New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-02-23
ECLIPSE OBSERVATIONS.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF PROFESSOR PIERCE.
THE MEDITERRANEAN ECLIPSE - THE LATEST
SCIENTIFIC METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS
THE RESULTS MISUNDERSTANDING CONFIR-

Perce euperntendent OF the United States Coast sur
vey has prepared for transmission to Congress his
Of the expedition authorized by It for the observation
tho eclipse OF December a. 1870 This the first full and
definite statement from the American party the he
of the expedition
Certain astronomical phenomena OF rare occurrence
and Of high Importance for the advancement of human
knowledge have, IN all civilized countries since modern
has been cultivated been deemed matters OF ma
tional Importance. Among these total eclipses OF
the and for many years IL has been customary for
the great nations To organize expeditions for observa
ton Of them The first total eclipse visible I'm this
country since the formation Of the Government that
Of june This accurately observed at several
points and valuable painting made Of il. We were
not favored with another until November So 1884, when
the moons shadow passed over the continent from
northwest to southeast This eclipse was observed by
r. T. Paine, esq, Of Boston, at Beaufort s. C..
A third eclipse did not visit our country until
Is6O; hence, at that time this wonderful phe-
nomenon was for most American astronomers
matter of hcar~ay The path Of the eclipse OF July 1s
lsCO from Washington Territory TO tho northern
OF Labrador and thence the 10 spain
This eclipse was observed by expeditions organized
under the Superintendent OF the Coast Survey and the
results published in the report fOr that year II
also observed by the astronomers Of several Govern
mcnts abroad, and the first total eclipse which
photographed. In 1905 British French, aud German ex-
pedons were fitted out for the observation Of total
eclipse in India. On this occasion brilliant discoveries
Were made in regard TO the spectrum Of certain
bored prominences seen about the sun NJ such times
and these discoveries nave bceh increasing III interest
evc- since In 1C9 another total eclipse was visible IN
the United States II observed by parties organized
10y tie Coast survey and other Government bureaus Tue
result were h -h Importance Photographs Of the entire
we're taken for te hrst time The first obserya-
tons were made upon He spectrum OF the corona Iuc
rada polarization of the corona first observed with
care. and the former knowledge OF the subject ad-
yanced IN every dIecton The results or these two
ecpes of such Importance In regard tO@ne of the
chief scientific problems Of our time the constitution OF
the world II felt by everybody even casually in
opportunity for removing the last obscuity from the
subject Of the corona such as ought not to be let slip
served hy Government expedition from this country
during this century.
VINDlCATION or AMERICAN OBSERVATIONS OF 1869.
In accordance with these views, Congress authorized
the fitting cat Of American expedition similar 10
those to be by Germany, France Great Britain
Italy, and SPAIN to study the phenomena of this eclipse
The late unhappy prevented the first two nations
sparng any OF their energy for this peaceful emu
atl"u' DIV extensive preparations were ndue ~ al le
Others. The American and English parties were IN co
operation, and afforded each other mutual ana. It
hoped that the good feeling thus ensendertd MAS nor
without Influence beyond the cIcle OF sccIcS me 0p
rvatons of this eclipse had for their general result the
the year before, the novelty of which had made them
somewhat suspected in Europe, well as the establish
lunar predictions. Some new features were OBJ
served IN the corona aud in the chrome
With q view Of selecting localities where astronomical
conditions well ar those OF the weather. might be ex
pected be favorable for observing, Mr. Charles B.
Perce proceeded Europe in advance under the super
iueqdent's direction and after visiting Italy, SPAIN
stations in southern spain and IN siGiy me county
had too low for Photographic purposes Consld
oing the probable distribution along the line OF totally
OF the European astronomers il was decided finally TO
dispatch two partesOne 10 be stationed In the vicinity
Jcros, il SPAN the other under the Immediate per
tons CA the Island of Sicily. in the neghborhood Of
Catana. such observers were selected as mad previous
experience, which IN matters pertaining 70 SOAR
ecpscs OF much appearances and whose former success
In tie specia lines OF duty assigned gave fun assurance
fact that could possibly DC noted under the cir
cumstances would be lost. D., ,,,.,.
fold duty assigned OF making measures OF precision in
GLIDING the determination OF me POsii0h
IRE Ta % and Of anaivzng the corona BY means Of the
nolariscope and spectroscope. Accompanying phenom
eua also TO be recorded To improve as niucn az
possible the chances Of the weather, the parry was
spread over large an area as could conveniently Ue
included-a precauuon which proved o. tte"H E@iIe Oh
most cordial co6peration with the party OF BRUSH Cd
servers. several members of which took position at
Catania, maintained throughout our stay
OBSERVATIONS AT CATANIA.
Our rrncipal station in the garden Of the Bene
dctne Convent Of ST. Nicola in the western part Of the
city, position selected by Assistant Charles A. schot
who IL conjunction with Mr. u. c. Chapman determined
early In December the latitude and longitude and also
the local time. l. NJ Rutherford, esq. Of New-York
provided Photographic apparatus For determining
Time and latitude MIR. schO used the portable meridian
telescope C. s No g and sdereal chronometer Kesscl
Isl, which was rated Washington, and checked at
comparisons the party indebted TO the Berlin Opserva
tory the Munich observatory and to the Observatory at
Caro- 81 Monte at Naples. Trausits were recorded
on i've nights, and Is pairs OF stars o were
mon that Of Naples and Munich In order
to secure accuracy MI h H. D. PIERCE compared cAro-
from the United states Naval Observatory, thus verify
ing the determination for longitude OF the respective
stations number Of chronometors were II advance
rated for Of the observers and small tranguA
ton made uniting the eclipse station IL the garden
ehonseu surveyed that vicinity previous 10 tle
year 1871. II Is gratifying 70 notice me very close
accordance between earlier Astronomical
and those taken 80 years afterward. Tine signals by
heiOtTopes were sent and received 10y inc . t
Catania and at the MontlRoss station Mr. SIhotI III
Guided in his series OF geographical positions me nc
places occupied in the garden OF the CONVENE t%U Uy
the English party IN charge OF MI Norman ~
and the other by Mr.. J. H. Lane OF the once Of the
l. s. Weights and Measures VINO, though fuly PREPARED
for spectrOscOpic observations was Pleyehteu " un
favorable weather for recording special results
PHOTOGRAPHIC AND sPECTRosCoPIc RESULTS
The Photographic party secured 10 negatives OF Tue
sun-17 during the eclipse and before totdAy' ana IA
alter fiat irregular intervals taking advantage OF
hreahs in the clouds. The direction Of parallel OF
decnation was indicated by the image Of thread, so
adusted before the eclipse that solar spot might be
seen as moving along the thread during the transit MI
Ftz operated the equatorial and tuned the pictures
An attempt vas made by means Of an ordinary camera
~ secure an impression during momentsry appearance
~ portop of the corona. The time OF the first contact
vae noted by Mr.. schott who was apprised by pistol
fred nv member Of the English party, the report by
nrecopcert indicating that Mr. Lockyer had already
snectroscopcay noted the approach OF the moons mb
over the solar chTomosphere. The dense clouds Wmch
came from the direction Of Mount Ana' ana TO the west
OF it, defeated all attempts at observing he uhes OF Tue
inner contacts and Of the last contact Nj sch0tt now
ever saw through q rift IN the clouds part Oh tno
corona 10 the northward and eastward OF ne hn cen
line mainly cOncentric with the moons Hnp OF WAtS