Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-07
SPECTACLE OF JAN. 90
THE COMING IMPORTANT TOTAL
ECLIPSE or THE sun.
ASTRONOMICAL EXPERTS FORECAST.
The wonderful Scene Mt the Moment
of the suns Dnrkening Vivtdiy De-
,o.o, nv Ono Who Has studied the
Phenomena.
Phenomena.


o~orrespondcnce Of the Dispatch)
CAN FRANCISCO, December Linda
,,.,1i ho the hub Of the scientific wheel on
January %. 1897. on the almanacs Tor
tho coming year, that date should De
marked with a red, red sign for during
the space of 120 seconds the suns
uebt will be extinguished at high
noon. and possibly many scientific Sc
crats revealed TO the army Of wise men
whose telescopes will be turned sunward
20 witness the wonderful eclipse.
Among the most important of the nu-
merous expeditions that are starting from
all parts Of the world TO view the eclipse
are those that have just left this city
updor the leadership of Mr.. Charles
RurclShalter f. r. \. S., and Professor
Campbell. Of the Lick Observatory. Pro
fessor Burckhalter takes with him num-
her of cleverly- constructed instruments
aspecially devised for photographing all
narts of the solar corona simultaneously
during q total eclipse of the sun. 1t Is 10
ne hoUed that this time nature VIII be
kinder than she was when professor
Rurckhalter endeavored TO use these same
ingenious instruments In Japan during
The last eclipse. and was foiled by the
sky being covered with an impenetrable
pail at the critical moment
provided another unlooked-for vail IS
not drawn over the scene on January I'd
he scientists gathered in India VIII nave
annie time TO view the eclipse. It's dura-
ton will be two minutes, and the exact
time of the-occurrence p. NJ. Moreover
there will be a wide range OF country
from which TO select ones post Of obser-
walton. The eclipse will be total along
q tract of land some eighty miles in
width. and passing right across India in
\ northeast direction from Bombay 10
Doriceling. or. to be more exact starting
from the west coast little below Bonn
BAY and entering the Himalayas little
west Of Darjeelng. This zone of totally
is crossed by the Indian railway system
at eight different places.
In a total eclipse the weather is the
great factor TO be considered. II Is USE
less making the most extensive prepara-
lions with the utmost care and diligence
if at the last moment bad weather is to
intervene and totally eclipse the total
eclipse With regard, however, 10 the
eclipse Of next January, that month IS
usually so favorable in India that we
cloudless sky along the zone Of totality
Except perhaps. near the Himalayas),
and this fact has been definitely ascer-
tanned by series Of observations made
along this zone by the meteorological De-
partment Of the Indian Government. But
il would be injudicious for observers TO
take up their positions quite close TO the
sea. because. however cloudless the sky
may be at ordinary times. at the actual
moment OF eclipse "A haze is likely to he
formed in the sky over places near the
coast. owing to the sudden fall of tenn
perature. 1t is well to remember that the
sun will be partially eclipsed for quite an
hour before the beginning OF totally. con-
seauently that there will be great fall
of temperature lat first slow, then very
sudden, which will tend TO precipitate
whatever moisture there may be in the
air.
To view this eclipse the Indian Govern
ment and several astronomical societies
have arranged to occupy. all convenient
spots along the whole line OF totality,
wherever the railway system intersects
this line They will witness sight which
few men have been privileged to see. a
total eclipse OF the sun Is one OF the
most stupendous, most sublime, and most
awe-inspiring spectacles that the eye OF
man can behold; and Nature, as If 10
impress upon us the grandeur OF her
beauty. lifts the veil from before the
borderland and permits us glimpse or
the unknown realms of creation but too
seldom and for too transi;ory moments.
AS the dark shadows OF the moon steal
over the face Of the sun the distant land
scape grows DINNER and DINNER on the
horizon. with an ashy paleness. and
weird dim religious light" surrounds u.s.
till al last. like the rushing OF many va
ters the moon sweeps over the entire sun
and enshrouds the earth In pail OF dark
ness Some Of us have, perhaps stoou
on a lofty hill and seen far away the
eraen, fields stretching beneath us In
wide expanse. and some great river wind
ing its way over the fields like silver
streak: then suddenly dark cloud swept
mast the sun. and the looming shadow
last on the ground rushed on over held
and river and mountain. SO II Is with
total eclipse; but the shadow OF the moon