Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-24
HOW MUCH BETTER.

Mr. Roredam. one Of our local as
tronomers, last night had an interested
group Of ladies and gentlemen. includ-
ing Judge King. Mr.. Thiessen, and 9TH
ors. viewing tho wonders Of the sky
through his powerful telescope from
the roof OF Fire station No. T. A SPLEEN
did view OF the comet was had from
that elevated point OF observation. al
20 Of the moon with It's ocean" beds
and craters. and Of Jupiter and his
attendants. The comet. however. did
not gain in brilliancy by being viewed
through the telescope. though II re-
veaied some striking details which
could not be detected by the unaided
eye. All over the city, particularly
along State street and Twelfth South.
were parties gathered In groups and
enjoying the unique spectacle OF an
eclipse OF the moon In the august pres
ence OF Haliey's comet. II was very
impressive 10 anyone who admires the
handiwork Of tho Creator. But there
was no sign Of superstition. or fear.
anywhere. The truth has made the
people free. In that respect
How much better is the serenity and
enjoyment OF mind with which nracti-
cslly the entire public viewed the celes-
tial phenomena Of last night than the
feelings OF fear. superstition. and dread
of impending woe that once possessed
the minds OF men In viewing a brief
eclipse or IN watching the long larry
ing comet visitor.
For IN our sky. at least. the lunar
eclipse OF last night was beautiful in
deed--a subdued yet glowing form Of
plainly visible and yet chastenod lowell
ness. in which the lights and colors NJ
the armament supplied the scenery.
and the mechanism OF the solar system
furnished the materials for thought aud
reelection. For IN the phenomenon OF
last evening both these aspects-the
glory Of the glittering spheres and the
wonder OF the celestial mechanics
were equally before the minds Of most
beholders.
When. under the unclouded sky and
Transparent cloarness OF our atmos-
phere. the round, laughing moon" In
all her silvery brightness. was first
touched, then invaded, and finally COW
cred by the earth's shadow. the phe-
nomenon was OF such serene. harmoni-
Gus. and delicate beauty that every one
who saw Il must have felt his heart
leap up while viewing the spectacle,
as Wordsworth did at beholding
rainbow.
As the earth -shadow proceeded 70
cover the moons surface, the covering
portion could stin be plainly seem as
n veiled with a fine netting Through
field glasses and telescopes. the dark
ened portions were beautifully colored
in rose, brown and purple. while the
portion yet uncovered shone with an
apparent increase OF brilliancy. Then
the comet came out larger and more
distinct, and was fine sight. with It's
long tail and glowing nucleus. just be-
fore the time when the moons eclipse
became total At the same time tho
starry heavens sparkled With added
lustre through the unclouded skies. ana
the EXPLANATIONS and merriment OF OBJ
serving parties lent other features OF
Ant'i'ah " tiiN h"Aie ~ ANNAi HllA lNil-
tial eclipse. lasting from Sac pm. I'm
% minutes past ~.
The thought aspect Of the eclipse was
that the phenomenon Is due to the
shadow OF the earth falling upon the
moon. The earth casts a shadow into
space. a shadow that sweeps round the
ecliptlc once each year II the moon
moved In exactly the same plane as the
ecliptic II would be eclipsed. by pass
ing through the earth's shadow once
each month, But the path Of the moon
about the earth is not In the same
plane as the ecliptic. or path. OF the