The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-04
MOON IN BLACK FACE.
The Earth Backed Up Her Satel-
lite Last Night
End ENJOYED THE SPECTACLE.

Thousands OF People in Topeka Went
7hoOninG-CIOuds Cleared Away in
Time.
They watched the moon till the same was hid
AT late, late hour last night,
And he popped the quesliOn"-they say he
As the moon popped out of sight
This morning a rival was heard to remark
When he found himself undone:
THAT moon eclipse was not half SO dark
AS the total eclipse of the Son!'
The eclipse of the moon arrived
promptly on schedule time last night
but nearly every one who watched ex-
pected it before it came. 1t was exactly
10 ?. m when the first faint shadow ap-
pealed on the eastern side Of the Iumin-
airy. The eclipse continued for three
hours and fifty -four minutes
Last night was an ideal night for an
eclipse SO far as the weather was con-
cerned As early as o'clock yards were
filled with watchers, big and little, with
their faces turned toward Luna waiting
for something to happen. Their necks
grew sore and stiff aud the eyes heavy
and very few of the little people were
left awake when the eclipse became Wis
ible.
The eclipse afforded an excellent ex-
cuse for young couples to enjoy them
selves ''and make observations at the
same time. The streats were filed with
buggies and carriages whose occu-
pants were out to see the moon only
as a secondary consideration. How
glad they were when the brightness
was obscured.
It was very warm last night, and no
one cared to go to bed early. Cushions
were carried into the lawns and the as
Economical inhabitants of Topeka
watched the varying changes in differ
ent degrees of ecstasy. One or two
courageous people in dishabille carried
their beds oat on the roofs and took cat
maps while the wicked clouds obscured
! the vision.
The Topeka astronomers were not up
on the eclipse A JOURNA L reporter Wis.
tied two of them and neither knew that
it was to take place. 81 read paper on
astronomy the other evening"" said one
of them, "but I had forgotten that the
eclipse is to occur tonight. [ would make
observations if l had telescope. but
suppose the eclipse will have to get
along without me somehow"
Prof F. II. Ayers of the high school
who has been successful in photograph
ing lightnieg flashes, got out his camera
to try his hand at the moon, but the
clouds behaved shamefully and when be
| =
way, so he gave it up
There were hundreds of small tele
scopes in use, but they did little good
The eclipse was plainly visible to the
naked eye and the moon presented ;
beautiful appearance without the aid o
the glass.
A coored boy VINO had Eot been made
aware OF the eclipse WAS passing along
the street when the moon was nearly
half obscured and he looked up at it sur
prised "Say," said he, "what you 'spost
is the matter with that moon"
"Pshaw" said his better in formed com
panion. THAT is an eclipse"
"WeIl that is wat you cali an eclipse i
| it? That haint much to see.1
It required little more than an hou
for the shadow of the earth to entirel,
cover the moon. 1t first showed on TIL
side of the disk as if some one had Gu
off a small slice with a knife but as tn
shadow covered more it assumed
curved form and the moor
appeared just as it does when it is a
s'firstquarter" and then at "half'' an,
afterward the order was reversed. 1t wa
when the disc was half Obscured tina
the prettiest sight was obtained. The
: the clouds hoated away and left it in al
its radience with the dark shadow of tn
earth covering half its face.
Att o'clock there was very sma
rim of light left and then the heav
clouds again rolled up and the tin
streak disappeared In half an hour tn
clouds again cleared away and the moo
hung like golden ball in clear SIX,
Everything considered, the eclips
was a success, though the gate receipt
will probably not justify another PEI
Torrance soon.
The next eclipse will be a parts
, eclipse of the sun and it will take plac
on the eighteenth of this month. 1t wi
= not be visible in Kansas or the Unite
States however but will be seen frol
points in the Pacific Ocean, The Kal
sas people interested in eclipses wi
q govern themselves accordingly.
uran,en Take Parr In thu War.