Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-11

Nothing in all the phenomena of nature
appears more grand and awe-inspiring
than when the great solid body of the
moon swings into such position as tc
completely cover the entire face of the
sun, and thereby throw d deep, DARK
gloom of shadow upon a portion of the
earth's surface.
To those who from church tower Oh
mountain top are able to command ar
extended scope of eoantry lying towards
the southwest, may see the moons shad-
ow plunging forward with terrible swift
ness, which, like great storm cloud, sud-
denly envelopes one in a gloom that is 81
startling and unnatural that the eye
seems utterly unprepared for the change
At the supreme moment the only source
of light is that offered by the fiery flaming
of the Corona, which flashes in a circle
about the central black mass This, to-
gether with the additional light that
comes in from the illuminated atmosphere
that still prevails % or 80 miles distant on
either side of the track covered by the
shadow, renders the light in the centre of
a power that is about four times as bright
as that of the full moon.
cities, amid the denser foliage of trees,
artificial light is necessary in order to
accurately read the time on the dial face
of a watch.
On an average about ten total eclipses
of the sun occur within a century. Since
the year 1906, seven total solar eclipses
have been visible within the boundaries OF
the United States. The first which an
peared over New York State and New
England on June 16, 1906, lasted a little
over four minutes, visible for two minutes
along line extending from Missouri to
Georgia.
The next was on July 10, 1860 and ex-
tended from the present State of Wash
ington to Labrador, and continued about
three minutes The one occurring on Aug
ust 7, 1869, and which lasted for two and
three-quarter minutes, is remembered by
many people who then resided in the CEN
trail and eastern half of the United States
The other three We're seen over the Rocky
mountains and Pacific coast region on the
following dates, respectively: July 80
1878; January H. 1880, and January /, 1882
Eclipses of the sun always begin on his
western edge, and end on his eastern. The
Chaldean shepherds early discovered af-
ter 223 lunations which correspond to Is
years, IL days. Z hours, AZ minutes and 81
seconds, the earth, sun and moon will re-
turn to so nearly the same position in re-
spect to each other that there will be a
regular return of the same eclipse for
many years. This grand period was by
them called Saros. Therefore If we add
this Chaldean Saros of Is years and Il
days to the mean time of any eclipse
either of the sun or moon. we will have
the time of the return of the same eclipse
This rule for predicting ec1ipses will hold
good for ages. The greatest number OF
eclipses that can take place in any year
is seven. and the least number two. In
the former case, five will be of the sun
and two of the moon. The usual number
of eclipses in a year is four, two of the
sun and two of the moon.
To the average person total eclipse is
Of interest because of the wierdness of the
aspect of nature under its influence, yet tc
the astronomer it has much greater i'm
portance. Observation can be made and
facts learned regarding the constitution
AS@NANA~S VI NAAS sun That CdIuDL De
obtained under any other circumstances
Astronomers hope to ind out from the
coming eclipse many things about the
Corona, which is thought TO be an atmos-
phere of a gaseous nature surrounding the
sun for many millions of miles At the
various eclipses there have been observed
violent eruptions OF the matter composing
the sun, vast bodies of matter thrown
thousands of miles into space, only to be
forced back by the law of grayitation into
the suns surface. But We cannot in ar
article like this enter into a minute de-
scription of this and the various other
phenomena.
On the 2lst day OF May the sun will have
travelled along its path among the stars tc
the point where it crosses the border OF
Taurus, and enters the sign Gemini The
angle between the earth's equator and
the ecliptic is said to be slowly decreasing
at the rate of about IS seconds every hun
bred years. This decline may continue 70,
centuries 10 come, after which 1t may
through like period. grow greater, and
in this way continue to vibrate backward
and forward like the spinning top as its
speed Slowly diminishes This variation
being so slow and gradual should make nc
peTeeptible change in the size Of tbs