Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-30
THE SUNS ECLIPSE.
Interesting Features Relative to the
Great Phenomenon.
Future EclIpses and the Value Of
Observations.

pAoSuto a piCOo VI ohOhSu VI SOtVtCu
glass. As is well kaown, solar eclipses
are caused by the Intervention of the
moon which comes between the earth
and the Gun, thereby cutting of the
whole or part of the light Of the latter.
The eclipse yesterday was a repetition
of a similar eclipse that was visible in
the United States and Spain. July l8,
1860, and in Europe, July 8, 1912. 1t
was the last total eclipse virible in the
North American continent during
the present century. By a curious &C.
incidence it is found that the sun and
the moon return to almost exactly the
same point on the moons orbit in $685.
days, I hours and az minutes, or Is
years, 10 or IL days, according t, the
number Of leap years. This period was
known to the ancients as Ssros, and it
enabled them after having observed a
number Of eclipses to predict their
return with considerable accuracy.
Eelipses Of the moon may in this way
be foretold S65 years and those Of the
sun for 1900 years.
TIE ECLIPSE AT THIS POINT,
though not total, could be easily seen
with the naked eye. The time of enter.
ing the penumbra was 3 Al (mean .ime),
the sun being shaded near sths at APO.
At s the shadow began to decrease,
moving off in a southeasterly direction.
The peculiar light during the eclipse
was noticed by every one. The line
along which the eclipse was total starts
in northeastern Asia, crosses Behr-
ing's Strait into Alaska, passes through
British America. near the Pacific
coast line, and finally reached the north.
ern boundary of the United States be.
tween meridians 80 and AZ degrees west
from Washington, From this point the
track, which was ZIG miles WIDE, ran in
a southeasterly direction through Wyom.
ing, Colorado, the Indian Territory and
Texas, passing into the Gulf Of Mexico,
between Galveston aud New Orleans, at
q short distance east of the former.
Hence, the observations taken at st,
Charles, Louisiana. When the sun
crossed the 49th parallel the
DURATION OF THE ToTALITY
was 3 minutes 7 seconds, bat this periot
: gradually grew less as the path ran south
at Denver it was 2 minutes 81 seconds.
Fort Worth, 2 minutes 81 seconds, ant
near Galveston 2 minutes "a seconds
The middle of the eclipse ended at sun
8 set at q point just south of Hayti, in thl
West Indies.
d Among the points and places 10 III
United States crossed by the moon
shadow we're Helena, Virginia City, Fo.
Ellis, Union Peak, Fremont's Peal
1t Camp Brown, Camp Stambaugb, Raw
n Jugs, Creston, Fort HalIeck, Larami
City, Greeley, Denver, Central Cit!
Georgetown. Perryville, Canon Cit
n Pixies Peak, Pueblo, Kit Carson, For
Lyon, Las Animas, Camp Nichols
Fort Elliott, Fort Belknap, Foi
IT Richards, Decatur, Benton, Palestine
= -
d Homer, Marion, Orange and SSbin
10 City. To the east and west of this lin
the eclipse was only partial, the propo
ton Of the suns disc being cut of
the moon, depending upon the di
lance Of the place from the line
totality, The nearer, therefore, to thi
)" central line, the larger was the eclips
DISTANCE IF sUN AND MOON.
At the time of the total eclipse on Il
% meridian at Denver, the moons distanC
=, from hat city was 225 ,635 miles, an
re from the earth 22S, 1886 miles, or near
k 10000 miles less than her mean distant
IS of 23S,3lS, her equatorial horizontal pa
81 ak being SO minutes and 40 aecout
O. Of arc. The suns distance was 90, IA
I'd 600 miles, his mean distance b~ing take
at $780, 900, the measurement that
generally accepted, though this diffe
IN ence of estimates is one of the poin
tb which will be determined and settl-d |
the observations made yesterday. Hov
4 ever, it is seen that the moons distanI
,e from the earth is less. and the sun
d, greater, than the average condition
which are well known to be necessary
a total eclipse Of any considerable dur
es ton. Taking the suns diameter
So 86l ,26O miles, and the moons as FL
'S miles, it is calculated that the length
the moons shadow will then be 1851,
r. miles, and its breadth perpendicular
r. thesaxis at the meridian of Denver
N. miles.
q. THE CHIEF vALUG
" Of solar eclipses lies in the facilities tn
nj give for studying the composition of t
Of sun. As seen with the naked eye
o. with an ordinary telescope the surfO
Of the sun consists OF a disc Of INTENSE
brilliant white light, known as the ph
tosphere. Outside of this nothing
visible. But when in a total eclipse /
moon passes slowly over the sun and
Ia the last ray Of sunlight vanishss q see
Oe of extraordinary grandeur and imprl
ou siveness breaks upon the view. The Clio
Of the moon, black as ink, is seen as
it were hanging in mid air, surround
m by a crown of soft silvery liz