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Solar Eclipse of July 8th, 1842. 75 
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pian XXL nara the Solar Beips ov July 8th, 1842. 
- A tora eclipse of the sun at any particular in is so unfre- 
quent, that only a small part of the inhabitants of the earth ever 
has an opportunity of beholding this, the most sublime of celes- 
tial phenomena. In April, 1715, the sun was totally eclipsed in 
London, and in May, 1724, in Paris; but from those years to 
- 1900, or during nearly two centuries, the shadow of the moon 
neither has, or will pass over either of those cities. Nor have we 
been in this respect, more fortunate. A total eclipse took place 
in Massachusetts and the central part of New York on June 16th, 
1806; another occurred in part of South Carolina and Georgia on 
Nov. 30th, 1834; the third, during this century, will be total in 
part of North Carolina, and will happen on Aug. 7th, 1869; the 
fourth, on May 27th, 1900, will be total in part of Virginia; and 
as the average width or diameter of the moon’s shadow on the 
earth, may be considered about one hundred miles, it is evident 
that during the nineteenth century, not more than one quarter of 
our territory between Maine and Florida, will see a total eclipse. 
Strictly speaking, the darkness during a total eclipse, is not as 
has been supposed, nearly or quite total; since the moment the 
moon completely obscures the sun, she appears to be surrounded 
by a mild but beautiful effulgence, which though not too brilliant 
to be beheld by the naked eye, sheds sufficient light to render 
objects distinctly visible. At Boston, in 1806, it is said, about as 
much light remained, during the total obscuration, as is given by 
the moon when full, and in Beaufort, S. C., Nov. 30, 1834, only 
two planets and four stars of the first magnitude were seen, though 
one of them, Antares, was then only six degrees from the sun. 
But, although nearly twenty eight years will elapse before the next 
passage of the moon’s shadow over the United States, on the eighth 
of next July, in a considerable portion of continental Europe, the 
sun will be totally eclipsed. That this phenomenon will be ob- 
served with interest by those of our countrymen, favorably situ- 
ated, cannot be doubted, and it is therefore hoped that the follow- 
ing results, deduced from a long and careful computation, may be 
useful to those readers of the Journal, who may wish to behold the 
‘Complete obscuration of the sun, and who are in doubt whither 
to proceed. On this occasion the centre of the shadow will first 
