The Solar Eclipse

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 39, 10 September 1885, Page 3

The Solar Eclipse

(Contributed by Mr Goodbehere). It is to be hoped that the favorable conditions under which the total eclipse of the sun was observed 'this morning at Feilding extended to all places within the limited area over which this grand and impressive spectacle could be witnessed. .The sun rose behind the Ruahine range at about ten minutes past' six in a perfectly cloudless sky and with, an umblemished face,, with the exception of two small circular spots, one situated on the equator near to the eastern limb, and the other about midway between the equator and the north-western limb. The moon, bearing testimony to the truth of astronomical predictions, was seen to enter upon the western edge of the sun's face true to time, and as she slowly travelled across the sun's disc the varied crescent shaped phases of the sun, as seen through a small telescope,^ together with; the gradual darkening and weird-like appearance of the landscape, were exceedingly beautiful and interesting. The grandest, and most, impressive part of the spectacle was, however,; at the moment of totality, which was notified to observers by a feeling somewhat like an electric shock, when the beautiful white silvery light of the corona surrounding the moon (supposed to be the sun's atmosphere) suddenly appeared, together with the long streamers or rays of lightcalled aigrettes, shiningthrough the corona and extending to a considerable distance beyond it, which are always observed in total solar eclipses, but the nature of which are not at present thoroughly understood by astronomers. The end of the totality was also most striking and impressive (perhaps to some observers more so than the commencement), when the first speck of light from the sun shot forth with elei trlfying brilliancy. Although during the totality of the eclipse it. was not so dark as might have been anticipated — there being plenty of , light to read and write by — numerous stars were seen by different observers, as also were the planets Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, which were near to the sun. The only source of regret, if any, to the observers was the shortness of the duration of totality (about 90 seconds) and the spectacle would probably have been more impressive if it had taken place later in the -day. The strong south-westerly gale which was blowing at the time rather interfered with telescope observations. Feilding, 9th September, 1885.