OBSERVING THE ECLIPSE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXI, Issue 208, 12 September 1885, Page 2

OBSERVING THE ECLIPSE.

(Communicated.)

We had engaged a well known scientist to supply us with a report of the eclipse as seen from a country township, especially well situated for this kind of observation. The manuscript has only just reached us, and it is— well we had better let it speak for itself. Night before — The utmost enthusiasm prevailed. There was much polishing of glasses— in fact, we sat up until vision became dim.

Wednesday, C a.m.— No appearance of the eclipse yet. It is "coming bye and bye." 7 a.m. — Eclipse m full going order now. Glasses of all sorts are being tried, telejeopes, opera glasses, field glasses — but the most effectual, m fact, the favorite, is an ordinary whiskey tumbler, inverted to an angle of 45 degrees, 735 a.m. — Total eclipse. Ths corona m full sight, m fact some observers think there arc two visible. The flames of the sun's atmosphere are flickeringvisible m our very vision— causing a tremulouancss which affects us m a remarkable manner. Stars are seen — some of them the double Btars spoken of by Horschel and other asfcro^ nomers. One observer, who has a one', horse telescope, can see the fixed stars as big ca a clieeso plate. Fine glass that — nothing like the tumbler though, especially whon you get it to the 45 degrees point. The utmost enthusiasm prevails. 12|a.m. — that ia —noon. Observations still going on. That tremulousness still continues. Can it be caused by tho waving flames m the solar atmosphere ? Double stars m numbers plainly seen. Whit a time the effects of an eclipse of this magnitude remain m force ! 3 p.m. — that is — afternoon. Observations just concluded —the observers continued to see double stars to the last, the inverted tumbler at an angle of 45 degrees being especially effectual m bringing them out, Before we separated we all joined m singing that beautiful anil pathetic anthem "Little Brown Jug."