Abstract
IT does not happen more than once in a lifetime to see such a glorious and magnificent sight as that from which I have just returned; that is, the total eclipse of the sun. I have seen many eclipses before, but never anything to equal this. I was engaged to go with the Morgans to the top of the hill to see it. Got up at six, and found it a lovely morning; rode up to Morgan's, about half a mile, carrying with me glasses, smoked glass, and sun hat. Got there before seven, and found eclipse already begun. Got our two mirrors and watched the hole in the sun grow bigger and bigger. It began from the top, and we all went off to the highest point on the hill, from whence we could see all Ooly and the mountains round. When the eclipse got so far, the cold on the mountain grew much greater, the grass was so wet that no one's boots kept it out, the feet and hands grew cold, and with your back to the sun the light over the country was like twilight, or the earliest dawn. Gradually the lower streak got thinner and thinner, until at last there shone a light like the famous lime-light, and in a moment or two that went out and the sun was totally concealed; many stars were visible, the whole country looked dark—that is, half dark, like moonlight—the crows stopped cawing, and for two minutes and a half the total eclipse lasted, a sight I shall never forget, and then the lime-light again appeared at the bottom rim of the sun, and gradually more and more of him appeared, the crows began again at once, and the cocks began to crow, the shadow now was inverted, and by degrees got smaller, until at nine o'clock the eclipse was over. I cannot but suppose that the scientific men must have had grand opportunities of observation, and that to-day's pencil will carry home many a description. Anything more beautiful, more sublime, or more perfect, it would be impossible to conceive.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
TAYLOR, R. The Solar Eclipse. Nature 5, 222–223 (1872). https://doi.org/10.1038/005222a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/005222a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.