The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-05-06
THE TOTAL ECLIPSE TO-DAY.
Ono OF the most interesting eclipses Of the

Ono OF the most Interesting eclipseS OF the
sun that has ever occurred will take place to-
day. 1t Is not visible here. and tho total phase.
which alone possesses special Importance. can
only be seen In the South Pacific Ocean.
American. French. and English astronomers
have gone to Caroline Island. one OF the Mar
auosas group. TO witness the eclipse. The
great interest which scientific men feel In this
eclipse arises from the unusual length OF timo
during which the eun will be totally concealed
behind the dark body Of the moon. AtCarollne
Island this phase will last about five minutes
and half Not since the great Indian eclipse
OF 1868 when most valuable additions were
made to our knowledge OF the sun and its sur
roundings. has an eclipse occurred presenting
total phase OF such great length as this. and
there will not be another eclipse equnlling IT in
length during this century. Persons not familiar
with the problems which astronomers are at
present trying to solve will probably wonder
that so much trouble and expense should be
undertaken merely for the sake OF gazing for
few minutes at the spectacle OF the moon con-
cealing the sun. although II must be admitted
that such phenomenon IL. In ITSELF exceed
ingly interesting. But tho astronomers SEQ
great deal moro than an impressive spectacle
in such an eclipse. They know that tho sun as
We SEQ 1t every day looks worry different from
tho sun rs 1t really IL. and that only when the
solar globe is concealed by the moon are we
able to get a glimpse OF the astonishing sur
roundings Of the sun. Just what these SUR
roundingS are is unknown. but tho general ap-
pearance which they present during total
eclipse is most wonderful. When the
moon comes exactly between tho earth and tho
sun tho whole OF the blazing body
OF the sun which We ordinarily see is concealed.
but projecting beyond the edges OF the black
circle formed by the moon objects that might
be taken for rod and pink flames arc seen.
Those protubcrances. or promncnces as they
are varously called. do not show any flame
=, nn no"e,.'' ou' fea,a.n unI" .,
In form. at least In most cases. until the re-
,nsmIs sunlight as the moon on oo.s
sity OF striking and curious forms. resembling
pine trees. banyan trees. clouds. horns. tongues
Of fame nuns Of s,enm mountains tangled
roots ND s so an itbnns,, t,nv ,nnt ''a an,aii
compared with the sun. their a c.ual size is very
great some being 81, 600 or even loo 600 miles
high. and broad In proportion.
A little inspection shows that these singular
objects rise out Of a scarlet ring of light sur
rounding the whole hidden sun. This fiery
ring. which is in reality section OF spherical
snei. around the sun. Is ca'lea the sierra by
means OF powerful spectroscopes. which ore
,ha.a 10 ~ "a,,.' 800. ...,' .sn,. y, 49, ,'
,here ID no eclipse ana IN iuil sunshine. 1t has
been shown that tho sierra is composed OF
glowing gases among which hydrogen Ia pre.
Snminsnt Tha rrn,s,,rnnnos an, '.or -. ,i,.,
oom, dominant ne pro,uperahees ana seyser- IKE
body OF the sun. and In many cases astronomers
have actually witnessed these eruntions and
seen the red columns OF gas shoot up from
these solar geysers 10 a height sometimes OF
one or two hundred thousand miles In few
minutes But Whle tho sierra and tho pro-
tuberances can be studied by means Of tho
spee.roscope "hem there ~ no ec"pse. IL Is
during total eclipse especially. one OF long
studies Of these wonderful objects can be made.
Outside the sierra there are other, singular
pss To ws s 81 HEbns
rounding the hidden sun outside the scarlet
shslI q glowing eases and these radating out
81 tho sun. corresponding to an actual dis.
rays Of tho corona. These are generally OF .
snvsry hue ana taper on at their e1tremities.
he ana mains most 1sesas taSm
In the darkened heavens. And here is the
great mystery. What are those rays OF
light. and what part do they play In the
economy OF the sun That they are governed
BY some law intimately CONNECTED with tho CON
fact that they vary In appearance according as
on eaey ARE s9eh II Oh ~ ,s ma1imnm
the sp sna n
teresting phenomena at the sun spot maxima,
when the sun is raeked and rent by internal
forces; The sun has Just passed through such
amaxlmum anu the disturbing forces are yot
at work. SO that the corona on this occasion
may Dc expected to present an imposing ap-
pearance, and furnish good opportunity, for
study st 70 tho astronomers on the little island In
These studies possess an Importance much
greater than may at lrst appear because they
relate; we cannot yet say how directly. 70 The
influence OF the sun upon the earth. Probably
power OF the ann 10 nroduce efiacts ot"i 70 iife
UPON the earn. me c1nhition OF the sun. as