54, j§§. ASTRONOMICAL Ax» 
as the fun’s apparent diameter was 31’ 34", the eclipfed parts 
were 28' 49”, or 10 digits and 57 minutes. This was very 
near the time of the greateft obfcurátion : But whether it 
was exactly fo I could not determine, the fun being obfcured. 
juft before and after this obfervation. At 10" 25" a large {pot 
emerged from the fhadow. At 1059’ four other large fpots 
were wholly within the lucid part. At the end of the eclipfe 
the fky was become clear, and by a good gelesen I found: 
= to be at 11% 38’ 16" apparent time.. 
During the eclipfe, there was a very fenfible alteration in the 
ftate of the air. A chill, and a damp were very generally felt. 
The mercury in the thermometer at 9" 4’, juft before the eclipfe. 
‘began, was at 67°:. At 10*20', it fell to 66°: At the end 
of the eclipfe it rofe to 73? ; and at noon it was at 74^7. 
As the time of the greateft obícurátion came on, that part 
of the fky which was free from clouds, changed from an azure 
blue, to a more dark and dufky colour: And the dew fell fo faft 
as to wet the paper we were ufing to a confiderable degree. - 
As this eclipfe was tatal in. fome of the fouthern flates, T was 
very defirous to have it carefully obferved in feveral places, in 
hope that a fufficient number of obfervations might be collect- 
ed to determine the exact path and limits of the fhadow : And 
it was with much regret that I found myfelf prevented by the 
weather from making a more compleat obfervation, 
A As jedes of a lunar eclipfe, December m 1778, at 
: : Si kh 
8 inning. 
