Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-01-28
THE RECENT TOTAL ECLIPSE
OBSERVATIONS IN oAEFoRNIA-AH IN
TEREsTING CHAPTER.

JANUARY 1lth.--A despatch from
San Francisco on speaking OF the ro-
cent total eclipse says "The line Of
totality of the eclipse Of the sun today
passed ten miles north Of this place.
The weather was perfectly clear. AT
fifteen minutes before O'Clock the
first contact was Visible, and at 1853
the obscuration became total. As tho
last ray of sunlight disappeared a co.
roma OF clear white light entirely en-
cireling the moon flashed into view,
brilliant at the edge Of the moon, and
palng toward the outer limit ofthe halo.
Next along the border Of the lower
left third OF the moon appeared an ir-
regular fringe of brilliant sparkling
primitive red and purple light, while
at the top of the moon there
was bright yellow triangle OF light
equal in height TO one sixth the diane
ter Of the disk. A similar but smaller
triangle appeared at the centre Of the
right side Of the moon, and from the
upper and lower right side broad faint
rays were projected. This appearance
lasted thirty-one seconds, the corona
remaining one minute longer. The
sun disappeared behind the coast.range
before the eclipse had entirely passed.
During the obscuration the horses Of
the party Of observers showed signs
of extreme uneasiness, and the fowls
of the neighborhood ranches sought
their roosts. At Salenas, where the
eclipse was also total, the thermometer
fell eight degrees during the totality."
This eclipse has been looked forward
to with great interest by astronomers,
although it was known that 1t would
occur under unfavorable circumstances,
the totality happening so near the time
OF sunset that the hazeand atmospheric
disturbances always present near the
horizon interfered with the use Of deli.
cate einstruments for observation. There
were two reasons, however, why un-
usual interest was felt in this eclipse.
One was that it is the last total eclipse
of tho sun that will be seen in the
West this century. But probably the
strongest reason is that the observa-
tions Of the eclipse Of 1873, for which
elaborate preparations were made, both
in this country and in Europe, where
scientific parties were expensively
equipped TO visit the Rocky mountains,
produced disputed results that led to
some warm discussion, which had the
effect OF only strengthening the re-
spective opinions Of the parties TO it.
A general desire was felt TO have these
questions set at rest, and the eclipse OF
Sunday offered, at least, chance for
such settlement. Then, results were
} reached in 1878 which, although not
disputed, were yet felt TO be incom.
plete, and the opportunity Of supple.
menting them at so short on interval
as about eighteen months was one that
no astronomer thought Of neglecting.
In addition 10 all this, such splendid
advances have been made of late years
in our knowledge of tho sun, that un.
doubtedly great popular interest has
been aroused in the subject, and in the
means by which this knowledge is
gained. Paradoxical as it may seem,
more has been learned about the con-
stitution of the sun when his face is
hidden by the interposcd globe OF the
moon than when he shines with his
noon.tide glory undimmed. IL is in the
, wonderful region that the eclipse re-
veals surrounding the sun, rather than
in the insufferable blaze OF the sun
itself that astronomers have been most
successful in penetrating his secrets.
So every total eclipse becomes in turn
more interesting than the preceding
one. IL is like the latest chapters of
a serial story, which is perpetually
breaking off at the most interesting
points. II should be said, however,
that since have been found means Of
studying the outer envelopes Of the
sun even when there is no eclipse, and
when they are invisible, owing to the
, overpowering brightness Of the central
body. Yet this does not rob eclipses
of one jot Of their interest, for only
during eolipses can the finer mysteries
be unfolded.
The preparations made for the OBJ
servation Of Sundays eclipse seem to
have been adequate to the interest
taken in it, although the subject has
been less talked OF than in 1873, when
the sun was seen partially eclipsed IN
! this part Of the United States The
4. line Of totality on Sunday crossed cen.
tral California and southern Nevada,
|, and penetrated nearly 10 the Great
Salt Lake in Utah. Only In California
however, could favorable observations
be taken, because the eclipse occurred
so near sunset. Professor Frisby, ol
the United States Navy was sent, with
a corps Of observers, armed with pow.
crful instruments, 10 the Pacific coast
and Professor Davidson, with another
corps of observers and 0i-inch
equatorial telescope more powerful
3 than the one Piazzi Smyth iugged up
the Peak Of Tcnerifie, went into the
SalenAs valley, which burrows the coast
range, about two hundred miles south
OF San Francisco, and within IRON fif