The San Francisco call., 1897-07-23
VI CALIFORNIA

tact at 141 degrees from the north point of
the solar disk, measured through the east
point. At sunrise the north point is far 10
the east of the upper point or yertex, though
the rotation of The earth gradually brings
them into correspondence at noon.
While the interesting phenomenon Will be
visible as partial eclipse, OF greater or less
extent, over a large portion of the earth,
about 10000 miles in length and 1000 in
width, extending diagonally from the North
Pacific to the South Atlantic Ocean. centrally
through this tract lies path averaging 20
miles in width where may be seen the beauti-
ful phase called an annular eclipse.
This favored path, in following the south
erly direction corresponding with the moon s
descending node, will shadow the mountains
ana plains of Mexico in a line from west to
east, and, touching the northern shores CT
Cuba, will curve by the Windward Islands
and st. Rogue on the coast OF Brazil.
The recent annular eclipse which occurred
on February l of this year was only visible as
such in the Southern hemisphere, and ss this
phase lacks the great scientific importance OF
g total eclipse expeditions are rarely sent out
for observation. Fortunately, however, the
observatory of Aqua Cal1ente, Mexico, is situ-
ated near the track OF this feeting vision OF
beauty, so that it will be astronomically
viewed from at least one locality.
Beginning and ending an ordinary partial
eclipse, the annular phase occurs when the
centers of the two orbs correspond and the
dark lunar disk is wreathed not with sunlis hit
merely, but with the circumference OF the
glowing sun itself. This vivid combination is
one OF natures most adrolt featS. Inough
SO, 900, 600 of miles apart, still they hang in
the heavens as if but one orb sun glrt moon,
q natural mosaic OF opacity aud radiance.
The annulus, or ring, may be OF any width
from that of a mere momentary glimmer to
distinct border OF l min. 81 sec, in angular
measure, lasting several minutes. The 18th
inst. viii be favored with the choicest view, as
a luminous border % sec. in width, yielding
only one-twentieth the light OF the full disk,
may allow the suns outer corona to gimmer
family over the shadowed landscape, and q
duration OF from one 10 one and hall minutes
cannot fail to arouse the attention even OF
drowsy Mexico and of war-worn Cuba.
A border of sun disk of % sec, in linear
measure, is IL 900 miles wide. but apparent
size is only matter of distance. Though the
moon in the point of its orbit nearest to the
earth appears larger than the sun, even when
that orb has It's greatest apparent size, when
both are most distant the lunar disk is smaller,
thus leaving scope for several variations OF
eclipse PHI sc besides those arising from the
position OF the lunar node.
In total solar eclipse the shadow OF the
moon touches the earth, but in the annular
phase this cone-shaped appendage terminates
at distance that on some occasions may
equal 81 900 miles but in the approaching
eclipse it sweeps aloft few thousand miles,
Though California gains view OF but par
tial obscuration of the sun, these details may
be of interest as it will be some years before an
annular eclipse revisits this part OF the globe
ROSE O'HALLoRAN.