Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-11-27
NO. 4S.
Blotting Out the Sun.

OF the sun. had fine opportunity 70
witness that event. The sky was per-
fectly clear, not Il cloud being visible,
for indeed spectators at Pixies Peak
were above the clouds. Probably no
better point could have been selected on
the path of totality, as the reports OF
the astronomers will show. For two
minutes and some odd seconds old Sol
was completely shorn of his glory. 1t
was Il scene of awful sublimity, from
first 10 last, and looking now at tho ma
jestic orb of dag, slowly retreating in
the west, it seems impossible that but
few moments since he was utterly ex-
tinguished from the earth. There was
no want OF preparation for the grand
event. The instruments were perfectly
mounted, the observations were instar-
taneous and all that could be desired,
and the photographs taken have never
been equalled in numter or accuracy of
execution. \ few minutes before the
contact (2.3D, every man was. az his
post, breathless with expectancy. By
degrees the brilliant blaze and scorch-
ing heat of the sun gradually dimin-
ished, and as the black disk of the moon
crawled onward and upward, slowly
blotung out the daylight and lis king,
the spectacle became more and more
impressive. Gradually the fullness of
day dissOlved into a dun, reddisn-gray
twilight, that looked like smoke or fog,
but was too transparent TO De mistaken
for either. The twilight perceptibiy
increases. We snUdder with the con-
sciousness that we are passing into the
valley of the shadow OF darkness that
can be felt. The moon steadily but
slowly oyerlaps the disc of the great Iu-
minary. but its shadow sweeps over the
mountain tops in many lines of light
and shade more rapidly than the fastest
locomotive on 4 descending grade.
Gradually the sun seems to have become
a mere cone, ami the opaque body OF
the moon appears to be eating out the
light from this cone between her own
sphere and the vortex. We are becom-
ing involved in the blackness of night.
The brighter stars and planets near the
region of the sun AMI moon appear.
The air has grown chilly. The plants
about us show how rapid is the action
OF light, by yielding TO the influence Of
the eclipse phenomenon, poppies and
night shades, which had been closely
shut. gradually unfolding as the dark
ness increases. Birds fly to their nests,
fowls TO their roOsts, and chickens to
the Friendly wings of shelter. The
horses stand with heads and tails erect,
and with a startled and frightened
look. Dogs gaze in wonder at the ter
rible appearance of the sky in wonder
ment and alarm. \ deadly ashen hue
has overspread the faces of all present,
and for while the firmest hearted are
terrified. We have reached the verge
of total ObscuratiOn. The thin white
crescent has at length become spark
ling corona, nearly rhOmboidal in form,
distinct and extending at some points
half degree beyond the edge of the
Guns disk. Rose colored protuberan-
ces appear, like flashing beads. while
the black ledge of the moon seems to
stand out like stereoscopic picture.
The mercury in the thermometer has
fallen thirteen degrees, and we have
become thoroughly chilled by the sud-
den change. There is a peculiar gloo-
my appearance i'll the entire landscape,
the foliage of the trees having the pc
eliliar color produced by an electric
light. The limbs of both sun anG moon
seem shaking violently. Mercury and
Venus are plainly visible. They do not
appear a. ordinarily at night, but seem
10 shine with soft and slightly diffused
white light. The sky in the vicinity of
the sun has changed from blue to pc
culiar milky hue, in the zenith to pur-
plish tinge and a more gloomy aspect,
while the east is lighted up with lu-
rid glare similar to that which some
times attends an autumn sunset. The
darkness is now so great that the sight
presented 10 the unaided eye is superb
or to that of the telescope. Momenta-
rily the shadow is increasing, the foli-
age of the trees is no longer visible, the
moment of total observation has ar
rived. Naught is to be seen above but
tine stars and circle of light around
the moon, the clouds becoming arrayed
n all the cOlors of the rainbow. IL is
dead midnight at 3.42.15 z. NJ, local
fFhn
one hour, or accurately one hour and
four minutes in reaching this position.
Not a second has been lost by the as
trOnOmers in noting and recording OBJ
servations. The photographers have
worked incessantly. The professor de-
tailed to note the time by the ehrono-
meter, and during the entire eclipse,
from its commence mem to it, close, has
never for a moment allowed his eve to
wander from the dial plate, thus losing
sight of the eclipse in any Of its pha-
ses. The sOlemnity of death seems
upon US. Not word Is spoken, and
the silence is appalling. The duration
of total observation is but little more
than two minutes, but the suspense is
fearful. We are in the pail of dark
ness relieved only by cheering rays OF
promise from the planets and fixed
stars, which increase the awful sub
unity of the passing moments. Only
the brilliant rosy jets, caused by the re-
fraction of light, are visible to mark
the sun in the heavens. And now tho
bright rim slowly emerges, and as the
glorious sunlight reappears a shout Of
joy and exultation goes up from the
whole assembly. The change seems
more rapid now. AS the eclipse came
on the daylight seemed gradually to
diminish as the phenomenonapproaehed
the total phase, but the instant the sun
began to reappear the full brightness
of daylight seemed TO have returned
In like manner we notice the gradual
lessening of the daylight before sunset,
but not its increase before sunrise. The
gloomy aspect of the mountains was