The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-03-22
TlIE EcLIPsE OF TlIE suN.
Observations, to be aIade--.Thc Information
TO be GhIned. $50

Observations TO be Mnde--.rhc Information
TO be Gained. "} 7'i'I T
The observations afforded by such m
opportunity as will be had on tho 9th OF
next April for noting total eclipse OF
the sun, II successfully made, may mark
IN important era in all future soinr and
stellar physics Tho practical benefits
from eclipse observations have long gbeen
known and unconsciously realized by the
world. They serve TO increase the per.
fection OF our lunar and solar tables, so
necessary to the science Of navigation.
They have furnished the data for deter.
mining geographical lougitudes and tho
relative situations Of different parts OF
the globe. Tho accuracy with which
they have boen predicted demonstrates
to the popular mind, by tho most palpa.
bic evidence, that there Is something in
the occult science Of astronomy which
can be brought home to the most rigid
utilitarian. a1]ut the most important
scientific end aimed at, aud now hoped
for, from eclipse observations, is tho
analysis Of the sun and tho discovery Of
the wonderful constitution Of its fiery
mass, Tho study or Investigation Of
solar chemistry Is, in itself, one Of the
most interesting OF all physical inquiries,
and has become doubly 30 since the
spectroscope. has enabled. us to test the
materials in the solar atmosphere almost
as accurately asif q specimen Of the SIMS
mass could be obtained and subjected to
chomist's laboratory tests. The mind
Is awed by the mysterious affinity now
known 10 exist between tho earth and tho
far off planetary bodies. ltisa discov-
cry which stamps the whole planetary
and stellar world as OF ono kindred in
creation, and us coming from one crea-
tive hand. There may DO many varie-
ties, but substantial unity OF constitu-
ton, and this is made more palpable to
the eye when the solar spectra reveal the
presence Of metals, such rs zinc and
iron, which we daily handle, existing in
IN orb more than ninety millions OF
miles away from us. Imagine our own
planet on fire, It's entire surface glowing
as the fiery furnace, its coal beds sending
forth their stored.up energy in flames
higher than the SUBMITS Of Climborazo,
and even the rock and metallic ores yola-
tilted by the uncomfortable heat, and We
have some faint image Of what tho sun is
and would appear to us could We ap-
proach 1t. shgil "a Ill
AS knowledge and reflection go on the
mystery Of the SUM- heat, never abating
in the long lapse Of ages, becomes grow.
ingly darker. A few years ago tho great
scientist Mayer undertook 10 show that
the sustained solar heat was duo to
masses OF meteoric bodies falling into
and supplying fuel to its fires. But Sir
William Thomson exploded that idea 80
completely (by showing TINT, undcrsucll
n hypothesis, the suns mass would in
two thousand years be so increased rs to
sensibly affect the earth's revolution nntl
chRnge the length Of tho yeaID TINT 1t
has been abandoned. The samofatO has
oyertalten many other solar hypothcseB,
which, for q time, carried all the scien-
tific world after them, and the mysteries
Of the past, slightly modified by frag-
mentary discoveries, still rise up I'M
solved before the most profound re.
searches Of tile age.
Tho present attempt to photograph the
eclipsed sun is TO be directed mainly to
tho corona, or exterior envelope Of glow
ing vapor, which liag been called the
solar atmosphere. The expediionary
parties will lie well prepared for their
work and enter on the field with the best
instrumental advantages ever possessed
by any eclipse expedition. The most
courteous hospitality has been offered
them by tho King Of Siam, through
whose dominions the moons shadow will
make It's transit, and where alone, with
tho exception OF few insular stations in
the Indian ocean, the eclipse will be
visible on land. To tho other instrli-
mental appliances for such observations,
which have been accumulating many
years, tho astronomers, now on route for
Siam, will add the Ridorostat, which
gives immense effectiveness to their up
paratus and puts them on a vantage
ground never before occupied by eclipse
observers.