Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-27
THE NEW YEAR ECLIPSE.
Preparations Made for Studying the
Suns Corona Next Tuesday.

Preparations Made for Studying the
Suns Corona Next Tuesday.
TEE IMPORTANCE OF TIE PHxsoxxxA-oBsERv-
zRs WHO WILL MAKE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
EcIrPsEs TO OCCUR N 1SS9-Ax APPRopRIA-
TIoS TOO LATE TO BE or SERVICE.
Next Tuesday superstitious dwellers in some
parts Of the Pacific slope will have fairly good
cause to predict all sorts Of evil to happen to
humanity during the year 1889, for IL the day
be bright and clear there viii come q darkness
over the earth shortly after noon that to such
minds, or in fact to most minds Of 9 few centu-
ries ago, would mean a prophesy of dire events
TO happen. But, inasmuch a. this darkness
that win occur 10 due to an ordinary, every
year eclipse of the sun, the significance Of the
phenomenon will be somewhat lessened, ex-
cept, perhaps, in the eyes Of the scores of
scute-eyed astronomers who are even now pol
ishing their telescope and camera lenses, get
ting their bearings, and setting their watches
TO the correct time in order TO be in perfect
readiness when the moons disc shall begin to
slide over old Soils bright surface.
INVESTIGATING THE CORONA.
This eclipse is not of very great importance,
IN an astronomical light, although it is hoped
that by means Of the data obtained by the
Observers some additional light may be OBJ
tanned regarding the suns corona. The nature
Of this element, or substance, or presence go
hard 10 it to give to it an ineligible NAME has
been q subject Of constant investigation to
10 this science are full Of queer theories and
ideas that have come from the ponderings of
scientists over this very indefinite and elusive
topic. Under ordinary circumstances the
corona is invisible, the rays Of the sun COM
Pletely obscuring everything else in the neigh
mt thaso lint OFF
by an intervening medium in space,
the moon being the only such known
to earthlings, the corona appears In the
form Of luminous haze around the suns
distance equal to two or three times the suns
diameter. Beyond the haze great stresmers
often shoot out into the ether. These phe-
nomena are best observed at the time of the to-
I'll eclipse, for then only are all Of the rays of
Light from the sun shut ont from the eye. After
long discussions and the interchange Of ideas,
reaching back over many years, astronomers
have generally come to believe and to preach
that the corona and the red prominences, or
are sRpSSnasSsss Of the sun 1t was
TO the sun or to the moon, but observations
taken during the eclipse Of 1850 proved that
these presences
BELoNoED TO THE SUN
and not to the moon, since the latter's disc
gradually obscured them by its motion, they
remaining attached to the sun. Thus, by a
slow process, the idea has come to be estab-
hshed that the corona Is q solar atmosphere,
the exact nature Of which is unknown. Whether
1t Ia similar to that surrounding the earth or
not Ii an interesting question, but astronomers
are generally of the opinion that it is not
Spectroscopical observations, taken at various
times, show the presence Of material or an
element unknown on earth. During the eclipse
OF 1878 the corona was carefully measured, and
computation showed it to extend 5000, 900
miles into space, compared with which our
poor little As miles of breathing space shrinks
into modest nothingness.
PHOTOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS.
The eclipse Of New Year day may determine
some controverted points, or establish some
additional facts, in which event the temporary
darkening OF the earth will not have been with
out profit. Photography is going to play an
important part in the observations Of next
Tuesday, and q number of parties, thoroughly
equipped with Photographic apparatus, have
1ourneyed to the west, most of them having
win be easily visible in California, Nevada,
Idaho, Montana and Manitoba. and the sur
rounding region, but "a one gets eastward the
hour of totality grows later, and in Washington
the first shadow Of the SUMS disc will barely
begin to show just as the sun goes down into
the haze Of the horizon, SO that in this region
the eclipse will be practically invisible.
PARTIES IN THE FIELD.
The best equipped party is that that left
Harvard college some days ago under the
direction of Prof. Pickering, who is one of the
best known Of American astronomers. This
party, after the observation of this eclipse,
win go to Peru with an outfit Of instruments
for continuing plan of work in the southern
hemisphere begun at Cambridge.
Prof. Upton, Of Brown university, accom-
panied by Mr.. Rotch, a leading scientist is also
a pilgrim to the regions that are to be darkened
on the birthday of the new year. Then there
is party from Carleton college, of Mortified,
Mimi, and one from the St Louis university,
under Prof. Pritchett. This last-named party
Is equipped with the portable Photographic
apparatus belonging to the naval observatory
In this city, which was loaned to them for this
purpose.
Had it not been for lack Of legislation at the
last session Of Congress it is probable that the
local astronomers at the naval observatory
would have been enabled to organize party
to make observations of this eclipse, but the
hurry Of the tariff question and the election ad-
mitted of the consideration Of no such subject
a. astronomy, and there was no appropriation
made for that purpose.
AN APPROPRIATION TOO LATE.
Since the reassembling, however, some con-
science-smitten committeeman, 80 it is thought
at the observatory, managed to get q rider on
the printing office deficiency bill appropriating
$4,000 to defray the expenses Of government
ODservatOns, ana When the President signed
the bill last Monday this item was included.
Hence the observatory has the means now but
not the time to organize party to 90 out west
to look at the moons excursion between us and
the sun, and a. q consequence the $1,000 will
lapse into the treasury. This accounts for
the governments Kindness in loaning
Its apparatus to Prof. Pritchett.
Quite extensive preparations have been made
by the leading astronomers Of the country for
the observation Of the eclipse and the collec-
tion Of correct data relative to the phenomena
incident TO such an event. The Lick observa-
ing instructions to observers. They have made
arrangements to send noontime signals over
the wires to nearly every railroad station in
California on the 29th, 30th, and 3lst of Deem
Der and the LIST and I'd of January, and have
adopted an elaborate system Of signals whereby
the watches Of observers may be set exactly on
the jump Of the second hand.
TO LOOK FOB COMET.
It Is desired that every observer shall make
an effort to obtain drawings or photographs of
the corona in order to arrive at some definite
conclusion as to its shape. Observers are also
told that q comet may possibly be seen, or an
aurora be visible near the sun during totality,
and they are asked to be on the watch for such
appearances. During the eclipse of 1882 q
stray comet was seen near the sun, on its way
back into hmitless space. The rays of the sun
made 1t impossible to detect this small body
except At such q time, and il is thought that
another may possibly be detected during this
eclipse.
The greatest duration of totality in Tuesdays
eclipse win be 2 minutes and seconds.