New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-14
light of spring and there must be life' warmth
color and gladness."
,up rc,rpSE or THE sun.


THE total eclipse of the sun, which is to occur
on Thursday, will be an event OF more .nan ',",
nary scientific interest 1t will not be the hst
total eclipse of this century, others being due In
1904 1906 and 1900 But It will be the last lot
some wears from which material gain OF knowiedse
may reasonably be expected That Of next year Will
hc visible for brief space on the coast OF iTi'ish
East Africa, and that of 1896 In parts OF Japan
and Siberia. but only for about half as long
time "a that OF Thursday. So that after TINS week
there will probably be no important attempt ~
observations of such q phenomenon until the CLOS
inc wear of the century, when there WIN NO an
eclipse visible in this country and in Spain. Inc
eclinsp of Thursday will be visible in Brazil ana
in Africa. and in both of those countries eaporate
rreparations have been made, especially by the
British Government, for all sorts OF telescope
photographic and spectroscopc observations; anu
these will be greatly facilitated by the long period
of total observation in Brazil amounting TO nearly
five minutes.
In thus studying the circumsolar regions, the
object of chief interest is of course the corona
and after it the rose-colored flames caaed prohi-
ncnces Are there important changes from year
70 ycar in the corona? To what extent does lts
luminous intensity vary? Does 1t rcvolve win
the sun? And Of what elements Is it composed /?
These are some OF the questions to winch IL IL
boned TO secure more or less definite answers Ac-
cording to Professor Lockyer, the corona IN 1875
at % time of solar quiescence was only onc-teh'h
| az brilliant as in 1871, at a time of marked ac-
tivty. Again. in 1859, solar disturbances as
indicated by " sun spots" were very active, ana
the corona was far more brilliant than In 1873
| At the present time conditions greatly resemoic
those of 1883 Solar activity is at an extraordi-
nary height, and the south pole OF the sun - on
the visible portion Of its disc. The presumption
| is. therefore, that the appearance OF the corona
will pretty closely resemble that seen In 1888 |;
and IL such prove to be the case, the Dehe1 Will
he greatly strengthened that the coronal phe-
nomcna differ only according to the state OF solar
AGITATION. and according TO the position OF the
observer in respect 70 the suns equator.
The advance Of science, especially in photosra-
nbv. also affords added powers of observation Of
coch new eclipse. For the first time on Thurs
day photographs will be made through n double
,cLscopc OF the two pictures simultaneously
made ono will be small the solar diameter being
only fve-cQhths of an inch and in this the en-
tensions Of the corona will be- indicated. The
other will have n solar diameter Of an inch and
=, hall. and inv it the structure Of the brightest
parts Of the corona should he seen To ascertain
the composition OF the corona spectroscopc
mounted with a series Of Sits will be used which
will show the lines in the corona. An integral
ing spcctroscopc will also DO employed, giving a
| succession Of images OF the corona corresponding
N i,s different clements as indicated by the color
lines IA the corona varies greatly in intensity,
in order to get pictures Of all its parts, photogra-
| vhic exposures OF varying length must be made.
| These will range from two seconds 10 two ana n
half minutes in DURATION and for this part OF the
work the hong time of total observation affords
marked advantages. Astronomers the world over
will therefore hope for cloudlcss skies in Africa
and South America on Thursday; and. If such a
condition should prevail, We may reasonably en-
pcc 70 learn some now facts OF rcas interest con-
| corning the centre Of our planetary system.