A good observer will remain in the dark for a short time before he makes
a delicate observation on a faint star, and will then throw a cap over
his head to keep out strong lights.
"When we look at the sun, we at once try to deaden its light. We protect
our eyes by dark glasses--the less of sunlight we can get the better. We
calculate exactly at what point the moon will touch the sun, and we
watch that point only. The exact second by the chronometer when the
figure of the moon touches that of the sun, is always noted. It is not
only valuable for the determination of longitude, but it is a check on
our knowledge of the moon's motions. Therefore, we try for the
impossible.
"One of our party, a young lady from California, was placed at the
chronometer. She was to count aloud the seconds, to which the three
others were to listen. Two others, one a young woman from Missouri, who
brought with her a fine telescope, and another from Ohio, besides
myself, stood at the three telescopes. A fourth, from Illinois, was
stationed to watch general effects, and one special artist, pencil in
hand, to sketch views.
"Absolute silence was imposed upon the whole party a few minutes before
each phenomenon.
"Of course we began full a minute too soon, and the constrained position
was irksome enough, for even time is relative, and the minute of
suspense is longer than the hour of satisfaction. [Footnote: As the
computed time for the first contact drew near, the breath of the counter
grew short, and the seconds were almost gasped and threatened to become
inaudible, when Miss Mitchell, without moving her eye from the tube of
the telescope, took up the counting, and continued until the young lady
recovered herself, which she did immediately.
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