The daily gazette., 1882-05-02
rnr corrINa rCLrpsE.
The Sun TO be Totally Obscnred on the
18th Instant. HN 4

The Sun 10 be Totally Obscnred on the
18th Instants y
On the 18th of this month AN interesting
event viii occur, the sun being In total
eclipse by the moon along It's central line. r
1t VIII begin or reach the earth at sunrise
in Africa, In latitude 1910 north, longitude
30 west, thence pass across upper Egypt,
the two bays at the northwestern extremity
of the Red Sea, and the peninsula Of Sinai,
thence to Teheran, the capital OF, Persia,
thence to the place where It Will be central
at noon, with a duration Of totality Of q
minute and q half, in latitude 800, longitude
$40 east, then moving In an east-by south
direction, and few miles north of Shanghai
II will leave the earth at sunset in latitude
25So north, longitude 1890 east. This
eclipse along the central line and near the
Red Sea, the peninsula of Sinai and to Tehe-
ran (places Of easy access) will be
very fine, and it is probable we
shall be informed that many Euro
pean astronomers, and perhaps
few from the United States took favorable
positions along this line for the purpose of
observing the magnificent spectacle. This
eclipse viii be large in the southern part Of
Europe and the greater part Of Asia (not in
America), but after another interval of IL
years, IL days It will again return on May
%, 1900, and be total on it's central line,
which will pass from very near New Orleans
to Norfolk, and It will be the only eclipse In
the United States, in the remainder of the
nineteenth century, that win be total. The
central line will begin at sunrise In latitute
1870 north, longitude ITO west, thence pass
In a northeasterly direction very near New
Orleans and Norfolk to latitude 45o and
longitude 45o west on the Atlantic ocean,
where it will be central at noon and the
duration of totality upwards of minute
and half; It will then take an east TO an
east-southeast direction and reach Portugal
at latitude 41o, longitude $40 west, a few
miles south of 0porto, thence passing across
Portugal and Spain 1t will leave Europe at
Alicante, cross the Mediterranean and the
northeast of Africa and will leave
the earth at sunset in Egypt in lati-
tude 25o north, longitude 800 east. The
width of the moons shadow near Norfolk
win be about 90 miles, and the length Of
totality about a minnie and a third. A
total eclipse of the sun at any particular
place is a phenomenon of such rare occur
renee that 1t is believed there has not been
even one at large part of our principal
cities and towns since the settlement Of the
country. AS therefore, Norfolk is so acces-
sible, and the time of totality (about o A.
M. so convenient, 1t is probable not only
nearly all our astronomers but many who
take an interest In astronomy will proceed
to the vicinity of that city, on May 2S, 1900,
to behold the phenomenon, which, If seen,
will not soon be forgotten. This eclipse will
of course be only total within the limits of
the central line, narrow strip about 90
miles wide, yet 1t will be very large and
striking in all our Atlantic States, and at
the cities of Washington, Baltimore, Phila-
delphia, New York, Boston, Portland, ETC.,
quite eleven-twelfths of the SUMS disc will
be obscured. The longest possible duration
of total eclipse of the sun is seven and
half minutes, but such an one probably has
never occurred, and the longest observed
duration of any eclipse at any place was
quite half minute less.