Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-04-27

SVu8TSSS SN - OTOUJW0y
Boston New York
your head represent the earth. Hold at
arms length, and directly in front of the
beam of light. a tennis ball. to represent
the moon. Now. you will notice that the
darkencd side of the ball Is toward you.
This corresponds with the phase of the
moon known as new moon. II is then in
visible, since it can only be seen when
it shines with the reflected light from
the SUM- Just as the tennis ball shines
with the light reflected from tho lamp.
Now turn slowly round toward the left.
| and you will see the ball showing the
crescent phase half moon. and the full
moon nv the time You have turned half
way round. The ball will then be d-
rcctly opposite the lamp. and must be
raised slightly SO that the light from
| the lamp shines over the top OF your
| head. Just as the light from the sun shines
| over the top OF the earth. This is be-
cause the moons path is slightly tilted.
onc-half being about five degrees above
| and the other half Ave degrees below the
ecliptic. the great circle which the sun APP
| pears to describe annually among the
stars. Now continue turning until you
| face the lamp again. tho ball showing
| meanwhile the phases in reverse order.
HOW AN ECLIPSE OCCURS.
At q total eclipse of the sun the moon
must be new that is. it must be exactly
between the sun and the earth. 1t must
also be near enough for it's shadow to
| touch the surface of the earth. Since the
| moon is a sphere. it casts n shadow Of
| the same general shape as itself, the
| shadow being only a long. narrow cone.
stretching into space and away from the
sun. The cone Of the shadow il too small
to enshroud the entire globe. so that the
region in which the eclipse is total cannot
exceed 1911 miles.
! However, as the earth is constantly
rotating on its axis during the eclipse,
the shadow travels over large surface.
The tip trailing along the earth may he
compared with the point OF r. lead-pencil,
making a line on a rapidly whirlng ball.
Beyond the dark shadow or umbra, so
called because the suns light is wholly
withdrawn from It. there is a less dense
| shadow. or penumbra open. almost: UNI
bra, shadow. where only portion OF
the suns disk is obscured. Within this
region there is a partial eclipse. An OBJ
| server near the shadow cone will see the
sun nearly covered by the moon: but if
near the outer limit of the penumbra the
moon will only slightly cover the sun $
disk. Tine same eclipse will be visible as
a partial ono everywhere within 300
| miles on either side OF the shadow path,
| and often double that width on the curry
ing surface of our globe. To those OBJ
servers living north of the equator and
Of the umbra the eclipse passes over the
lower limb of the sun. and to those south
Of the umbra it passes over the upper
limb.
| "Eolipses are predicted
| And science bows them i'm
Otherwise. they would come upon us
iunawares. We can well imagine the feel
ing of awe and terror such sight must
inspire when unexpected. From the ac-
counts received of the total eclipse OF the
sun which occurred January o.. 1saS. il
would seem that eclipse superstitions still
prevail in India. Native astroogers had
prOphcsied all kinds of calamities. includ-
ing tidal wave at Bombay and the
downfall of the British Rajah. Some of
the Hindus believe that before the days
of the British Rajah solar eclpses occur
red but once in twelve years. and that
they are now more frequent on account
Of the increase of sin and wickedness.
The Hndus also have an idea that
the eclipse is caused by dragon which
tries to devour the sun. and every effort
lis made to appease the monster. The
astronomers who went to India on this
occasion to observe the eclipse were much
annoyed by the fears OF their native at
ltendants. The latter insisted upon plung-
ing In the waters of the Ganges. under
the mistaken impression that their sins
would be washed away. Immense crowds
Of natives in their cagerness to reach
the sacred river stumbled over one an.
other, and confusion reigned supreme.
In China it was at one time considered
high treason not to warn the Emperor
of n coming cclipse of the sun. During
the reign Of Chung Kang. r. C., PISS. an
eclipse took place Unexpectedly. Flo and
III. the two astronomers who were sup
posed TO prepare the Emperor for such
emergencies, were condemned to death
RS result OF their carelessness and
promptly beheaded.
As late as a. d. ~ astronomers were
for such an offensc. The Emperor reign
ng at that time. We are told, found
fault with Chinese bronze called
T-Iiang. who was renowned for his sue
cess in predicting cclipses. Once he an
ncunced the dates of two eclpscs of tho
sun, but both failed to materiaizc The
Emperor sent for YIiang in order that
he might explain the meaning of the
missing eclipscs. If the answer did not
prove satisfactory the delinquent was L.
be put to death. Y-Hang wisely de-
ferrcd his visit to tho Emperor until he
had published book in which he cum
ningy proved that his calculations were
correct. but that the eclipse had been
postponed owing to the extremely high
virtues of the mighty Emperor
Greatly battered the Emperor pardon.
cd the crafty bronze and conferred sreat
honors and an exalted position on one who
could sing his praises so wisely.
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.
A nice thing to give up in Lent is flow,
crs and candy for your best girl.
a Irritation is where each prctends to
mean Il. and. whichever one does. the
other doesn't.
1t Is very easy to think you are inter.