The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-05

instruments in Japan during the last
eclipse and was foiled by the sky be-
ing covered with an impenetrable pail
at the critical moment.
Provided another unlocked for veil
is not drawn over the scene on Jan.
%, the scientists gathered in India will
have ample time to view the eclipse.
It's duration will be two minutes, and
the exact time Of the occurrence 1 p.
M Moreover there will be q wide
range of country from which to select
ones post of observation. The eclipse
will be total along a tract of land
some eighty miles in width and passing
right across India in a northeast di-
rection from Bombay to Darjeeling,
or, to be more exact, starting from the
west coast little below Bombay and
entering the Hmalayas a little west
of Darjeeling. This zone of totality
is crossed by the Indian railway system
at eight different places.
In a total eclipse the weather is the
great factor to be considered. 1t is
useless making the most extensive
preparations 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, to the eclipse of next January,
that month is usually so favorable in
India that we may be almost certain
Of experiencing a cloudless sky all
along the zone of totality Except per-
baps near the Himalayas), and this
fact has been definitely ascertained by
a. series of observations made along
this zone by the meteorological de-
partment of the Indian government.
But it would be injudicious for OBJ
servers 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 be formed in the
sky over places near the coast, owing
to the sudden fall of temperature. 1t
ia we'll to remember that the sun will
be partially eclipsed for quite an hour
before the beginning OF totality, con-
senuentIy that there will be great
fall of temperature Cat hrst SLOW. then
very sudden, which will tend to pre-
cipitate whatever moisture there may
be in the air.
RIO view this eclipse the Indian gov
eminent and several astronomical So
cieties have arranged to occupy all con-
venient spots along the whole line or
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 spec
tacles that the eye Of man can behold;
and nature, as if to impress upon us the
grandeur of her beauty lifGs the veil
from before the borderland end per-
n1fts rs a glimpse of the unknown
realms of creation, but too seldom and
for too transitory moments. A total
eclipse occurs in any given spot OF the
earth. but onceein many centuries, and
even then a thousand and one casual
ties often rob the spectators Of the long
editor spectacle. As the dark shadow OF
the moon steals over the race OF the
sun the distant landscape grows dim
mer and DINNER on the horizon with an
ashy paleness, aud weird dim religi-
Gus light" surrounds us, TIL at last
like the rushing Of many waters, the
moon sweeps over the entire sun ana
enshrouds the earth in q pail of dark
ness. Some Of us have, perhaps, stood
on a lofty hill and seen far away the
green fields stretching beneath us III
a wide expaase, and se;,lc great river
winding its way over tie fields ike a
silver streak: then suddenly dark
cloud swept past The sum- and the
coming shadow cast on the ground"
rushed on oycr field ard river and
mountain So ii Is With total eclipse;
but the shadow Of the IEcon travels
over the earth with Ear more impress