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From: randall@ncr-sd.UUCP (Randall Rathbun)
Newsgroups: sci.astro
Subject: Re: Solar Eclipses at Sunrise & Sunset
Message-ID: <1206@ncr-sd.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Oct-86 18:43:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: ncr-sd.1206
Posted: Tue Oct 21 18:43:50 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Oct-86 06:01:39 EDT
References: <649@nike.UUCP>
Reply-To: randall@ncr-sd.UUCP (0000-Randall Rathbun)
Organization: NCR Corporation, San Diego
Lines: 9
Keywords: Solar Eclipses

In response to a recent question of John S. Watson regarding solar eclipses at
sunrise or sunset, Encyclopaedia Brittanica, in vol. 6 of the Macropaedia on
page 196 under the article on eclipses, mentions a famous solar eclipse occur-
ring just a few minutes after sunset at Rome on June 21st, 400BC that was total
or almost total. The poet Quintus Ennius stated that "On the Nones of June, the
sun was covered by the moon and night". It must have been an eerie sight to the
citizens there to have sudden darkness come upon them so swiftly and 
unexpectedly. Other very famous eclipses are mentioned also, although none
apparently occurred at sunrise or sunset.