Famous People Who Observed the 1878 Great Eclipse by Zina Abbott

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:

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