New-York tribune., 1898-12-27
A TOTAL ECLIPSE OF TIE NOON.
VISIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF NEw-YoRK THIS
EVENING IF THE WEATHER WILL PERMIT.

Eciipses Of the moon do not have the scientific
value posse,.ed by those OF the sun. nor do they
excite the same degree OF popular interest But
total eclpses Of the former kind are infrequent
enough TO attract attention and 10 deserve an ad-
notice.
One Of these events will be witnessed this even
Ing In the vicinity OF New-York City II the skies
are clear. The whole performance VII! last ABOUT
four hours. ard will be divided into three stages
From the time the moon nrst enters the earth's
shadow until II Is completely Immersed an hour
and ten minutes will elapse The perioo VI
totally will be an hour ard hall Another
hour and ten minutes will be required to escape
from the shadow after the first narrow crescent
begins TO show.
In New England and the immediate vicinity the
mo ,n will rise INT s,InseO unobscurcd but the first
stage OF the ec..pse will begin almost Immediately
at 447 D. m scventy-ffth meridian time. IL VIII
lack only a few minutes OF o'clock when totally
begins, and 1t will be nearly 7:3o when this stage
OF the performance ends. Finally. a; about s3',
the moon VIII be entirely uncovered. and VIII ar
pear once more round as the shields Of cur
fathers"
Out near Chicago and st. Louis the moon VIII
rise already eclipsed Clocks set TO ninetieth
meridian time will stand at o'clock when the
total stage begins. and the moon Will nave Deen
above the horizon at that time only a very few
minutes The chances Of seeing considerable
are better In the region between New-fork ana
the Mississippi than west OF that river. In fact,
beyond that limit the first stage OF the eclipse
Will not be seen at all. But out az far as Den
yer the total stage will continue long enough so
that nearly quite half hour will elapse after
the moon rises and before the first indications OF
emcrgence from the shadow.
When the moon Is eclipsed the earth interposess
between II and the sum- and cuts on the supply OF
sungh: by which alone the moon is ever visible
The moon has light OF Its own. II Is cold
dead. non-lumnous object like stone globe .
The earth is nearly eight thousand miles IN d.
ameter. but as the sun is very much larger the
shadow by the earth Is conical In shape. grad
ually diminishing In size the further away Il
reaches into space At the point where the moon
enters II. In lunar eclipse the cone Is 100 miles
in diameter. However. the moon rarely goes
through the very centre Of the conical shadow. II
s apt TO be side Of II than the other
On the present occasion II will pass through about
| 5000 or $500 miles Of shadow.
| II Is n somewhat curious fact that even during
the total stage OF a lunar eclipse the moon is apt
| to be family visible. and 10 have dull copper!
hue n the earth had atmosphere this could
not happen But little sunlight is usually bent
Of Its course-refracted the scientific folk say
while passing through the earth's atmospheric
shell. and concentrated as by a lens on the lunar
surface. The exact degree Of visibility a; such q
| time depends the weather conditions prevailing
In those portions Of globe which lie al the edge
Of the terrestrial disk. as seen from either tn'
the