The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-02
ECLIPSE OF THE sun.
THE BEAUTIFUL PHENOMENON NOT
OBSERVABLE AT MEMPHIS.
The. Eclipse obscured by Clouds, Which
Prevented Local Astronomers From
Taking Observations--Valu of Such
Investigations to Science.

Among the cflestlal events oil yesterday,
New Years, was total eclipse of the sun
throughout Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas,
Indian Territory, Eastern Texas and all
tho United States west of these States
and Territories. East OF these the sun set
moro or less eclipsed. The path OF the to-
tai phase entered the Pacific Coast near San
Francisco. At Fort Arena. Cal, the eclipse
began at Oh. 5m, IL. 5s pm. Total began
lii. Som. 5s. The eclipse began rs follows:
Austin, Tex, 3h. I'M; san Antonio, Sh.
3m.; Santa Fe, In. 56m.; Galveston, 3h.
l0m.; Denver, In. 5sm.; Salt Lake City,
In. IL. Helena, In. ISM; New Orleans 81.
SON.; st. Louis, 3h, 2lm.; Chicago Sh.
32m.; St. Paul, 2h. 5Sm.; Charleston, Al.
25m.; Cincinnati, 3h. 52m.; Washington,
An. 27m.; Philadelphia, All. SON.; New
York City, contact at sunset; Boston, in.
visible; Portland, Or, Oh. ON. ev.; Salem,
Ore, Oh. ON. ev.; Neeah, Ore, llh. 5Sm.
mo-. SACRAMENTO, Oh. On. ev.; San Fran
cisco, Oh. SIN. ev. san Diego, Oh. i3m.;
Los Angeles, Oh. SIN; st. Barbara, Oh.
3lm.; san Jose, Oh. l3m.
Solar eclipses are caused by the earth
passing into the shadow OF the moon, and,
OF course, occur only at new moon, and
when the moon Is nearly in the plane OF
The ecliptic. As the moon Is much smaller
than the sun, its shadow runs rapidly TO q
point, and never covers more than a small
portion Of the earth. hence the phenom-
enon OF u total eclipse is very rarely seen.
But rs the cone of the moons shadow IL
surrounded by larger inverted cone OF
OF penumbrl, that is, OF space in which tho
moon iniercepts part Of the light, the OPP
| portunities OF seeing partial eclipse Of the
sun are much more frequent. The instant
OF entering the penumbra is sharply de-
| fined by an apparent indcutation in the
limb Of the sun, and that OF entering the
shadow, by the total disappearance OF
the sun. II sometimes happens that
the moon is too far from the earth
| 10 allow her shadow 10 reach us, in
which cass persons in the center OF the
| pcnumbra see n ring oi sun surrounding
the moon; this is called the annular
eclipse. II is evident that solar ecipscs
Afford the means oi ties ing our calculations
OF the moons motions, and of determining
the longitude OF places on earth. The be-
| ginning and ending OF the partial, of the
total, and Of the annular phases, and the
distance apart Of the ends of the indcnta-
ton in the suns limb, all may he calcu-
lated and observed with great accuracy,
and the observations are OF great Use IN
correcting the assumed data OF the calcula-
ton Of the moon motions and the longl-
tudc Of the places OF observation. Total
eclipses also afford opportunities for many
interesting observations on physical phc-
nomena aud on the emotions Of
the animal tribes, the most singu-
lar optical effect being the occasional
issuing Of rose-coiored flames from the
sun during the total phase. Solar eclipscs
and occultations being OF great Use IN de-
tcrmining longitudcs, are calculated be-
fochand No accurately NJ 10 prepare the
observer 10 DC on the watch at the tight
moment, which can bo asccrtaincd by
means Of an instrument invented by
Thomas Hill, Of Walthum, Mass, which
marks out on chart OF the sky the moon =
apparent motions as seen from any part Uf
the carths surface. Although the eclipse
was due nt Memphis NJ about three hours
twenty-five minutes yesterday afternoon,
Il was invisible, owing 90 clouds, and II
passed away unseen by Tng APPEALS rs
ironomcr M well ~ others, Who were pro-
pared 10 observe the phenomena aud take
notes ~ 10 il beginning aud ending.
There are five eclipscs due this year. The
next will be partial eclipse OF the moon
January 10 aud ". visible generally
throughout the United States; an annual
elipse Of thesun June %, invisible in North
America; partial eclipse Of the moon
July -, invisible IN the United States and
a total eclipse 81 the sun December -, in.
visible In the United States, except at the
very extremity Of Cape llailcuas, and the
Lake Worth region, and Southern Keys Of
Florida.