Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-06-30

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i1lansusttAtd. ktxl - OhsErb
tencc.' once said the philosophical
Abraham Lincoln, '.is ihe greatest
word in our language and the great
truths "a the soicnce Of astronomy are
demonstrated in the precision with
which for months and years ahead
cclipscs uf the sun aud moon are pre-.
dicied, and the line Of the moons
shadow across the earth or Of the
earth's shadow over the moon. OF
c0urse these calculations al depend
upon the precision Of the sublime
ciockwork cf our solar system, which
has been demonstrated a. absolutely
iufallibie. No human chronometer,
for instance, has yet been made TO run
within lis small compass the circuit Of
the year with the precision with which.
this rolling globe we inhabit completes
iisycarly circle Of six hundred millions
uf miles around the sun. The delicate
perfection Of such stBpendous machin-
cry is simply inconceivable but it is
demonstrated, and we must work from
that point, because we can 60 no fur
lher.
And so, on the 7th of August next,
we are promised that sublime phe.
nomen0n, when the san
IN dim sciipsc, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear Of chanrs
PerpieKcs monarchs.
The eclipse will be a total one, be.
ginning at sunrise of the sth in the
Pacific Ocean, east Of Japan, in lati.
tude thirty-six degrees and fifty-threo
minutes, and the line of the total
eclipse crossing into Alaska runs
thence sOutheastwardlr across this
Continent, ending in the Atlantic
Ocean of the North Carolina coast
from Beaufort at sunset II will be
the sunset Of the 9Th, on this coast,
while it will be sunrise Of the sth on
the Pacific, near japan. In this city
the eclipse will be begun at twelve
minutes past five p NJ, and will end
at sunset Extensive pregarationsAre
IN progress by company Of govern
ment officers for an expedition 20 Iowa
under Professor William Harkaess for
the purpose Of observing the eclipse;
for very interesting aud important
demonstrations are made from these
eclipses, reaching even 10 the materi-
ais Of the sun itself Professor Hark-
mess will set up his observatory near
Des Moines, and will be provided with
all the necessary instruments, inclu-
ding three telescopes for Photographic,
spectrOscopic and meteorological otl
servatiOns. Various colleges and Oh.
servatories Of The different States along
the line viii also take part IN these
scientific observations, and we expect
some savans from Europe TO assist on
the occasion. A general storm, how
ever, may spoil all these arrangements
between Iowa and North Carolina.
and so the government should have an
observer stationed well back on the
lofty dry plains Of Dacolah, where tbs
sky is almost certain 10 be clear. A.
for Alaska. "where il rains and SHOWS
always" the chance viii be very slim.
Last year, on the 18th OF August,
there was total eclipse Of the sun IN
the Eastern hemisphere, crossing H.
dia 10 Alden, on the Red Sea. and thence
over the Continent Of Africa. Very
gratifying results were obtained from
the scientific observations made at
Alden, Bombay and other points, and
from those experiments aud the new
Instruments pnnloved fherein still
more valuable aud instructive facts, IL
is expected, viii be established from
the more elaborate preparations for
the coming eclipse The government
at Washington has the instruments
and the astronomer, and M their be
half every possible precaution, with
the surest localities for an unciOuded
sky aud pure atmosphere on the liue
of total observation, should be adopted
10 insure for the observations the fnil-
est aitainable suceess.--N. J. Herald.