Year: 1868

There will be a total eclipse of the
sun on the afternoon of the 7th of Aug
ust, 1869, and will be seen as partial all
over the United States, and as total
throughout Iowa, Central Illinois,
Southern Indiana, Kentucky and North
Carolipa. The eclipse will first be Wis
ible instlis section at sos p. M, and
will disappear at 6:57 P. M. The great
est obscuration will take place at 6:06
p. NJ, when eleven digist or parts of the
disk of the sun will be hid from view.
The Atlantic Almanac, in noticing this
phenomena, observes, A total eclipse
of the sun is not only one of the most
imposing spectacles of nature, but also
one of the most important of astronomi-
cal phenomena. Although such an
eclipse occurs nearly every year some
where on the earth, yet the area within
which it can be observed is so small that
it happens to few persons to witness one
in the course of lifetime. There have
been only two that were visible in any
part of the United States since the be-,
ginning of the present century, name ~
those of 1906 and 1884. Hence, a to-
tai eclipse, whose path lies through
large and thickly settled portion of our
country, is an event whose interest can
not exaggerate. Solar eclipses always
begin on the west side of the sun and
terminate on the east side; that is, the
moon moves over the sun from west to
east. The whole duration of a total
eclipseis about two Shours, and that of
the total phase two or three minutes
The effects OF a total eclipse of the sun
are most impressive. Mrs. Airy, wife
Of the Astronomer Royal, who was one
of herhusband, party in Spain, thus
describes the eclipse Of 1860: ga gloom
ness gradually crept over the
whole scene, as if storm were coming
on. The Southern mountains beyond
the Ebro began to stand up strangely
black. Then sickly green hue over
spread the whole nearer landscape. A
peculiarly mournful signing wind, cold
and strong, began to rise, as if from
among the large old hiH.T 'Fhe butter
flies disappeared, but thesWift continued
on the wing. These appearances grew
more and more intense, aud all instruc-
tons were forgotten in the excitement
Of the moment. 1T be came very cold
and 1 was glad to wrap myself in d
large Scotch plaid" The observers OF
the same eclipse in Labrador, saw
q the dark shadow advance from the
west with frightful rapidity, and then
pass over. 1t looked like a dark col
umn or very dark cloud. The tint Of
the sky during the totality was of an
intense blue. The dark moon appeared
to hang1opt in. space between US and the
sun. "a gloomy unearthly light fell
from all objects, impressing one with The
idea that some fearful calamity was
about to happen. The wind, which had
been blowing in gust, now sank, and a
death-like stiffness prevailed. A little
solitary bird poured forth a melancholy
song, and then the stiffness appeared
even greater than before. Capella and
other stars were SEEM" The most i'm
pressive feature of the total eclipse i;
the corona, or halo of light which sur
rounds the moon, and which usually ap
pears three or four seconds previous te
the total extinction of the suns light and
and continues visible for about the same
interval after its re-aPpearancs. III
general, it may Be compared to the MIN
bus commonly painted around the heads
Of saints. No verbal description car
give anything like true idea of this
sublime spectacle, with which man is Sc
rarely gratifed, and it will be worth &
journey to some point where the eclipse
will be total, to behold the departure O.
the last ray of the sun in it's retreat be
hind the moon; the awful gloom imme
diately diffusing itself over the face o
nature; while round dark circle in the
western sky, an immense raditate glora
Ike a new creation, in moment bursts
on the sight, for several minutes, trans
fixing thegazs of man in silent amaze
ment.