Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-02

N iSIkk-AkhcCkiAL flASET-A GREAT xksS
OF vALuABLz DATA rHovoHr 10 HAVE sEEs
OBTAINED.
SAN FRAxcrsco, Jan a-Prof. Pickerins. of
the Harvard university party, telegrsphs from
Willows regarding yesterdays eclipse that the
sun was perfectly clear during totality. Over
fifty photographs were secured. The party
consisted OF four observers from Harvard and
twenty-nine local assistants. Fourteen tele-
scopes and cameras were employed. and eight
spectroscopes, besides miscellaneous sppara-
tus- The first contact was lost through clouds.
Three were observed at duration Of Ills sec
onds Eight were secured with thirteen-inch
Siescope, giving images two inches in dame
yer before enlargement; nine were taken with
an elght-inch camera, one being crythriesinA
Plate through stained gelatine. TWENTY-FIVE
negatives were taken 10 measure the bright
ness OF the corona and surroundings; Eve neg
auves 10 search for inte--mercurial planets:
twenty to study the spectrum Of the corona To
ee.ermine its composition. These will reach
the latter purpose a spectroscope was emploved
with lenses and prisms composed exclusively
OF quartz. Seven observations were made WITH
photometro measure. General illumination
during totality was found lighter than the
eclipses of 1873 and 1856. The corona was
similar 70 those of 1865 and 1878. but showed
much more detail than the latter. IL was
AN EXCEPTIONALLY FINE CORONA
extending usually on one side to two solar di-
ameters. striking characteristic was two
forked wings Of light polar rays well defined
and considerably shorter. The meteorological
observations were under the direction OF VIM
SOW Upton, of Providence. r. L and A l.
Botch, OF Blue Hill observatory. The photog-
raphy and spectoroscope were under the
direction Of Prof. W. II. Pickering. chief Of the
Harvard college party. assisted by S. Bayley. t.
s. King, and Robert Black, of Harvard
At Cloverdale the eclipse was observed with
great accuracy by the Pacific Coast amateur
Photograph association. The weather was fay-
orable. no apparent wind and a cloudless sky
excepting few floating cirrus clouds The
eclipse was first noticeable at 1928 the totalitv
commenced at 4642, lasted one minute forty-
four seconds, time. Pacific standard. shortly
before totality the cirrus clouds were all tineed
with the
MOST BRILLIANT ooLoRs OF THE RAINBOW.
Venus appeared early in the eclipse and Mer-
curry and other planets were plainly in view,
The arrangements of the club we're most COM
plete and every phase Of the eclipse was pho
tographed by some one Of the party.
A party OF observers from Carleton COLLEGE
Northfeld, Minn.. consisting OF Profs. Pav6e
Pearson and Wilson. were located on an open
plot on the famous rancho of Gen John Bid
well The party used a six-inch photograph
telescope and other Photographic apparatus
son and Pearson exposed nine plates during
the period Of totality and six between the first
and last contact observation. Sketches Of the
corona were made by Profs. Wilson and Payne
and Surveyor Brown. The sky was not per
fectly clear. -Four long streamers were se1'n from
prominences, and the chronospher was strong
for a full quadrant distance Of the west side OF
the sun The northern and southern limbs OF the
sun showed great number Of fine radiating
fliments.
AN INTER-MERcURrAL PLANET
At Anaheim the eclipse was plainly visible.
No photographs were taken, but il is claimed
an inter-mercurial planet was seen during the
period of the suns greatest obscuration. Prof.
Davidson camped near there and made scien-
tifc observations At San Jose observations
were taken by the normal school observing
party, which consisted Of Profs. Kleeberger,
Holway and Randall. with s-inch refractorr
telescope and smoked glasses. At the time u
the greatest observation "Bailey's beads" the
corona and promInences were carefully looked
for, but were rendered invisible by floating
clouds and the unobscured portion Of the sum
Venus was plainly seen with the naked eve.
Among the incidents Of the phenomena OBJ
served was the effect of the eclipse upon thS
| images of the sun formed where It's light shont
through apertures. A beam of light shinin3
through a crack in shutter formed innumeI
able interlaced and over-topping crescent
shaped images Of the sun.
The university Of the Pacific has fine tranl
sit instrument and a six-inch refractory telel
scope in its observatory. Observations werd
made by Prof. Wilbur W. Thoburn, assisted by
Prof A. II. Briggs. During the first quarter OF
the eclipse the sky was obscured by clouds. but
from that time on was comparatively clear. Al
the moment of greatest obscurity the sun was
almost hidden, except very thin crescent on
the southern edge.
THE MOUNTAINS OF IHE MOON
were clearly seen outlined against the sun.
The sharpness Of the moons edge on the dino
of the sun was especially marked During the
last half Of the eclipse the obscurity seemed TO
be that of twilight Three of the planets were
visible. Venus and Mars in conjunction were
easily distinguished with the naked eve. All
that is known of the observations at Lick OBJ
seryatory is contained in the following message
from Prof. Holden: ''The eclipse was success
fully observed and photographs we're taken
here. The expedition at Bartlett Springs was
perfectly successful"
At Leigan, 20 miles north Of Reno SURVEYOR
General Irish. OF Nevada. and his party man
aged, in spite of cloudy skies, to note the time
OF the first and second contact They secured
ten Photographic views during the totality.
which was but one minute forty-four seconds
duration
At the observatory Of Prof George Davidson,
in San Francisco, under the charge of Prof. X.
A. Marr, of the U. s. coast and geodetic survey.
the path Of the eclipse was closely noticed
During the early stages of the transit COM
plimentary colors were visible. The first con-
tact was marked at l2:23, and the last at 500.
The suns edge, owing to atmospheric condi-
tions, seemed to be throwing on numerous