National Eclipse

THE SUN DARKENED.

For Nearly Two Minutes a Glorious Sight is Vouchsafed Miles City People,

The Occasion Being the Total Eclipse—One by One the Stars Peep Out.

Then a Wonderful Corona and a Dazzing [sic] Burst of Sunshine.

THE TOTAL ECLIPSE.

How it Looked to Miles City People.

However excessive the most florid imagination may have pictured the eclipse in anticipation it was at best but a beggarly estimate of the realization. Words fail and comparisons are utterly inadequate to even faintly picture the supernal magnificence of this spectacle, which is rarely vouch safed to individual humanity more than once in a lifetime. It is only by contemplating the fact that in many of the most populous portions of the earth's surface, centuries have passed without an opportunity of witnessing this most imposing of the celestial phenomena, that we of the sparsely settled Yellowstone valley can properly appreciate the great good fortune that befell us on Tuesday last. Even science, backed by adequate means that enables its votaries to travel to the uttermost portions of the globe to observe and study the varied phases of the event, can witness but an average of seventy total eclipses of the sun in a century, and the aggregate of duration of totality, during which period only can the most vital and important research be made, amounts to but one day in one hundred years. It is through a knowledge of these facts that the average mind can realize the vast importance of an occasion of this kind, and faintly comprehend the nature of the work that devolves upon the scientists during the few brief minutes, or sometimes, even seconds that total obscuration lasts. The principal observing stations for this eclipse were located in northern California and Nevada, for the reason that in that locality total obscuration of the sun's disc was maintained for something over two minutes, while further north and east the period was lessened.

In some respects astronomy must be one of the most exact of sciences, and particularly is this noticeable in the foretelling of the exact time to minutes and seconds, at which eclipses are to occur. In reference to the eclipse of Tuesday we were unable to get definite data for this precise locality, but as nearly as we could crudely figure it, the first contact was due between five minutes before two and two o'clock, and according to several observers it was noted at 1:56 standard time for this division. Never in this land of sunshine and clear atmosphere was there a day so fitted to the occasion as was New Years day. Not a cloud was visible in the sky and the rarified atmosphere that is at all times so deceptive to the unpracticed eye as to distance, seemed lighter and clearer than usual, under the stimulation of the brisk winter atmosphere. In the opening just south of the Macqueen house, Mr. L.A. Huffman had focused five cameras, one of them in the manner designated by Prof. Todd, of the Amherst observatory, and the other four on general landscape principles. Mr. Huffman was assisted in the management of the instruments by Messrs. [illegible], Porter and Morrison, all more or less posted in the details of photography. It was not the intention, however, to use any of the instruments on any of the phases of the eclipse except that of totality, so the hour or more that intervened between the first contact and total obscuration, was taken up in noting the progress of the moon's passage across the sun, with smoked glasses, quite a number of excellent glasses having been prepared for general use. Around this spot quite a crowd were gathered and the progress of the eclipse was noted with increasing interest by all. Six minutes past three was the time set for totality in this vicinity and as the encroaching moon crept slowly ove[r] the bright face of the sun, gradually reducing his disc to a narrow crescent, anxious eyes consulted watches, and as it became apparent that schedule time was to be accurately observed by the celestial traveler, the interest deepened in intensity and silence was only broken by low toned instructions to those who were commissioned to note the first second of [illegible] totality, and those whose mission it was to keep time for the exposure of the cameras. Slowly but grandly the dark body of the moon covered the glaring face of the sun, the glass revealing as perfect and clear cut a periphery as could be geometrically delineated. Minutes wasted into seconds and a sickly gray light replaced the sunshine, but it was sunshine still, for a glance through the glass showed a narrow strip of gold on the upper left hand section of the sun's disk. Then, simultaneous with the observer's cry "She's gone," a stillness fell upon the group, a strange shadow was cast upon the face of the earth, while high in the western sky, the most glorious of all spectacles, the inimitable corona was revealed to the naked eye. The ineffable glory of that scene cannot be described, but for those who saw it as the people of Miles City saw it, its beauty and grandeur will always remain a climax in comparison with which all earthly spectacles must fade into insignificance. All around the dark body of the moon a halo of mild white light shone intensely, if a mild light can be imagined as intense, reaching out in well defined "swallow tail" forks on the upper left and lower right hand corners to a distance twice as great as the apparent diameter of the moon, while on the upper and lower sides, it was more of a halo, indistict [sic] in form. For exactly sixty-four seconds was this visible to the naked eye, though none but those who held watches on it would believe that it was more than ten seconds; so intense was the interest that time flew unheeded, and there are those who still contend that the moon moved faster during totality than at any other phase of the eclipse. A minute or two before the eclipse became total Venus appeared in all her beauty and during totality several other stars were seen, although it was still light enough to read the face of a watch without artificial light. The light was that of morning twilight, pearly but not golden, and imbued with that indescribable freshness that betokens the coming day. Birds that had not been seen nor heard before, chirped and twittered and flew low down to the ground, and peaceful cattle lowed. No human voice broke the stillness save in suppressed ejaculations of admiration. But beautiful as was the spectacle it was succeeded by one, almost its peer, when the passage of the moon uncovered the lower right hand segment of the sun, and the first ray of true sunlight revisited the earth; the transition in all things terrestrial was instantaneous and most wonderful. The awful sublimity of the period of total eclipse was passed, Nature was herself again, and for all curiosity seeking observers the eclipse was over. A party of Cheyenne squaws who were in town during the day had made an afternoon camp near the brewery to discuss the provender they had collected, but in the midst of their festivities they were surprised by the increasing darkness, and with every manifestation of alarm they quickly broke camp and struck out for Fort Keogh to seek the protection of the representatives of the Great Father.

Thermometer readings were taken at the brewery as follows: At 1 p.m., the temperature was 34° above. At 2 o'clock, when the eclipse began the mercury dropped to 28°; at 3 o'clock, just before totality it was 26° and during totality it sunk to 22°. Mr. Huffman obtained five views during totality one of which will be sent to Prof. Todd, of Amherst University, by special request of the professor, who is one of the highest authorities in the country on the subject of solar eclipses, and whose pamphlet of instructions to amateur observers was exceedingly helpful to Miles City people. From the fact that this pamphlet cautioned observers to have a lantern at hand to read the time during totality, it is evident that a much greater degree of darkness was expected than we experienced here, and that we did not have it is, we believe, solely attributable to our intensely clear atmosphere which permitted the transmission of coronal light sufficient to dispel the darkness. Supt. Ullman, of the electric light, had steam up and simultaenously [sic] with the going out of the sun, turned on the electric light, but it was not needed, though his foresight is to be commended. Another total eclipse of the sun occurs on the 22nd of December next, but as usual it is only visible in out of the way corners of the globe, South America and Africa. It may be centuries before the Yellowstone valley will again be visited by this transcendently magnificent spectacle.