The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-08

small, but from them excellent draw
ings have been made. We have cv-
erything in readiness. instruments
are mounted or suspended. Cam
eras have been focused, the most dis
tant objects being used for the pur-
pose. Thermometers have been placed
so that we shall be able TO take the
temperature Of the air and soil; we
have been told off by our director, who
has given each Of US some special duty
to perform, and who ought to have
knowledge sufficient to tell US what to
look for and to explain the various
phencmcna as they come under our
notice. Timepieces and thermometers
must be read: information as to ex-
posing plates must be given; the mo-
ments of contact announced, and The
seconds during totality called off in
loud voice. And though we arc all
assisting, we shall be able to see cv-
erything. Professional astronomers
will not be so Fortunate They must
be in constant attendance upon their
instruments, and will probably work
behind screens shutting them offrom
the world, SO that their attention shall
not be distracted.
From our calculations. we know
when the various contacts will occur.
The sun is about three hours high,
and the sky clear. We are told that
the edge of the lunar disk is all but
touching the edge Of the sun, but we
cannot detect the presence Of our sat
elite. 1t has been explained to US
that the moon is really moving toward
the East and at the rate Of about a
half mile per second, that the surface
of the earth is carrying US toward the
East at the speed of about twelve
miles per minute, and that the shad-
ow is approaching US from the West
at the velocity of nearly one mile a
second. During the hour and twelve
minutes which must elapse between
the first detected cutting by the moon
into the suns limb and totality, We
shall have ample opportunity to OBJ
serve and draw sun-spots and faculae,
if any, to note down our impressions,
to estimate the effect the gradual ex-
tinction of the direct solar rays is
having upon objects around us, and
the falling Of the mercury in the ther-
mometers. As totality approaches we
should be On the alert for the shadow
bands which are usually present in be-
wilderjng array for few moments be-
fore the face of the sun is hidden,
pulsating, it is said, III manner to
suggest the throcs of nature in disso-
luton, and as if conscious Of impend-
ing disaster. Nor should we forget to
notice the effects Of increasing twi-
light upon animals, birds, insects and
flowers. On such occasions domestic
fowls go to roost, birds return to their
nests, butterflies ''act as if drunk, >
deer run about in alarm. and flowers,
such as crocus, tulips, ancmones, gen
tians, pepatica, pimpernels, wood sor-
rel and wild geranium close, and pc
culiar hush falls upon everything. At
this moment attention must be given
to the sun, or what is left of it, for we
must see the splendid phenomena
known as Baily Beads, visible for an
instant or two as the moon S advanc-
ing edge closes in upon the eastern
edge of the sun, but visible again
when the western edge Of the moon
moves forward just enough to allow
the solar rays to CLINT around at us
through the valleys among the lunar
mountains.
But when warned by our director,
every eve must be turned to the West,
for whatever else We succeedin doing,
we must not fail to see the lunar
shadow as it approaches. We may
not live long enough to witness anoth-
er eclipse under such auspices. Let
us make the most Of this. Forbes,
who observed at Turin, the total
eclipse Of 1842, said that he was con-
founded by the awful velocity Of the
shadow, which swept toward him from
the Alps, that he felt as if the great
building upon which he was standing
swayed beneath him and began to fall
over in the direction of the coming
gloom. The rapidity Of its motion
and it's black intensity produced the
sensation that something material was
flying over the earth at speed "per-
fectly frightful,' and he involuntari-
| ly listened for the rushing noise of o
mighty wind. Airy describes as Every
awful" shadow retreating away
amonp the hills of Northern Spain.