Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-16
IN PARTIAL ECLIPSE.
THE MOON WAS SHROUDED IN
GLOOM LAST NIGHT.
The Eclipse Visible Throughout the
United States-The Next One Occurs
Nineteen Years Hence.

That rare occurrence, partial eclipse OF
the moon, occurred last night, and much
valuable data was secured by astronomers.
The last total eclipse of the moon occurred
in 1874 and none will take place again
until 1S09 nineteen years hence.
Eclipses of the sun occur much more fire.
quently than dissertations of the moon,
owing to readily explainable causes,
although the points where ecllpses
of the sun may be observed
are vastly more circumscribed than those
from which the observation of the moon
may be noted. An eclipse of the moon is
observable over one-half the surface of the
globe. The shadow cast by the earth is in
the shape of cone, owing to the vastly
greater proportions of the solar body. the
base of the cone resting upon the earth.
Hence, were the moon far enough away
in space she would not pass through
the shadow and no eclipse would take place.
1t is entirely question of angles. 1t IS
only within recent years that eclipses of
the moon have been observed Photographic
ally, and never before have the latest i'm
provements in the dry plate and photo
graphic camera been brought to bear upon
upon the phenomena.
The present eclipse could be OBJ
served from all parts of the
globe being the part that is turned toward
the moon. In the Pacific states the eclipse
commenced before sunset, while ON the At
lantic coast the moon had well risen before
passing into the shadow of the earth.
The moon is larger and fuller
than at almost any other time in the year.
The first effect noticeable was the casting
of the shadows of the penumbra and the
umbra, the shadows of shadow. These
shadows could be seen through powerful
glasses, but were hardly noticeable to the
naked eye. Closely following these light
shadows the dense shadow of the earth
crawled over the moon. At first a circular
indentation was noticed on the east side of
the moon. 1t required some time for
the orb to pass completely into the
shadow and the phenomena was observed
by easy stages, as it were. The small break
in the periphery grew deeper and wider
until the silvery disc became but thin
crescent and finally disappeared-th is,
the silver moon disappeared. A London
smoke-colored disc was still observable, for
sufficient reflected light from the earths
surface remained in space to dimly illumi-
nate the eclipsed satellite. While a moon
is passing into the shadow the ecllpsed por-
ton cannot be observed by the naked eye,
the bright portion obscuring the duller
part. When the entire disc had passed
into the shadow it became distinctly visi-
bic, showing the gradations Of tints from
blush green to gradually increasing red.
Eclipses of the moon have been correctly
figured by astronomers for ages. Column
bus, when shipwrecked on the island of
Jamaica on March /, 1904. without pro-
visions and refused food by the Indians,
predicted an eclipse, saying that the gods
were displeased with the Indians and would
cause the moon to frown and would for
time hide its face. The Indians scoffed at
Columbus, but when night came and the
eclipse occurred, their supersltions con-
quered them and they became the friends
and allies of the navigator.