New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-09
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE ECLIPSE.

The predictions of our astronomers were
verified to the letter By the celestial event OF Saturday
last In this city and It's vicinity many msgivngs were
expressed as to its visibility for the sky overcast ut
TO the very moment Of apparent contact but the cloudy
curtain slowly rising at last revealed to crowds Of
ious spectators the dazzling uminary just It's lmb be-
gan to be obscured by the intervening moon The darb
concaye formed the solar disk by this lunar
overlapping gradually expanded until 1t reached
the line Of greatest obscurity, when the SUM-
viewed through colored glass, seemed to assume
a phase of the moon, and appeared as q deli
cate crescent In this position more than vesixhs Of
the direct rays shut off, yet the day was SO little
darkened as to raise the suggestion that much OF the re
naming hight was due to the phenomenon OF diffusion
From this stage Of the eclipse the somDer hues Whch
shaded the landscape passed slowly away with the re-
treating penumbra and finally were lost In the golden
nts of the returning No remarkable change IN the
atmosphere was indicated by the barometer or thermom
eter and the wind varied but slightly in force during
the imposing scene The changes noted In parual
eclipse though considerable, have special
significance when compared with what was revealed 10
those who planet and its satellite In the same
night line with the We told by telegraph that
at the principal points Of observation the sky was cloud
less, and that all the Philosophical instruments were
brought into successful operation The exact value OK
the new information thus acquired cannot DO
estimated until the full reports OF the several
commissions have been published. Yet We nave
assurances sufficient to authorize the announcement
that total solar eclipse Of 1869 has been more closely
and successfully observed than any previous phenom-
enOn Of the same class IL may be gratifying TO the ma
onal pride Of some to know that this country already
contains greater number Of large refractors than can
be found In any one kingdom Of the Old World Yet mono
of these owing to their position could be brought lnl"
requstOn for observing the total eclipse Cur astroDo
mers have boon obliged to travel hundreds and In some
fhp
walton the line Of totally to which they we're sever
ally assigned At Boston the sky obscured by clouds
atPhladelphla similar disappointment was experienced
At Cincinnati gas lighted, and the atmosphere had
yellowish appearance large party OF scientific OBJ
servers, including Prof. Wlnlock Of Harvard; Alyan
Clark and Others obtained some gratifying results &C
Shebyyle, KY, and took several photographs OF the
sum- The red protuberances and Bays beads were dis
tnctly visible Prof. Winlock observed eleven bright
lines in the spectrum, only five having been previously
determined At Nation, Ill., Profs. Hough of Dudley OBJ
servatory and Murray Of Rutgers College, observed the
total observation with the aid OF an instrument Tor meas
uriug the prOtuberances, and chronOgraph TO note
accurately the time Of the various phenomena, tho tine
being obtained by elegraphlc communication with tho
Observatory at Albany At the moment Of totally tho
darkness equal to that Of moonlight night and the
temperature had fallen from 1O2o TO Coz. There were
openings in the moon-two the east sde and one on
the southwe side Just after the total eclipse through
the openings, the urd glow OF the sun was usthCto VET
be The corona not generally described In books,
&c. halo Of light surrounding the moon but was dis
tinctly seen in the shape Of veponted prong on tho
lower and prongs the upper circumference OF the
moon. These prOngs presented radiant appearance
The theory regarding the corona that
1t the atmosphere Of the sum- does not seem to be sus
tanned by observations made at this point IL Is eonjec-
tured that the corona is in some way caused Dy tho
phenomena Of light passing through the atmosphere.
Although search was made. planetary bodies we're
observed between Mercury and the sun.
Six spots were visible the suface Of the sun DefOro
the eclipse two Of which were yery prominent Tho
ousps on the moon had ragged and bured appearance
Bailys beads we're seen distinctly by all the observ-
ers extending through of at least so degrees Tho
moment the eclipse became total the hameke protuoer
anccs were seen with wonderful distncDess, one very
large on the lower limb Of the sum- and three nearly 40
large on the upper limb, while at least seven or egt OF
them in all we're visible. The ono on the night mama
lower limb had somewhat Tie appearance OF fulI-
rugged ship with sails In ITS part nearest the moon
we're two three jet black spots.