The New York herald., 1874-10-24

The Eclipse Of the Moon Tonight.
The total eclipse of the moon. which will
take place tonight, is an event which is not
to be compared in importance with the transit
of Venus in December, but it will have far
more interest to the majority of persons. The
phenomenon is one sufficiently unusual to
command attention; it transforms the appear
ance of familiar celestial object its causes
are easily understood. and it is visible to the
naked eye. The moon, which is the constant
companion of the earth, ''the lesser light
which was made to rule the night" puts on
garments of mourning and fear, and moves
through the sky like red and appalling me-
teor. 1t is no wonder that ignorant nations
tremble before such strange transformation,
for there is no visible cause for it, 1t appears
to them as an actual change in the condition
of the moon itself. When far distant planet
passes over the disk of the sun none Of these
picturesque revelations OF light and darkness
are seen by man. The passage would indeed
be unknown were it not for the precalcu-
lations of astronomers, and unstudied were it
not for the scientific discoveries which it
alone makes possible The eclipse, therefore,
is an event of universal interest, and the tran
sit OF Venus simply one of scientific value.
Those who observe the eclipse Of the moon,
which will begin at forty-eight minutes past
eleven o'clock, New York time, tonight and
will end at ffty-six minutes past three on
Sunday morning will find their pleasure and
tneir wonder increased by comprehension
of the laws which govern it. Science, which
destroys tabled beauty, creates beauty
far more marvellous, as the heaven
of Copernicus is infinitely nobler than the
false, deluslve sky it banished. To merely
see the moon become as blood and again
array herself in her celestial glory, without
comprehension of the laws which cause the
ancient miracle, is certainly to lose half of
the grandeur of the spectacle The public
will therefore find in the letter which Profes-
sor Henry NJ Parkhurst addresses to the edi-
tor Of the HERALD to-day an explanation Of
the eclipse which will add intellectual delight
to the pleasure the eye takes in observing the
gradual change This distinguished astrono-
mer, whose observations and predictions of
the course OF Coggia's comet were
80 valuable, has the rare faculty of
clearly unfolding scientific laws to a
q non-scientifc public, and of this his
able letter is q remarkable example. Any
intelligent person who reads Professor Park
hursts explanation and studies the'appended
diagrams will be prepared to watch the
eclipse, not as meaningless freak Of the
moon, but as revelation Of the laws which
control the solar system. He can verify the
predicted changes hour by hour, and enjoy to
its fullest extent the luminous beauty of q rare
astronomical demonstration.
It is to be hoped the moon will get through
with this performance all right, and not disap-
point the millions Of people whose eyes will
be turned heavenward from oil parts Of North
America. That she will be strictly punctual
there is no doubt, for there is, no record Of
q planets being late, at least not since
Joshua's time The principal danger to
US is the uncertainty Of the clerk Of the
government service, and. like other officials.
does not always comply with the popular
wish If he chooses to do so he can spoil the
whole display. He may hide it from our
view with a curtain OF clouds or gloomy
wall of rain. But if the local atmospheric
conditions are favorable, as we hope they will
be, the people of New York and her adjacent
cities will see the moon pass through many
and suggestive changes. They will see her
enter the earths faint penumbra and veil half
of her features like bashful maiden; then
her whole disk will be doubtful and dismal
like the city canvass till at two O. clock, when
the total eclipse is reached her face
will resemble nothing SO much as the
republican party in Ohio Finally, when the
morning approaches, and freed from trouble
aud darkness, the moon glides, full orbed,
splendid and triumphant into the tranquil
sky, we shall behold in her a celestial image
of the nation, when its glory is no longer
eclipsed by Credit Mobilier, back pay, carpet
baggers, Mumbo Jumbo in the South and
ring rule in the North and when the shadow
of the third term shall be thrown only into
empty space
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The necessity for art culture in many