The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-07
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SOLAR
NN ECLIpSE.
Inc lmPEssT,Ons IRE prGIessgE Morton Made, and

~ oeherman wilson, at Seventh and
Cherry streets, contains in its September
number four photographs of different phases
OF the great solar eclipse, August Z, 1869, to-
gether with full report of the Government
astronomical and Photographic expedition sent
10 Iowa to observe and photograph the eclipse
those who were not privileged to see the
great phenomena will be much gratifed by
these There are two views before, one
during, and one after totality.
We present from Professor Mortons vivid
. and exact paper the following extracts:-
We were now told by the astronomers that
the moon would soon reach the SUM- Plates
were prepared at once ready to get picture
of first contact. Professor Watson was to
signal by lifting his hand at the moment
Our plate was in the camera and the slide
drawn, while we watched for the signal JJp
went the hand; click! went the stop, and the
first exposure was made, the plate showing on
development the least contact, looking like
the impression made upon an apple by the
thumb when testing its ripeness. Negatives
were then made at intervals of five to ten
minutes until totality took place, and after
, totality until the eclipse was ended and over.
''Totality will occur in six minutes, cried
Professor Watson, as agreed. ''Totality will
occur III six minutes, we re-echoed to our CO.
laborerS in the darkroom, and soon after the
plates began to appear. Totality came, lasted
two minutes and forty eight seconds, and four
exposures were made There being plenty of
men to work their parts all things worked
smoothly and well, and our expedition was
grand success!
Three of our party, however, were mar
tyred to science, and these were the men in
the darkroom. More persons living in the
United States have seen Niagara or the Nam
;, moth Cave or the Yosemite Valley than have
J seen a total eclipse, and it will be A. d. 1901
before another can be seen, yet these men
ct,1n1y 10 4haiI. ilyn hnrAao opI
nothing of the totality.
And now, how shall we convey to our
readers an idea of what total eclipse is like
We were continually interrupted making ex-
posures, yet between them we witnessed-a
grand, an awe-inspiring sight, which we shall
never forget How shall we describe it?
In the year 1842 there was total eclipse Of
the sun visible in the south of France. Arago
tells us that at Perpignan nearly 20, 900 per-
sons, smoked glass in hand, stood ready to
witness it, and shouted aloud when it came
Had we the descriptive power of those 20, 900
we could not describe our impressions
during totality. We had read many
descriptions of a total eclipse; had studied
up the matter with Photographic
r views of one; thought we knew just what to
expect and how it would look. Our informa-
ton on the subject only added to our surprise.
Our position enabled us to watch the pro-
gress of the eclipse nicely. About quarter
of an hour after contact the diminution in the
light began to be quite perceptible, and near
totallty the air became SO much cooler that
having linen coat on we wished for a
warmer one. The air seemed as it does when
a storm is gathering overhead. A bank of
clouds in the SOUTH which were not visible
when the sun was shining fully, now began to
assume color-first asilverg glare, then grey, then
yellowish, andfnalya bright orange-red color.
The blue of the sky changed into various
oo1orC and our noIOrapiOn'c faoaC hnnar
to assume rather livid appearance. The
changes were very gradual. With our mind
upon our work, anxious lest we should fail,
we had less opportunity to watch the pheno-
mena than we desired, but what we saw we
remembered Totality took place. 1t was
dark, but not the darkness of night. These
pages could hardly be read at the time. We
have seen moonlight nights brighter than it
was then. We could all readily see to
do our work AS we had chances to lift
our eyes upward oh what a sight met
them A moment before and the mar
rowest rim of the sun was shining so
brightly the eye could not gaze upoil it
without pain. Now, the struggle is ovej fol
the moment; the moon'has gained the MAJ terry
and the sun is eclipsed! The light had passed
I away instantly, like the flames of a great fire
sometimes do when, with the grand leap up
ward, they fall suddenly, mastered by the
water thrown upon them-like the snufing Of
candle IN dark room.
There, hung in the heavens, aye, between
heaven and earth, upheld by the hanG
of God were the two great orbs face tC
/ face. A great round shadow; all around it
brilliant circle of light, of brownish COLDER
color, broken here and there at irregula
intervals by the brighter pink pro
turberances of irregular size and shape
crowned by the glorious corona glorious
and bright, shooting its sheafs of rays in al
directions, weakest where the protuberance
were largest, but all-inspiriting, awe-inspir
ing, wonderful glorious, making one feel tina
our Creator must be near at hand to brin
! about such display of His wondrous and al
mighty power. Silence reigned. Nothing
could be heard but the counts of the astrono
mers, and the click of our drop as each plat
was exposed. There it hung great pictur
displayed by the Almighty to His creatures
Oh, what sight We looked overhead once
and our eyes met several stars which SCENE
to rebuke us for looking at them. The sam
feeling of reproof came over us as the grea
protuberance on the lower edge of the SUI
was looked at time and again -Four plate
had now been exposed; and now, as W
looked, "God said let there be light, an
there qoaS light" for then came brigl
dazzling flash of light, triumphant, like tn
+ victor of some great conquest; like the leapln
" of the waters as they reach thefalls at Nlagari
like the Joy that broke upon the heart OF tn
i agerieved father at the sight of the returne
prodigal; like the scene that followed Whe
i our Saviour said, Lazarus, come torth
The battle was decided, and the sun the VIZ
ylAI Am