Latitude 50° 43' 45" N.
Longitude 0^h 28^m 23^s E. from Greenwich.
At the date of the _first eclipse_ Bering was on his way across the
southern end of Kamchatka from Bolsheretsk to Lower Kamchatka. This
would make his position somewhere near latitude 55° N. and longitude
160° or 10^h 40^m E. from Greenwich.
He was therefore 10^h 12^m east of Bonn for which we have the elements
of this eclipse as computed by Manfred. With this data together with
the latitude and sun's declination we have the following data for the
eclipse in the region where Bering was.
Beginning of eclipse 4^h 44^m
Middle of eclipse 6 12
End of eclipse 7 41
Sun sets 5 07
This means that the sun set, bearing about W. by S. ½ S., and the moon
rose in partial eclipse, bearing about E. by N. ½ N., at 5^h 07^m after
apparent noon or 23 minutes after the eclipse had begun. The eclipse
lasted for 2^h 34^m after sunset, or until 7^h 41^m in the evening,
thus rendering observation of the last contact plainly visible.
At the date of the _second eclipse of 1728_, August 19, Bering was at
sea somewhere in the vicinity of the strait which bears his name.
Assuming his position to have been latitude 65° N. and longitude 188°
or 12^h 32^m E. from Greenwich, equal to 12^h 04^m E. from Bonn, and as
before taking the data from Manfred's ephemeris we have as follows:
Beginning of eclipse 16^h 11^m
Middle of eclipse 17 39
End of eclipse 19 07
Sun rises 16 04
It thus appears that the first contact of this partial eclipse of the
northern limb of the moon may have been just barely visible to Bering.
The moon bearing about SW. by W. was entering the earth's shadow about
five minutes before the sun's rising and its own setting. If much
importance attaches to determining the possibility to Bering of
observing this eclipse then a more precise calculation is needful.
At the date of the _first lunar eclipse of 1729_, February 13, Bering
was at Lower Kamchatka, in latitude 56° 03' N. and longitude 162° 15'
or 10^h 49^m E. from Greenwich equal to 10^h 21^m E. from Bonn. For
this place we have from Manfred:
Eclipse begins 18^h 06^m
Total immersion 19 07
Middle of eclipse 19 56
Emersion begins 20 45
Eclipse ends 21 46
----------
Sun rises 19^h 21^m
Thus it appears that this total and almost central eclipse of the moon
lasting 3^h 40^m began at Bering's station 1^h and 15^m before sunrise
of February 14, the total immersion occurring 14 minutes before
sunrise. It is manifest, therefore, that Bering might have observed
this eclipse.
The _second lunar eclipse of 1729_ occurred August 8, when Bering was
in or near Okhotsk and about returning to Europe. We may assume his
position to have been latitude 59° 20' N. and longitude 142° 40' or 9^h
31^m E. from Greenwich, equal to 9^h 03^m E. from Bonn. This eclipse
was also total and almost central, but at Bering's station was wholly
invisible, beginning at 9^h 05^m A.M. and ending at 12^h 45^m P.M.