The morning times., 1896-08-10

Up to late hour last night no news
had been received at the Navarro observatory
as TO what were the conditions of the
weather for observing the eclipse Of the
sun, the line OF totahty of which began In
| the Arctic Ocean, skirtiug the most north
| erly- parts of Asia, and disappearing In
| the Pacific Ocean, Off the northern Islands
of Japan.
The eclipse at best was viewed under diff
cuities, but IL the weather was not good
| there We're piles of money and lots OF
time and patience expended In vain
Nevertheless, If the astronomers had fair
chance they have added valuable obser-
vations andphotographs Ofthe phenomenon
the special study now being to deter
mine the nature OF the beautiful corona
which appears around the edges OF the
| sun at the moment Of the total extinction
OF his light. Splendid results for this
study were had from the total eclipses of
1889 and 1898.
A FEW CLOUDS.
washingtonians who read the story OF
the eclipse in The Times yesterday must
have concluded that 1t was a great waste
of natural forces and phenomena to have
put this awning over the sun in the coolest
part OF the, globe. In this ueighborhood
an eclipse OF the sun or even few vagrant
clouds would have been regarded as a
special benedicuou.
The plans OF the astronomers who went
out to see the eclipse were well laid. They
disposed themselves In the most acces-
sible places, having a decidedly cool snap
out of their Jobs.
The sun was observed at the following
places by the expeditions named:
At Bodoe, astronomers from Norway
and Sweden and a party Of observers
with Prof. Payne OF Carleton College,
Northfieid, MINI.
At Enontekis, in northern Finland, an
expedition of the Russian Astronomical
Society.
AT varanger Fjord, an expedition OF the
British Astronomical Association.
At the southern extremity of Nova Zem-
bla. an expedition OF the Russian academy
of Sciences.
At the mouth OF the Obi River, select
corps of the Russian Astronomical Society.
At Oiekminsk, IN the Lena River. an
other expedition sent by the same society.
Near the moouth OF the Amoor River,
representatives VI tuC VI NV q hsthp
nomicai Observatory.
IN JAPAN.
At Yesso, Japan. Prof. Schaeberie OF
the Lick Observatory in California.
Also at Yesso, the expedition sent by
the Royal Astrol onical Society OF Great
Britain.
Upon the European continent the eclipse
was partial, and comprised. from one
quarter to four-fifths OF the diameter of
the sun. The beginning of the eclipse was
not visible in Europe, as the sun only rose
shortly after the totality OF the eclipse
set in.
London, Aug. 9-Much interest ex-
lists in astronomical circles as 10 the sue
cess of the several expeditions sent out to
various parts OF the world TO study the
total eclipse of the sun, which occurred
today.
A Aspecialdispatchto to the United Associated
Presses from vadsoe, Norway, timed at
sos O'Clock this morning says that the
members OF the expedition sent to Varanger
Fjord, near vadsoe, by Mr.. Downing OF
the British Nautical Almanac were unable
to take any observations that will be Of
value.
ne early pldSt VI thC Se'poS "o"
clearly seen, but its totaIity was obscured
by thick clouds, which rendered the TAX
ing gofobservations impossible. Thetempera-
ture at the beginning of the eclipse was
A During the eclipse 1t fell to AZ, ard
then arose again to A, when the shadow
passed from the sun.
Among the observers at varanger Fjord
was Sir Robert Starwell Ball, Lowndean
professor OF astronomy and geometry in
the University of Cambridge, and director
of the Cambridge Observatory. News from
the other stations, Some OF which are Tar
from civilization, is anxiously awaited.
1t is earnestly hoped that the American
expedition at the Island OF yesso, Japan,
and the expeditions at Nova Zembla and in
Eastern Siberia, will obtain results that
will be of great benefit to science.
st.Petersburg, Aug. 9--The weather was
cloudy today, rendering useless all the
preparations made to observe the eclipse
Of the sun.