New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-03
THE NEXT SOLIB ECLIPSE.
AN AMERICAN OBSERVING PARTY TO BE SENT TO
CAROLINE ISLAND.

AN AMERICAN OBSERVING PARTY TO BE SENT TO
CAROLINE ISLAND.
[FRoM 4 SPECIAL coRREsroNpEST or TIE TRIErNE.l
PRINCETON, n. j., Feb. 2.-Profcssor c. A.
Young who last November at the meeting oi the Ma
tonal Academy Of Sciences drew attention to the imPor
lance OF the total eclipse the which Will take place
May Of this year means OF studying solar phys
les, has received dispatch from j. IL. G. Coffin. Of
the Navy Department 81 Washington saying briefly
The eclipse party will he provided for" THIS is the
result of the action OF the Academy prompted by Proie-
sor Youngs paper The eclipse viii DE 81 unusual dura-
ton lasting nearly six minutes whereas the last one cb
served here lasted only two Hence the Importance OF
its observation. Unfortunately. however the path Of
totally Is entirely within the south Pacific Ocean aud
with singular perversity lodges all The islands Prac
ticabc for astronomical observation except two small
ones known ~ Caroline and Flint Islands situated in the
vicinity OF latitude % 81 south and longitude 1900 &.
west To reach them 1t necessary tO III out eK-
nedition aud charter a vessel depend upon the help
OF the ited states Navy. To secure this help com
mtee was appointed by the National Academy consist
ing Of Professor Young j. H. G. Colin. Of tbe Navy De
partment. Simon NcwcOmb, superintendent OF the
Nautical Almanac Asaph Hall, OF the Naval Oh-crya-
tory J. T. Hllgdrd. Superintendent OF the Coast sur
Vcy Dr. Henry Draper and Professor H. A. Newton Of
Yale College After Dr. Diapers death Professor Lang
lev was placed the committee In his stead and
Charles H. Rockwell. OF TaIrytown. was added. The
[
Tia the efforts of the committee have finally been sue
cessfu IN securing the aid Of the Government but unfor-
tunacly at 50 late date that the commission viii have
10 forego the cooperation OF Professor Young.
TO TRIBUNE reporter Professor Young said
toncbing the expedition: 1.-THE expedition win be one
NJ very great interest for various The duration
Of fotslity Is over minutes which gives specially
rood opnortnny 10 look Tor nra- Mcrcrnl Ian"ts 10
Study the spectrum of the chrOmopcrc the MIXTURE OF the
or violet portion Of the spectrum ana the relation
between the zOdiaca light ana the corona pit LOCK
yer has recently brought up number OF questions IN
solar spccrOscOpy. Ot tB'm hrng whether IRON j.
elementary or not and these eau nov De tested The
French Government has fitted ont an expedition, ana
President SpottswOod OF the RON al Astronomical Sor-
CIV Of Great Britain clecraphcd me last weeh asking
whether members OF that society could accompany
the American expedition. ! replied that They could
| provided our party went.
The personnel of the party is not yet determined but
Il T. settled shall 10 swing uh ini adc
ruduIum the island where the observations made.
and aftervnrd In the Sandwich Islands 10 Investigate
the force gravity there. Scientific men want much
Of his character OF data possible The party VIII 20
10 Panama by steamship thence across the -hmu- and
down.to cslao, whence they Will sail Oh March "A III
4 naval vessel"