The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-02


| August 20 and September Is. With the
| year ending September ; six eeiipses will
| have taken place. 1t is possible for seven
| to happen within a calendar year. Such
| was the case la the year ending January
| q. 1859. In that year the eclipses occurred
| January 5, February II. July s. July %
/ and August Z IN isSS, and on January /
| and January ls. 1889 The eelipses Of jan
| uary Is. July % and January ls were
| lunar. the other four solar.
| 1t will be seen that three eslpses may
| occur within month. This viii be true
| this year IN the eciipses OF August -,
| September 3 and September Is. Since the
| paths Of the sun and moon cross each
/ other at an angle of little more than s
| degrees. and the apparent diameters of
the sun and moon are each little more
1 than half a degree, 1t follows that an
eclipse Of the sun or moon can take place
| only when the sun and moon are at or
/ near the crossing points of their paths.
| These crossing points are called the
modes" of the moons orbit. There are
| two nodes the ascending node, or the
/ point where the moon passes from the
1 south to the north side of the suns path
/ or ecisptic; the descending node. or the
! point where the moon passes from the
| north 10 the south side of the ecliptic.
! These nodes are at opposite points on
/ the eeiiptic, or $50 degrees apart. Now
/ the moon makes her circuit through the
/ heavens in about one month, while the
/ sun requires one year. OF course the
suns motion is only apparent, and Is due
/ to the real motion of the earth. But the
| geometrical effect is the same IL we con-
| slider the sun In motion and the earth at
/ rest. the latter being the center of the
| starry sphere around which the sun APP
pears TO move. The sun. therefore. passes
| each node once a year. The interval be-
/ tween the times of his passing each node
| would be exactly six months were it not
/ for the repression or westward motion of
| the nodes. The latter circumstance re-
duees the interval to little more than five
| and one-half months.
| IL is evident there can be but two pc
| RODS each year within which eelipses can
| occur. IL new moon falls when the sun
| is within a determined limit either side
| OF the node. solar eclipse must occur
| If full moon falls when the sun is within
| another limit eather side of node,
/ lunar eclipse must occur. Within a fixed
| limit u partial eclipse is possible, and
| within smaller limit partial eclipse Is
| certain. Within another limit total
eclipse Is possible, and within still
smaller limit, a total eclipse is certain.
| Each kind Of eelipses has its special linn
! its. and they may be tabulated as fol-
| lows:
Partial Eclipse. Total Eclipse.
/ Possible. Certain. Possible. Certain.
! Solar. lisa Slim Isd 2lm Id 53n 81 43m
| LGnar.i2d 5m 81 Com Cd DOM 81 s7m
The suns distance from the node will
be as follows at each eclipse In 1895.
| March 10 .......................ld Id. 55m. west.
| March ~ ...................-...l4d 13m. east
| August - ..,.............,..,l5 d. Fam. west
| september j ..........-.......-.ld gym. west
| september is .l3d. som. west
Remembering that the sun will pass the
| ascending node March T. and the de-
scending node September 5. let us examine
| the foregoing figures with reference TO
| tn eciipses of this year. AT the new moon
| of February "a the sun will be IL degrees.
| Z minutes west OF the ascending node.
| The possible solar eclipse limit Is Is de-
] grees. 81 minutes. and the certain limit
| Is degrees, q minutes. Between these
limits an eclipse may fail. Now It hap
| pens that a the rev moon of February
~. the moon is near her apogee. or furth-
| est distance from The earth. Hence her
| apparent diameter and paraliax are near
their smallest value. This is why solar
eclipse falls at the February new neon.
By March 10 the sun has advanced east
| ward over fifteen degrees, or TO point
| degree. s. minutes from the aode. The
| latter date being abe time OF full moon.
a total lunar eclipse is certain. because
the moon is very near the opposite node
from the sun: and she can not pass the
node without becoming immersed in zhe
esrth's shadow, which is always the same
distance from node that the sun is from
the opposite node.
Ply March Is the sun has passed the
node and reached n point II degrees, f3
minutes ease OF the node This IS the
time Of new moon, and the sun Is beyond
the certain total eclipse limit. but within
the certain partial ecigpse limit. In fact,
e Ia impossible for the sun 10 pass n
node without falling within the certain
partial eclipse limit, Al the new moon
either before or after his passage Of ths
node. and he may be within the limit al
the new mooa both before and after hi:
, ! passage ~ the node The reason for mi:
Is that the sun moves 80 degrees. - min
I utes with reference 10 the node, from
{ 0Ge lew moon 10 tDe next. 2Eta as ll'
certain eclipse limit is Is degrees. y MN
utes each side OF the node. or - degrees
y minutes for both sides. the sun mus
be within the CERTAIN Hiatt al enc nev
usocn or the other. and may be 81 both
Therefore the eclipse Of March Is Is on
: 81 the Two inevitable solar ecrses OF Ia
year.
rs the nexs fuIl moon. Oh April 2, th
.s+Kfs - - a. ~.
eclipse is raosxible. and 80 % for eael
fan AMI nsw m5on tai Angus; IS. whe'
the san iS near TIRE descending aede. NsS
moon cones on that day Then the sg
is ls degrees. "A minutes vest OF the noas
N3ta Outstanding the sun Is within tn
doubtful limit, an eclipse happens be
" | cause sac moon is az Ser porlgee. or nsas
81 approach 30 the earth, Oh that day
hgTscc her apparent diameter ard para
= lax have their largest value. This circgm
: ! STANCE gives the eclipse.
: On September : the san has advance
d. ga wsshln / degree - minutes o: n
node. Tae latter date pasng the ;lme G
f3li ns.sau, a total eclipse ~ the rsoss
: is certagn. ty September Is the sun IN
I passed The node 50 a nasnE - degrees. 4
ID rFaanses east ~ he ue5s. As this Is -
tszse 81 rew mecca. partial SOAR eeisps
is e~4.1asu.
? rAus we So eow three eg'ipses Eg,a
fall within aee raaash--a thzag sure :
happen II tae Bgss eclipse he enc - "a
$ xzs. au8 tassS place near lhe wesser
isGssl. S42ce lsres eelesss can cceaE waE.