Weather Phenomena

Solar Eclipses

On 7 August 1869, a solar eclipse could be seen in the United States. An article from the Wooster Republican on 5 August 1869 describes what could be seen during the solar eclipse.

Gallery

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Extract

Eclipse of the Sun.

"On Saturday, the 7th of August, an eclipse of the sun, visible at this point, and almost total here, will occur at half-past four in the afternoon and continue until half-past six...The northern boundary of the belt or strip of territory of the United States from which the eclipse will appear total, will pass twenty-five miles south of Cincinnati, or 145 miles south of Columbus. It will average about 150 miles wide, and the central shadow of the eclipse will strike across Alaska, through British Columbia to Nebraska, and thence through the central portions of the States of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and North Carolina, to the Atlantic Ocean...

"The attention of observers should perhaps be directed to the study of various and minute details in connection with a total or annular eclipse. The changes in the color and hues of the sky and clouds and landscape at different times during the progress of the eclipse should be carefully observed; the exact time when the dark shadow approaches and retreats from the sun should be noted; the degree of darkness and its effect upon animals and upon the appearance of surrounding objects, and upon the stars and other heavenly bodies, should be closely scrutinized. It will be observed that the moon appears to hang out int he sky, and its spherical shape will be distinctly discernible. Usually a gloominess creeps over the land and the sky,a sickly green hue tinges all objects, and a death-like stillness prevails, as if some fearful calamity was impending..." - Journal