The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-09
TEE COMING ECLIPSE OF TEE sUx.
Pref Yousg OF Princeton Describes the
Preparation Made 20 Observe n.

sun. which is TO occur on April 10.
The shadow. which. like a long black tail.
extends nearly $50. 600 miles behind the moon.
will then brush Its tip across the face Of
mother earth. first touching the Pacific Ocean
OF the coast OF Chill. traversing the whole
width OF South America. crossing the Atlantic.
and finally leaving the globo in tho middle Of
the Dark Continent" Wherever II touches
there will be a circle OF darkness. varying In
width from 30 to 120 miles. and It will move
with n speed exceeding that OF a cannon ball.
occupying from three minutes to four and
three-duarters In passing over any spot which
is upon the centre Of its track. The fortunate
observer so situated will. II the Weather is fine.
witneso the wonders Of q total eclipse.
The moon will appear first to strike the
western edge OF tho sun. and little by little
will encroach upon II until tho whole OF the
blazing disk Is covered. Then. while the
shadow is passing. the scarlet chromosphere.
the so. called "prominences." and. above all.
tho mysterious corona. the most beautiful OF
all celestial objects. will become visible for a
few brief moments. until the sunlight again
breaks forth.
On such occasions the exact moments when
the moons edge nrst touches AMI finally
leaves the sun. and whom "totality' begins
and ends. are carefully noted. since such OBJ
eervatlons. made at known stations. are OF
great value In determining the moons place
and motion. But at present still greater in
terest attaches to the "astro-physical" obser-
vations which are possible only during the
few seconds OF total Observation-Disclosures
with spectroscopes. photometers. poluriscopes.
and especially with Photographic apparatus Of
various kinds.
With the spectroscopa tho observers will
try to study tho peculiar phenomena which
accompany the beginning and close OF totality.
when for IN instant the familiar dark lined
spectrum OF the sun is transformed. and is
filed with lines that are bright instead OF
dark. lines which, thoroughly identified. would
yield q most instructive record Of tha con-
s%tltution OF the solar sur.nce. and sottle in
stantly n long docket Of disputed questions.
/ But the visual observations nre necessarily
hurried and difficult. and afford great scope
for personal bins. II the Photographic plate
can he made to register the frcting facts
and the attempt will be made on this occasion
with better prospects OF success than ever
before-then the record. II less CONF lete than
that given by ocular observations. will he
more certain and Trustworthy. Hitherto. II is
true. photography has not Teen very success
full In dealing with this phenomenon. but since
the last attempt the instruments md lates
to he used have been greatly improved.
During tho three or four inmates between
the critical ~instnnts a. the beginning and end
lug OF the %totnlity. tho spectroscopists will be
busy with the rrominences and the corona.
seeking TO utilize the advantageous circum-
s'dnces to obtain some new information as to
their constitution and physical condition: and
in this moro Deliberate work there is no 1urs-
ton that photography will 10 most success
There are n number Of problems connected
with III. absolute enh relative hrixhtneas IF
! Of It's light. and tl,--. will occupy the ul,otom.
tters anti polarisrores.
Ins La pt.Sf p,txN q" nnrk nnrf lu a. In tha
photography. As already iniimnt"i. many Of
H"mS. t""silc. tnis here "r. wii ha a mniiitnd. Vi
camera VI various, CONSTRUCTION. designed to
some oi. them are planned for tho 'ietnilei
study OF details IN n large scale. others t. Sc
with its fnin'..t outlying streamers. SOM. Of
them use i"n.rtin" t-l-s-nn.-. some refract-
ins tvl.s '"les Of tn. o%rhinary CONSTRUCTION.
and som" are larg. camera with specially cun-
s%trmcte'l combinations ~: lenses. Some Of them
employ. plates sensitive only t" the invisible
a afs,ntk."te' in 'a' tho ~r lis"t Of" Of th p.f'' eoronn.
while others will use isochromatic plates.
what Is seen by tho hn.nnn eve. At pre .ent
the study Of The corona. constitutes distinctly
cause the Phenomenon. in itself. il 30 beauti-
fuland wonderful. il suimperfectlv understood.
and ,r";uis. while nll "th.r solar phenomena
ssrXatinn, this 1lnns ran l." observed only
way to observe tn" n"lin-s ut various points in
Sout, America mi Africa. There rs no Gov
Chill. One OF, them is under. tho charge Of
takes an outfit almost wholly, ~photograpic. de-
voted entirely L" the. study of the struc-
ohscryati"n. are L" he made If.y or sixty miles
inland. and at an elevation 81, 5000 or 5000
morning usually envei"ns. Tie coast at Ills
ss"s"n Of ths year: Another party. hallinG
is"% n% WS" has s' hsa a lons &c sx sn snsrss IN IN M as:
FsT ;Sini i i is il l EIS;. Il oi i ! }si !hst rs 1 S1s,y %% \;
tile director OF the Cambridge Observatory.
from Arelnipa; where the YeT BoyLen Fund
not know certainly Of my other parties which
vii, 1Es tbs TEri in cGhi,i, thnu 9 It i nnaerstood
ures to secure observations.
Mr.. .rh2me. the successor q DR.. Gould in the
Arsentine Republic at C"rdovn. viii occury n
station At Rosario della Frontera. u little north
eat M;ii n Of T ! = ctha So fnr az !, we Fl c A.. learn there
hle and the weather conditions unfayorable.
viii lie al, Para, Curu n thoroughly, saliprsd
Of A. Taylor. Who. as Prof. Iockyer's assistant
Mt South KensinGton. has had an extensive ex-
pe Ths Br a hnse'!NH aein SaS'N Sbssrvstory Of Rio
Ianeir3 Il also eSpscted to send a party to
1 msnt n sss offsrsd to s nut t = sn nnaPS.s,a at t ths ais.
posal Of foreign astronomers who may wish to
roach the station from Pernamhuco. 1t hns
been reported that Prot. II. s. Pritchett OF 81.
Louis would take q small party t. this station.
but we have seen no statement that he has ac-
tually gone. At Para Curu the eclipse will
have Q duration Of 4 minutes A seconds-un-
SSspps,ly long.with the sun nearly overhead.
as April Is Ia the rainy season.
The line OF total eclipse after crossing the
Atlantic strikes the African coast at Senegam-
bia: a little south Of Cane Verde: Here two
VIII be established. The French party. sent
out by the BuIeau des Lopcitudes under NJ.
coast very near Joal. Count de la Baume Plu-
vine! will also have q small private party IN
DO both spectroscopic and Photographic.
Tho English psrt. In charge OF Prot. Thorpe.
In a gunboat to a place called Fundium. a s,a-
ton put un at their disposal by the French
most perfectly. equipped OF all that have come
to our knowledge. 1t consists OF four principal