The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-01
THE ECLIPSE OF AUGUST =, 1853.


The total eclipse OF the sun. which wnI be vaote
at the above date belt Of country about fse
miles broad, and stretching from Alaska TO North
Carolina, bids fair to be more thoroughly observed
aud utilized IN the OF science than any cmilsr
phenomenon heretofore. Numerous parties have
been organized to make astronomical, PHYSICAL and
Photographic observations, and Will be located along
the central line which passes through or near Boones
b0rO. Des Moines, Burlington, Iowa; Springfield and
Shelbyvlle, Illinois; Bruceve and Newton, Indiana;
Louisville, Mount Vernon ana Manchester, KENTUCKY;
Bristol and Estliville, Virginia; Union, Kingspors
and Bountsville. Tennessee; Wilksboro, Lexington,
Fayetteville Clinton and Lecsburg. North Carolina
or these parties the largest ana most complete In
Its appointments will DO that organized in Philadel
phia. by Professor Henry Morton. under the sutho-
rity Of Professor J. H. G. Conn., who In charge
the appropriation of part Of the fund voted Dy
Congress for making such observations. This party
Will be essentially q Photographic One There have
been secured for Its use the equatorial belonging 70
the Philadelphia High School, Of six inch aperture
and nine feet focal length, provided with clOckwOrk
driver; also twin instrument belonging to tho
Pennsylvania College at Gettysburg, and q smaller
telescope, equst0rally mounted but without clock
work, belonging to the University Of Pennsylvania.
All these instruments have been lifted by Mr.. Joseph
Teutmayer with special eyep ieces instantaneous
in temporary building IN West Philadelphia In .
most convenient location, placed at the disposal Of
the party.
Preliminary experiments are now in progress and
some excellent results have been already reached.
Thus. pictures OF the SUMS disk, two and half
incnes in diameter, nave been taken, showing ths
numerous spots or dark markings with which our
luminary ab0unds Of regularly recurring periods OF
eleven years, OF which tals Is one as well as me
always found over his surface, and show especially
towards the edge Of his disk.
Thn cuVO oh tnood NJ nv furf hooA
pictures Is curious feature. The act OF exposing
Is managed in the following manner:-On the front
scope, is narrow opening across the tube in which
slides plate of brass with 9 silt across IT, one
lortieth OF an inch wide. This plate Is held up
When she trigger is lightly touched 1t releases tue
to pass on the sensitive plate only during that
Instant OF time occupied by the opening (0f
oneortieh Of an inch in passing across the centre
this mOmentary nash that 1t was found necessary
to cover up the lens OF the telescope oil except an
reducing the amount of light which entered to one
sixteenth of what would have passed the full aper-
The destination Of this party-or rather, this col
lection OF three partes-is Burlington, Iowa, and
best situated OF those which are equally accessible
The further west we go the earlier IN the day wil
the eclipse occur until we reach Alaska where IL
comes about noon. This Is both on account OF the
difference OF apparent tlme ut being 1t
| the same actual moment sunset on our
Atlantic coast and near noon on the Paclnch ana
because the travels over the sun from west 10
east that II takes nearly two hours Of actual tma
for the shadow to traverse our Continent. Inc
nearer to noon the phenomena occur the better i0r
observations especially Photographic ones, as there
Is less risk Of haze or Cloud about the sun. me
duration or total phase Is also longer where tho
eclipse at noon; for then the surface OF the
earth Is moving nearly in the same direction as the
moon and its shadow, and so tends to Keep In th0
shade longer Near sunrise or sunset the surface OF
the earth would be simply moving toward or from
the moon, and this motion t0f one thousand miles
an hour would therefore nave no effect IN keeping
! M with the moving shadow. The duration OF The
entire eclipse from first to last contact, Will DO
about two hours.
Besides the telescopes and Photographic arrange
ments. electric chrOnOgraphS Will be taken by tilis
party, which VIII be 80 connected with the telescopes
that each exposure Will be automatically recorueo
to the fraction OF second. and thus such series 0i
permanent observations Will be secured as are With
| out parallel In the history OF astronomy so large
number OF observers ana so much apparatus could
| not have been brought on the field on the strength
| Of the government appropriation ofouo had ~ moi
| been Tor the Kindness OF Mr. Thomas Scott, OF the
| Pennsylvania Central Railroad, who has provided
free transportation for this entire party, with theii
apparatus, in special car TO their destination To
| the expedition this assistance Is equivalent to q
doubling OF the government grant, aud with the aid
! Afforded to other parties, raises this mun1cen
donation to an equality with the entire appropriation
OF the British government to the expedition Of d.
In Rue to Spain during the eclipse OF 1860.