THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MARCH, 16TH. 65S 



does not begin till the Sun reaches the Vernal Equinox. Spots on the Sun are 

 larger and more numerous in February, to date (17th), than in January. 



There will be an eclipse of the Sun March i6th, visible here as a par- 

 tial eclipse; beginning soon after 10:00 A. M., and ending near 1:00 P. M. 

 The Moon will be so far from the Earth that it will appear smaller than the Sun, 

 and the eclipse will be annular, i. e. where it is central the outer edge of the Sun 

 will be visible like a bright ring around the black Moon. 



The path of central eclipse will strikfe the United States about 150 miles 

 north to northwest of San Francisco; pass northeasterly into British America; 

 cross Hudson's Bay and Greenland; leaving the Earth near 200 miles north of 

 Iceland. There will also be an eclipse of the Moon, March 30th, about 10:00 

 A. M., and, of course, not visible here. But it may be seen on the opposite 

 side of the Earth, nearly from Pole to Pole. For table of eclipses see REViE\r 

 for August, 1883. 



Jupiter and Saturn are now grand objects for evening observation. Saturn 

 crosses the meridian soon after 6:00 P. M. in the early part. of the month, and is 

 inconveniently high for observation till 8:00 or 9:00, when it will have descendedt 

 to a good position. The ring will continue at its widest phase with Httle varia- 

 tion for several months. Jupiter is a diamond beauty in the eastern sky ; rising 

 on the ist, at 4:44 P. M. and southing about 11:30. Mercury is in conjunction 

 March 13th, and will hardly be visible during the month. Mars is just passing 

 conjunction, and will not be visible for some time. Venus is still a Morning 

 Star near the horizon. It is declining northward and crosses the equinoctial 

 March 31st, when it rises exactly east, half an hour before sunrise. Uranus 

 comes to opposition on the 21st, when its R. A. is i2h. 5m., and declination o*^ 

 21' N.; being very near Eta, Virginus, and still nearer a small fixed star to the 

 southwest. Neptune is still about where it has been for several moi\ths, a few 

 degrees southwest of Pleiades. 



THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MARCH, 16TH 



PROF. W. W. ALEXANDER. 



On March i6th, 1885, there will be an annular eclipse of the Sun, visible at 

 Kansas City as a partial eclipse. The elements are as follows, by " Central, 

 Standard Time": 



Conjunction in Right Ascension i2h. 14m. 23.6s. 

 Sun and Moon's Right Ascension 23h. 46m. 35.35s. 

 Sun's hourly motion 9.13s.; Moon's, 126.07s. 

 Sun's declination 1° 27' 12.0" South. 

 Moon's declination 0° 39' ii.o" South. 

 Sun's parallax 8.9"; Moon's, 57' 7.7". 



VIII-42 



