The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-08
TOTAL ECLIPSES OF THE SUN.
With Some Reference to the n ext Eclipse
Visible in the Southern States,
May 2S, 1900.

Were it possible for US to see shad-
ows against the sky, and to take up
out in space position suitable for the
purpose, we should perceive that both
the earth and the moon cast behind
them vast black cones pointed away
from thecsun, the common source OF
illumination. Could we measure these
cones, we should find that the shadow
of the earth is $50, 1000 miles, and that
the shadow of the moon is 23S,000
miles in average length. The moon S
path is far from being exactly circu-
cular. It is elliptical, or g-shaped,
SO that while the distance which sep
arates the earth and moon from each
other averages 100000 miles, there are
days when she is only $4,000 miles
away, and other days when she is as
far off as 252,OOO niles, difference of
$4,000 miles. And this is the reason
that, to the naked eye, our satellite at
times appears to be larger or smaller
than at other times. Any one who
follows her through a sufficient num-
Der Of luna.icns will detect not only
these but other interesting diHeren-
ces, and will notice that she never
'sfulls' twice IN the same part OF the
sky, because she is constantly chang
ing her position by rising or falling
from night to night, thus passing, as
it were. every month, through many
degrees of north and south declina-
tion. And it will be further observed
that. in obedience to some law, the
moon in orr Summers becomes full at
or near her lowest point as she hangs
over the Southern horizon, and in our
Winters ut her highest point over our
heads, thus providentially affording
light to that pole, for the time being,
most in need Of it. An eclipse Of the
sun visible TO us can occur only when
the moon is new, that is, when she
passes exactly between US and the sun,
just as one might pass his clenched
hand from right to left between his
face and lighted lamp. Now, if an
eclipse happen when she is at her
least distance, 100000 miles, from us,
and, therefore apparently greatest in
diameter, the apex or point of her
shadow.cone will come in contact with
the surface Of the earth, and be brok-
en- off to the extent Of some thousands
of miles. If, however, one happens
when the moon is at her greatest dis
tance, $4,000 miles from US, and,
therefore, apparently least in diane
ter, the apex Of the shadow will pass
over our heads at distance of many
thousands Of miles, and somewhat af-
ter the fashion of balloon floating by
at considerable height. In the first
instance, the eclipse will be total
along the path more or less curved,
over which the broken shadow travels,
sbecause the moon will be large enough
to hide the sun. In the second, the
eclipse will be annular, because the
moon will have been, by her distance,
apparently diminished to that degree
that at no instant while she is cross-
ing the solar disk, can she completely
obscure it, for around her coal-black
body will blaze ring of thewhite-hot
-sun. !,
OF the stupendous scale Of total
-eclipses, moon-cast shadow.apparl-
.tions are impressive and awful to the
last degree; they are phenomena never
forgotten by those who see them.
Than Prof. Langley there is no better
authority, he having observed three.
No wonder he declares that repetition
does not dull the interest, and that a
total eclipse of the sun is worth a
Journey round the world to behold.
For the purpose Of observing these
phenomena, scientific men and women
do not hesitate, literally, to go to the
ends Of the earth. Especially prom
ising eclipses have found enthusiastic
observers on the steppes OF Russia,
the wastes Of Asia, the inhospitable
shores Of Africa, the peaks OF the
Andes, the lonely rocks in mid-Paclf-
ic. The total phase is the only por-
tion of solar eclipse of the slightest
value to astronomers or solar physl-
cists, or, indeed, Of real interest to the
mere sight-seer, and this phase, under
the best possible conditions, cannot at
any one place last SO long as eight
minutes; commonly, the duration
does not exceed three minutes. Not.
withstanding this, and the chance OF
complete failure, owing to the pres
ence of clouds, costly expeditions arc
from year to year fitted out by govern.