Eclipse of the Sun.
The approaching total eclipse of the sun, on the 7th of August next, is exciting much interest. The obscuration first occurs in latitude 39° 53´ 3´´ north, longitude 138° 37´ 4´´ west—Washington being the meridian. The first totality is on the Pacific coast of Siberia, at sunrise, in lat. 52° 41´ 9´´ north, and long. 165° 26´ 4´´ west. The eclipse is total at noon in Alaska, lat. 61° 46´ 9´´ north, and long. 68° 4´ 6´´ west. The line of the total eclipse now runs south-easterly, grazing the coast near Sitka, thence north into British America; then entering the United States, near the head of Milk River, long. 30° W.; thence through the south-west corner of Minnesota, diagonally through Iowa, crosses the Mississippi at Burlington; thence through Illinois, a little north of Springfield, crosses the Ohio river at or near Louisville, Ky., passes through the south-west corner of West Virginia, through North Carolina, just south of Raleigh, ending on the Atlantic coast at sunset, just north of Beaufort, N. C., in lat. 31° 15´ 2´´ north, and long. 9° 36´ 6´´ east. The line thus described will be that of totality, only partial in any other part of the United States.
The United States Government is, or has been, establishing a meridian line at Springfield, partly to make observations on this coming eclipse, and with the further view of determining a standard of surveyed lines—all of the Government surveys in Illinois having been geodetic. Professor Austin, of the Smithsonian Institute, is in charge of the work, aided by an able corps of assistants.