the present century, and
then. in 1906 and 1884, only from very
small part; and while such an event
occurs somewhere on the earth nearly
every year, the area within which it
may be seen is SO small that it happens
to few persons to witness one in the
course of a lifetime. 1t is very natural,
therefore, that the greatest interest
should be manifested in the approach
scope of densely populated country
Preparations have been made for the
most careful scientific observations to
be taken from convenient points at short
tinent.
The chief points of popular interest in
an eclipse Of this character, and which
can be observed by the naked eye are
enumerated by scientific writer to be
as follows:
l. The changes in the color of the sky
aud the clouds, and in the colors and
shades of the distant landscape, and also
Of near objects. 2. The approach and
retreat of the dark shndop, which may
be stated approximately to be at the rate
of mile IA second. 3. The degree of
darkness during the totality, its effect
upon animals and plants, and whether
stars can be seen and if SO, how many,
what stars, aud of what color. 4. Tie
corona, or halo of light, which sur
rounds the moon, and which usually
appears three or four seconds previous to
the total extinction of the suns light
and continues visible for about the same
interval after its appearance. IN gen.
eral, it may be compared to the nimbus
commonly painted around the heads of
the saints. 10 the naked eye, the cor
ona appears to start out from the dark
body OF the moon just at the moment of
total eclipse. 1t is the most startling
and impressive incident of the eclipse,
the climax of the whole phenomenon,
and perhaps the most thrilling effect
in nature. 5. The rose cOlOred projec-
lions, which appear around the margin
| of the moons disk, are often Though
not always) visible even to the naked
eye. 8. The sphericiy Of the moon,
which has sometimes been seen project
ed upon the bright sky; also the effect
of the moons hanging out IN the Sky
| between the earth and the sun, and
sometimes apparently very near the
| former.