, 1889-01-03
A DARK NEW YEAR.
January 1st TO BE Ushered i'm
by a Total Eclipse.
If the Day Is Clear 1t Will Be
Visible at Spokane.
How Observations win he Taken Of the
Moon. Crossed sun-Photogrsphie
Experiments.

The first day Of the New Year will be
ushered in by total eclipse.
The New Years day sunlight will be
dimmed by the moon.
Ii will be "a solar eclipse, and is looked
forward to with much interest by the stu
dent of science, who expects TO obtain i'm.
portant data therefrom. IL will not last
much longer than two minutes, which is
one minute shorter than the general rule.
The eclipse begins at tn. 4min Z. M. at
u point in the Pacific ocean about $500
miles west Of San Diego, CAL. that is the
penumbra frst touches the surface Of the
earth at this point.
The shadow Of the moon first touches
the surface of the earth at 2h. 2Om. at
another point in the Pacific ocean. about
$500 miles west of Vancouver's island and
here the total eclipse begins.
The path of the total eclipse is about
sixty miles wide and meets the western
coast of the United States few miles
north from San Francisco, at about 2h
20min p. M.
From this point the path OF the total
eclipse runs through the country 10
nearly northwesterly direction and termi-
mates in Canada near the eastern border of
Lake Winnipeg, at 4h. l0min. 2. M.
| II the day is IL clear one the eclipse can
be seen in Spokane Falls, and AS far as
British Columbia.
CALIFORNIA; ADVANTAGE.
The best observations of the eclipse will
he made In California, and many OF the
prominent universities OF the country will
send representatives to that state to view
the phenomena
Observations viii be made in California
! at fifteen different stations. astronomers
coming from Rochester, New York, Green
castle. Indiana, Minnesota, Harvard uni
versity and other points in the East on
purpose to make the observations. SC that
the results will be vouminolis, and will be
awaited with much interest by all
astronomers.
The reason for CALIFORNIA; advantage
in viewing the eclipse is that the line of
is principally in the Northern and South
ern portions of that state.
The different parties will work for differ.
ent results. Some will photograph
some will sketch. and others will watch
the varying phases of the eclipse aud
write out their impressions.
| The purpose of the observations will be
a study of the surroundings of the sun.
the accomplish of which can be sue
cessfu only when Old Soils brilliancy is
| dimmeu.
WHERE 1T WILL he SEEN.
| The Lick observatory will have sta
ton lOO miles north OF San Francisco.
where the belt of totality passes from the
Aleutian islands southeasterly to the Pa
citic coast and northeasterly. leaving the
earth between Lake Superior and Hudson
bay. Here 1t touches tue Pacific coast.
Inc eclipse at the station viii be partial,
not total and WI be observed by Profess
sor Holden and Messrs. Burnham and
Schaeoerl
The warner observatory OF Rochester
VIII nave station seventy-hve miles north
OF sacramento. almost at the same line
win the LACK. :. .,,
The partial phase OF the eclipse will be
! Caiifornia nj Berkelnv. under prof Soule
at the University OF the Pacific and at the
Chabot university IN Oakland AT this
last number OF photographs Will be
taKeL oy members or the racine Coast AS
ISOLATION OF Amateur Photographers
uAnyARp's OBSERVERS.
| Harvard party OF astronomers viii be
stationed Nv WILLOWS, with Prof. II. w =.
Pickering in charge. The others IN the
party are Messrs. A. Lawrence Rotch,
Samuel bailey, Il: S,. King and Robert
Slack. Willows is in the Sacramento
Valley. the observing station having an
altitude OF 1000 ieet above. the sea- level
and being about 200 miles from San Fran
cisco.
The telescopes to be taken are OF III
inches and inches. diameter. and
they will remain for . time on Wilson s
Peak. in Southern California, after which
they will be taken to Peru, and place IN