1 A.M.
All went as I had calculated . I contrived to arrest the Astronaut 's motion at the required elevation just about the moment of sunset on the region of the Earth immediately underneath . At 12 P.M. , or 24h by the chronometer , I directed a current of the requisite strength into the eastward conductor , which I had previously pointed to the Earth 's surface , but a little short of the extreme terrestrial horizon , as I calculated it . At 1 A.M. I found myself , judging by the stars , exactly where I wished to be , and nearly stationary as regarded the Earth . I instantly arrested the eastward current , detaching that conductor from the apergion ; and , directing the whole force of the current into the downward conductor , I had the pleasure of seeing that , after a very little adjustment of the helm , the stars remained stationary in the mirror of the metacompass , showing that I had escaped from the influence of the Earth 's rotation . It was of course impossible to measure the distance traversed during the invisibility of the Earth , but I reckoned that I had made above 500 miles between 1h . and 2h .