The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
With respect to the eclipse of September 17. I know of no observations
made in this State but my own, although I had no doubt that others had
observed it. I used myself an equatorial telescope, and was aided by a
friend who happened to be with me, and observed through an achromatic
telescope of Dollard's. Two others attended the time-pieces. I had a
perfect observation of the passage of the sun over the meridian, and the
eclipse commencing but a few minutes after, left little room for error
in our time. This little was corrected by the known rate of going of the
clock. But we as good as lost the first appulse by a want of sufficiently
early attention to be at our places, and composed. I have no confidence,
therefore, by several seconds, in the time noted. The last oscillation
of the two luminaries was better observed. Yet even there was a certain
term of uncertainty as to the precise moment at which the indenture on
the limb of the sun entirely vanished. It is therefore the forming of
the annulus, and its breaking, which alone possess my entire and complete
confidence. I am certain there was not an error of an instant of time in
the observation of either of them. Their result therefore should not be
suffered to be affected by either of the others. The four observations
were as follows:
The 1st. appulse, 0h. 13´ 54´´
Annulus formed, 1h. 53´ 0´´} central time of } central time of the
Annulus broken, 1h. 59´25´´} annulus } two contacts
Last oscillation, 3h. 29´ 2´´ 1h. 56´12½´´ 1h. 51´28´´
Latitude of Monticello, 38° 8´
I have thus given you, Sir, my observations, with a candid statement of
their imperfections. If they can be of any use to Mr. Bowditch, it will
be more than was in view when they were made; and should I hear of any
other observations made in this State, I shall not fail to procure and
send him a copy of them. Be so good as to present me affectionately to
your much-esteemed father, and to accept the tender of my respect.
TO MELATIAH NASH.
MONTICELLO, November 15, 1811.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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