The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-07-24

iOSt, NO. IL, ". y. H., aI tnClf foOn Ill
Elkton, on Wednesday evening, July 2Sth
The Eclipse.-The following article on
the eclipse of the sun on the It'll of August
next, was prepared by Hon. Alexander
Evans, one of the first mathematician and
scientific men in the State. The article
will doubtless arrest the attention of the
learned, as well rs the general reader, and
stimulate desire to witness this great phe-
nomenon, a total eclipse of the sun. Roam
Mountain there spoken of rs being the best
point east of the Rocky Mountains from
which to view the eclipse, is a peak of the
Blue Ridge, just over the Tennessee line,
on the borders of North Carolina, and not
a great distance from Greenvillc. III East
Tennessee, the home of that humble indi-
vidual, so well but unfavorably known to
the people of the United States.
There will be an Eclipse of the Sun visi-
bic at Elkton, on the It'll day of August
next.
h. m. S.
Beginning at 5 06 % p. NJ
Angle of place of beginning
from North Point towards
the right -791 II
Angle from Vertex or Suns
highest point toward the
right 1919 3O'
Digits eclipsed 1913
Altitude of the SUMS centre
at beginning of Eclipse 200 90 so"
True bearing of SUMS centre
beginning of Eclipse - N. So 30' w.
The computation is, for position, the
Depot and for Eikton time: 4: for Philadel-
phia or Rail Road time, add Pm. ABS.
If a line be supposed to be drawn from
the Suns centre to the North Pole, then,
the place where it cuts the Suns limb will
be the North Point.
That place on the Suns limb farthest
from the horizon is the Vertex.
The Suns circumference is supposed to
be divided into 5000 ; or quadrant thereof
into 90o: and the place of beginning will
be about 1870 less than quadrant, from the
Suns North point, going round towards
the right hand or about Al 01-2 more than
a quadrant, from the Suns VcrteX, meas
uring also to the right. 1t should he
stated, that the angle from the Vertex at
Washington, is given, in the National AL
manac at 1860 Al but as careful exam
nation of the computation by two different
methods, results in 1919 30', it is thought
proper to state it at that quantity.
Il,
by this is meant, that if the Suns diameter
be supposed to be divided into - parts !;
10 parts, and s tenths of another, out of
the IL, will at the time of greatest Eclipse
be covered by the moon; and 1.2 parts of
the Suns disk will be visible. The Eclipse
will be on the southern limb at Elkton, and
at all other points north of the central
line, under which, and for a distance of
nearly 20 miles OH each side, it will be total
and the last total Eclipse visible in the
United States during this century.
The central line will pass through or over
the States of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Car
DINA and near the towns of Des Moines,
Fort Madison, Nauvoo, Springfield, Vim
cennes, Louisville, Salisbury the Eclipse
will be total also at Newbern, Wilmington,
On. CO. Charlotte, Lexington, frankfort,
Terre Haute, Hannibal, Quincy, Keokuk,
Abingdon (Va.); at which last named place
the total phase will begin at 5h. Am CAS-,
and will last 2m. 1ss: Abingdon is north
of the central line.
Persons from Cecil county who wish to
see the total eclipse, may easily reach the
central line by way of Washington, Gull
pepper, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Abing-
don, stopping at Carter, few miles beyond
Abingdon.
Or, by Washington, Richmond, Weldon,
Goldsborough, stopping at Rose Hill.
Carter and Rose Hill are nearly under
the central line.
Not far from Carter is the Roam Noun
tain, 5000 feet in height, from whose sum-
nit the view of the Eclipse will not be ex-
celled by that at any point east of the Rocky
Mountains.
Stephen Alexander, Professor of Astron-
omy at Princeton, assigned by the National
Academy of Sciences to superintend the
observations of this Eclipse, in a letter re-
ceived from him since the above was writ
ten, confirms the accuracy of the angle
from the Vertex of 1910 30', and the error
of that of 1862 Al, given in the National
Ephemeris.