Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-10
60
THE SOLAR BOLIPSE.
A Good Account OF What Was Seen
at The Harvard station.


at the Harvard station.
A San Francisco special Eays of the
eclipse Of New Years Day;
The principal work done was by the
Harvard University party at the William
Lick Observatory, ,aatt at Norman,
Professor Swift near Chico, the OhNbot
Observatory, and people at Cloverdsle.
The Times correspondent accompanied
the latter party, which wns in charge of
Professor Charles Buckhalter, and in
cluded no less than 25 experienced ANA.
teur photographers. Besides the cameras
and smAllera instruments, observers were
equipped with 10 half-inch refsctors OF
OhRbot University and sidereRl olook set
to automatically record the time.
The station was accurately determined
10 be in latitude 3So H. 80; longitude
1912 81, 25. The observers were placed
in large vacant lot covered with the
greenest of grass, and containing several
giant white oaks with long streamers Of
gray moss clinging TO their leahess
branches. These features Of the land
soape were brought out with weird effect
during the solar observation.
At 1928 p. N. the first contact was
lbtdus lhO my WAS Clt3htl Mtth Luo bA-
ception OF few iaoelike cirrus clouds,
which, however, did not, except OF rare
intervals, cross the face of the sun.
Slowly the moon crept onward until the
sun was q narrow crescent, like the thin
nest Of new moons. Then the face Of
nature assumed a CHASTITY aspect. Faces
became OF siekly, Rreenish-gellow hue,
though this effect may have been partly
due to the reflection Of the dim light from
ths emerald lawn.
Six minutes before the totality Venus
came into view. A moment after, Jupiter
could be seen near the zenith. At this
moment, while oil eyes were strained to
oatoh the first glin4ps Of the corona, the
silence became 80 perfect that the ticking
of the sidereal clock was plainly heard
The air grew chill, and then all at onoe,
80 quiokly that none could note how the
change was made, there hung poised Ii
the sky the great black body of the moon
surrounded by ring Of glittering bur
nished silver, from which extended loni
rays and irregular bands, like remnants
of golden and rose-tinted satin ribbon
with ravsled ends.
1 This was the marvellous corona. Mer
curry and Mars now came out to Join tn
two larger planets previously noted. On
shout of "0h!" went up, then all wa
still again save for the ticking Of thu
clock and tbe voice Of the timer cnllini
off the seconds to the busy company o
photographers. II was not dark; il wa
rather twilight-the uncanny twiligh
Of another world. Objects could plainl,
be discernad, and the motionless, moss
covered arms Of the old oaks we're no
the least awe inspiring feature of tn
landscape.
One hundred and four seconds wer
told of, and then, on the lower circum
ference OF the black ball hanging in tn
heavens appeared tiny spsck Of fire
bright as molten steel, which soon OK
, handed into crescent. In another sec
. ond the wonderful spectacle was ended
! : The total phase had passed. Three cheer
were given with tiger for the eclipse o
!, the sun and moon. The corona was OF
, served through the instruments seve
seconds before totality, which began 0
l.d6 AS D. N. A large number of excel
lent photographs were obtained, whic
will be tnrned over to the Lick Observe
tory. Observers at other points repoi
: vary favorable resuitl. 1t is expecte
: that to.day's eclipse will aid in solvin
many long disputed astronomical prot
laf,p