In 1878, for the
first time in history, astronomers and other scientists were able to view a
total solar eclipse from a higher altitude, such as that provided by the Rocky
Mountains. This prompted the name for this event, “The Great Eclipse.”
This was
made possible by the construction of rail systems west of the Mississippi and
Missouri Rivers, the first only ten years before. Prior to that, only native
tribes and a few intrepid pioneers and trappers, who made their homes there, had
easy access to this area.
With several
railroads operating across the West by 1878, for viewing the eclipse, the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company gave professional astronomers from Europe and the United
States half-price fare from the East Coast to Denver, via Chicago or St. Louis.
Other rail lines also offered discount fares.
This eclipse was
visible at sunrise at a path across northeastern Asia before it crossed Alaska.
From
there, it continued into western Canada.
It entered the United States in Montana, and proceeded in a general northwest
to southeast direction through Texas. It then continued across most of Cuba and
ended shortly after passing over southwestern Hispaniola.
Since viewing this
eclipse was highly touted and anticipated, especially in the United States, who actually traveled to observe
this event? Here are a few:
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Thomas Edison 1878
|
Thomas
Edison traveled with the Draper Expedition to Rawlins, Wyoming
Territory. Because of his recent invention of the phonograph, he attracted a
lot of publicity that trip. Edison was eager to test his new tasimeter, a
highly sensitive heat-measuring device.
You might wish to read more about
Edison’s experience during the 1878 by reading my earlier blog post, “The
Chickens Come Home to Roost.” This experience was featured in a scene written
in Mail
Order Blythe. Please CLICK HERE
In spite of Edison being well-known today, Henry Draper of
New York was considered the most well-known astronomer in the party. He
directed the Rawlins observatory. The largest lens on Dr. Henry Draper's
phototelespectroscope was 5.25 inches in diameter. The length of the tube was
78 inches.
Another person in Rawlins, Wyoming, at the general time of
the 1878 eclipse—although I do not have documentation stating he was in the
area and viewed the eclipse itself—was John
B. Omohundro, better known as Western performer, “Texas Jack.” My first
book in the 1878 Solar Eclipse Inspired Romance series, Mail Order Blythe,
includes a scene of his interaction with Thomas Edison at the Railroad Hotel in Rawlins—based
on a true event.
You might wish to read more about Texas Jack by reading my earlier
blog post, “Texas Jack—Scout, Cowboy, and Actor.” Please CLICK HERE
The ladies were not to be outdone. Famed female astronomer,
Maria Mitchell, a professor at Vassar College, led an all-female expedition to
the Denver region. I featured this in a scene in my book, Figgy Pudding by Francine, which may
also be found in the second volume in the 1878 Solar Eclipse Inspired Romanceseries.
You
might wish to read more about Maria Mitchell’s history and her expedition,
“Maria Mitchell, Professor of Astronomy at Vassar.” Please CLICK HERE
Working on a survey crew,
Billy Owen was still in his teens in 1878 when he saw the eclipse from
the top of Medicine Bow Peak in southern Wyoming. He later went on to become a
well-known surveyor for the state of Wyoming as well as other exploits. He also served positions in Wyoming government. I
featured him in a scene in my book, Lauren.
You might wish to read more
about Billy Owen’s life by reading my earlier blog post, “Billy Owen, Surveyor
& Eclipse Observer.” Please CLICK
HERE
Some other 1878 total solar eclipse observers, although not
well known today, are the following:
Simon Newcomb, a Canadian-American
astronomer, was in charge of a small party, one of two from the U.S. Naval
Observatory in Washington, D.C., who set up at Separation, a railroad station
fourteen miles west of Rawlins. Newcomb was director of the Nautical
Almanac, which provides astronomical data for celestial navigation and is
still published by the U.S. Navy.
William
Harkness led the second U.S. Naval Observatory expedition,
which set up its observation station at Creston, twelve miles west of
Separation. They slept in the same railroad car that delivered their equipment. Soldiers
sent from Fort Fred Steele, located just east of Rawlins, joined the expedition
to do their cooking.
Alvan
Clark, owner of the company, Alvan Clark and Sons, and winner of a medal from
the French Academy of Sciences for making huge telescope lenses was a maker of
fine scientific instruments, photographed the corona at Creston in Wyoming
Territory.
My
six books which feature the 1878 Total Solar Eclipse may all be purchased as
singles. To celebrate the most recent total solar eclipse in 2024, I combined
them into two volumes in the 1878 Solar Eclipse Inspired Romance series. Although
these books were published over two years in various multiple author projects
(series), I have put them in order of occurrence in the two boxsets.
Both
books in this series are on sale for a limited time. They are also available at
no additional cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
You
may find Eclipsedby Love, Books 1-3 and Eclipsed by Love, Books 4-6,
including descriptions of the books in each volume and purchase options, by CLICKING HERE
Sources:
https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/moon-shadows-over-wyoming-solar-eclipses-1878-1889-and-1918
https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/great-eclipse-1878
https://en.wikipedia.org[olar_eclipse_of_July_29%2C_1878
