ECLIPSES IN 1857.

In the year 1857, there will be two eclipses of the Sun, and none of the Moon.

I. A total eclipse of the Sun, March 25th, 1857, invisible at Washington.

Begins on the earth generally, March 25th, 2h. 41.8m. A., mean time at Washington, in longitude 155° 18' E. of Greenwich, and latitude 32° 31'S.

Central eclipse begins generally, March 25th, 3h. 37.8m. A., in longitude 141° 18' E., and latitude 34° 19' S.

Central eclipse at noon, March 25th, 5h. 15.8m. A., in longitude 154° 32′ W., and latitude 3° 49' S.

Central eclipse ends generally, March 25th, 7h. 4.1m. A., in longitude 90° 41′ W., and latitude 24° 0' N.

Ends on the earth generally, March 25th, 8h. 0.1m. A., in longitude 104° 36′ W., and latitude 25° 50' N.

This eclipse will be visible in a part of the United States and Canada, in Mexico and on a small portion of the northwest coast of South America, and in part of Australia. Its path lies mostly over the Pacific Ocean.

It will not be visible in any portion of the United States or Canada having a longitude less than 76° 45′ W. of Greenwich. At Montreal, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, the first contact will take place after sunset, and generally throughout New England, New Jersey, Delaware, and the eastern parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.

At Toronto, C. W., Buffalo, N. Y., Washington, D. C., Richmond, Va., and Newbern, N. C., the first contact will occur at, or very near, sunset. The last contact will not be visible in any part of the United States east of the Mississippi.

The eclipse will be central in Mexico, near the towns of Aguayo, Zacatecas, and Mazatlan, at the southern extremity of the Gulf of California. The times of beginning and end, for several places at which one or both of these phases will be visible, are given below.

For the positions upon the western coast, the above times have been obtained by projection from the chart of this eclipse published by Rev. Thomas Hill in "The Astronomical Journal," No. 90. The chart was constructed with the aid of the "Occultator" of his invention. A rigorous computation for the time of beginning at San Francisco differs by less than one minute from that given by the "Occultator."

II. An annular eclipse of the Sun, September 17th and 18th, 1857, invisible at Washington.

Begins on the earth generally, September 17th, 9h. 29.2m. A., mean time at Washington, in longitude 47° 49′ E. of Greenwich, and latitude 36° 17/ N.

Central eclipse begins generally, September 17th, 10h. 34.4m. A., in longitude 31° 17' E., and latitude 40° 15' N.

Central eclipse at noon, September 18th, 0h. 14.7m. M., in longitude 97° 48' E., and latitude 14° 34′ N.

Central eclipse ends generally, September 18th, 2h. 19.3m. M., in longitude 156° 1' E., and latitude 18° 14' S.

Ends on the earth generally, September 18th, 3h. 24.5m. M., in longi tude 139° 34' E., and latitude 22° 14' S.

This eclipse will be visible in part of Europe and Africa, throughout most of Asia, and in Australia.

Occultations of Planets and Stars by the Moon, Visible at Washington, D. C., during the Year 1857.

*Whole occultation below the horizon of Washington.

† Immersion below the horizon of Washington.

Emersion below the horizon of Washington.

The Angles of Position, for the points of contact, are for direct vision, and are reckoned from the Moon's North Point and from its Vertex towards the West. For inverted image, add 180° to the angles given.

ECLIPSES OF THE SATELLITES OF JUPITER IN 1857,

Mean Time, Washington Observatory (Astronomical account).