New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-11
TO OBSERTE THE SUNS TOTAL ECLIPSE
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPEDITION NOW PRE-
PAIRING AT HARVARD

PAIRING AT HARVARD.
Boston, Nov. 10 (speciaD.-An interesting astro
nomcal expedition is being fitted at Harvard
College for twofold purpose. The first In order
of time will be expedition to California for obser
walton OF the total eclipse Of the January l.,
1850. Immediately after the eclipse of the
corps OF observers Will pocecd to Peru, taking with
him part of the apparatus. lie Will be Joined later
by Others and the work will then be entered upon,
which has been a year more In contemplation of
making complete survey of the Southern heavens.
The solar total eclipse invites a renewed attempt
TO solve various problems concerning the suns corona
by means of photography, and other problems relating
10 the amount and intensity of the light emitted by
the sun under the conditions suggested This work
will be under the personal direction Of W. s. Pickering,
chief Of tue department of photography Of the
observatory.
The eclipse will take place about p m. on tho
coast of California and during the remainder of the
afternoon, If the sky be clear, Will BE- visible In
totally strip Of this country about 100 miles
wide and Will be visible sunset phenomenon, also
total, in Canada, short distance north OF Lake
Superior. AS partial eclipse 1t will be seen over
a much wldor expanse, and In New-fork state tho
will in partial eclipse, this being the most
eastery of tho States that VIII be favored with
view of the phenomenon.
The Harvard Observatory party will take position
near the town of willow, In the Sacramento valley,
the observatory station being at an altitude OF 2,Ooo
feet above the seaevel. The party Will consist OF
W. d. Pickering, chief; A. Lawrence Rotch, samuel
Bailey f. S. King and Robert Black. Mr. Rotch has
already more than National reputation as meteor
ologist and 1t will be in that line that his service
will be rendered The other three have been ior
some time past active assistants at the observatory
Many instruments of subordinate service arc COM
prsed in the equipment Among these are nve-
inch and a four-inch photographing camera OF the
n - ,af, Apfe
ing the brightness of the corona and is an ingenious
niece of apparatus, a primary feature of which Is
perforated plate, having perhaps 1000 minute aper
lures for tho passage Of separate shafts OF igh' any
oue of which may be used for the purpose Of oo-
seryation An important part OF the WORK WI" 10
the photonaphlng of the spectrum, Tor "h'h ooni-
pete apparatus IL provided There VIII be two oher
lmnortant observing stations established III inc PAIN
vav NJ the totality one of these Will be that OF
rho Lick observatory. Professor ravid OF the Ma
tioual Coast Survey, will have charge OF an eApe-
diton fitted out at private expense, ana VIII occupy
"A station in Nevada
win tbe ending of the eclipse, part of the APP
uaratus OF tho Harvard expedition, the 13nch and
sncb Dryden telescopes. will be continued In service
in California Certain wealthy and enterprising friends
~ tbe University OF Southern California
pronose 10 set up observatory which shall
rival the Lick observatory, and shall excel
IL in having a larger telescope. Tho great
lick instrument is of 36-inch aperture. The
telescope to be made for the university named will be
of 40 inch aperture The selection of site for this
purpose Is Of great importance. As contrbutory to
this end the two Harvard instruments mentioned will
be operated experimcnially for year on Wilson's
Peak height 5000 feet, In southern California, after
which time they VIII be taken to Peru, and placed In
the permanent observatory OF Hartford there. This
observa tory Will cooperate In the Southern hemi-
sphere with tho work Of the Harvard College observ
tory