New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-03
PHOTOGRAPHED
OBSERVING THE ECLIPSE ON THE PACIFIC
COAST

CLEAR WEATHER FAVORED WORK WITH TELE.
SCOPE CAMERA AND sPEcrRoscoPETAN
INTRAMERcURIAL PLANET AND TWO
COMETS DETECTED.
rsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE-l
San Francisco, Jan. 2.-The eclipse of the sun was
Observed at of places along the line Of otality
In California and Nevada. The largest and most
successful party in the field that Of amateur photo
graphers and astronomers at Cloverdale, sonoma
County The sky, which before noon was somewhat
cloudy was at the critical moment perfectly clear
though the atmosphere slightly tremulous. This
will not seriously interfere with the results obtained
though IL Will make negatives Of the corona which
were exposed long rather cloudy. The first contact
occurred at IL 23. At forty-sx minutes and thirty
five seconds past, the corona on the Western limb
flashed out. In from five 10 seven seconds after
tha; the eclipse was total, and the became
visible on the Eastern limb. Totality lasted 1o4
seconds in which time the Amateur Photographers
Associations under the direction of Charles Buckhaer,
Of the Chabot Observatory, took 1877 negatives of the
corona at different times and with different lengths Of
exposure They Will be turned to the Lick
Observatory and the results published as soon as
possible Until after one-half of the face of the
was obscured, there perceptible difference
In the amount of light received from it. In fact the
difference In temperature decidedly more marked 1t
became uncomfortaby chilly. As the light from this
time on gave everything a blush tint, which deep
enod into twilight just before toalty, the effect was
weir. The two minutes Of totally passed quickly,
all the amateurs being engaged in sketchng the corona
Professor Keller declared himself satisfied with the
suits and tclegraphed Professor Holden the Of
success The development of the plates must be
awaited to ascertain the exact discoveries Professor
Carrolrs work with the spectroscope successful
At TIE Lick Observatory, Professor Holden took thr
teen photographs.
At Healdsbrg, where totaity lasted eighty seconds,
the spectacle magnificent. Jupiter, Mars and
Mercury appeared. Professor Hall, of New-York.
took some fine photographs, the rays Of light extend
Ing many degrees from the moon. These photographs
will be forwarded to Yale College.
Professor Pickering, of the Harvard University
party, telegraphed from Willows that the was
perfectly clear during totality. Over fifty photo
graphs were secured. The party consisted of four
observers from Harvard and twenty-nine local as
sstants Fourteen telescopes and cameras were EN-
poyed and eight spectroscopes, besides miscellaneous
apparatus. The first contact lost through clouds
Eight negatives were secured with thirteen-inch
telescope, giving images two inches In diameter be
fore enlargement; nine taken with an eghtinch
camera, being crythriesina plate through stained
gelatne. Twenty-Five negatives were taken to meas
ure the brightness of the corona and surroundings;
five negatives search for intramercurial planets;
and twenty-five 10 study the spectrum of the corona to
determine its composition. These will reach from
yellow rays to extreme ultra violet For the latter
purpose specroscOpe was employed with lenses and
prisms composed exclusively Of quartz. Seven OBJ
servatlons were made with photometrc measure
The general illumination during totalty was found
lighter than In the eclpses Of 1873 and 1856. The
corona was similar to those of 1868 and 1s78 but
showed much more detail than the latter. 1t was
an exceptionally fine corona, extending usually on one
Gid IN tyrn A striking characteristic
was two forkd wings of light polar rays well defined
The meteorological observations were under the di-
rcction of Wnslow Upton, of Providence, r. l., and
A. L. Boich, Of Blue Hill Observatory. The pho
Biography aud spectroscope under the direction Of
Professor W. H. Pickering, chief OF the Harvard Uni
versity party, assisted by S. Bayley, f. King ard
Robert Black, Of Harvard.
party of observers from Carleton College, North
field, Mimi, consisting of Professor Payne, Pearson
and wilson, occupied open plot the ranch of
General John Bdwell Tho party used a sxinch
photograph telescope and other Photographic ap-
paratls and a two-inch zenith telescope. Professors
Wilson and Pearson exposed nine plates in the period
OF totally and six between the first and last contact
observation. Sketches of the corona were made by
Professors Wilson and Payne and Surveyor Brown.
The sky was not perfectly clear. Four long streames
were seen from prominences and the chromosphere was
strong for a fnn quadrant distance from the west site
of the sun The northern and southern limbs of the
sun showed great number OF fine radiating hlaments
At Ananeim the eclipse plainly visible No
photographs taken but 1t is claimed that an intra-
mercurial planet was seen at the time of the suns
greatest obscuration Professor Davidson camped
near there and made scientific observations.
At san Jose observations were taken by the Normal
School Observing party which consisted of Professors
Kleebcrger Howay ard Randall with four-inch re-
hactng telescope and smoked glasses. At the timo OF
the greatest obscuratin Bailys beads the corona
and prominences carefully looked for but were
rendered invisible by floating clouds and the unob-
scured portion of tho sun. Venus was plainly seen
with the naked eye. Among the phenomena observed
was the effect of the eclipse upon the images OF the
sun formed where It's light shOne through apertules
A beam of light showing through crack in shutter
formed nnumerabe ineriaced, crescentshaped images
of the sun. a. .,. l.,
strIment and a SIX inch refracting telescope ia Its
observatory. Observations were made by Professor
Wilbur W. ThOburn, assisted by Professor a. III.
Briggs. During the first quarter of tho eclipse the
Sky was obscuFed by clouds. but from that time on
was comparatively char. AT the moment Of greatest
obscurity, the sun was almost hidden except thif
crescent on the southern edge The mountains OF OF
sun The sharpness Of the moons edge the
disc of the sun was specially marked. ..,l-o :,
san Francisco. under the charge Of Professor X. a.
Mair Of the United states Coast and Geodec Survey,
the path of the eclipse was closely noticed during
the early stages of the transit, complementary colos
wcre visible. The first contact was parked at
IL :23 and the last at 90. The suns edge, owing
TO atmospheric conditions, seemed to DO throwing
off numerous columns Of vapor
At Winnemucca. New, the weather was clear during
the entire day, and observations Of the eclipse were
entirely successful AZ the signal office, Professor
Howe, of Denver, with five assistants made accurate
Of corona and photographs by the corona light.
Thomas Davidson under instructions from the Howard
Observatory. discovered TWO comets near the sun.
T. A Eras hear the Optician. of Allegheny. Penn,
made a drawing Of tho tesscopc appearance OF v me
Uarnr gen of the signal office made a drawing Of tho
corona at the north pole of the sun Several assist
anfc ali foak OF cOntdcL ana mdue uldWulSn.
enecial series of meteoroo qcal observations were
also made No appreciable change in tsmperatule
~ Tho shadow bands which have not far been
Satisfactorily explained The corona was similar In
general appearance to that OF 1878.