The times., 1897-07-30
sun AND MOON PERFORM
Washington Sees the Show Through
the Customary Smoked Glass.
Prof. Hardness. Of the Naval OBJ
seryatory, Secures Some Fine
Photographs of the Eclipse.

Everybody in Washington squinted at
tile sun yesterday and wond cred at his
change of front.
The sun is such reliable iluminant that
when its light becomes unsteady, or when
it iiickers or when It's burner gets choked
up, or, in fact. When anything goes wrong
with it, all Washington holds its brctth.
Washington feels such a friendly interest
In the sun that when anything comes be-
tween it and us we want to know the rea
son why This Is why all Washington
saulntcd through smoked glass yesterday.
The eclipse, partial though 1t was, af-
forded pleasure to many citizens. and the
thousands OF spectators grouped ON house
tops, cornices, high windows and street
corners pledged themselves to look again
next time the sun and moon perform.
An eclipse is total only in territory
about a Ted miles wide and when one
figures how many miles there are on tn
surface OF the earth and divides the sum
total By hundred 1t is easy tosee how one
place is seldom visited by this phenomenon
twice within q short period.
While eciipses sometimes can be seen
op land. as q rule they are visible over
some body of water.
The eclipse yesterday was one of the most
perfect ever witness ed In this part Of the
country The officials at the Naval OBJ
servatory are especially jubilant over their
observations of It's progress. They man
aged to secure eighty fine photographs OF
the sun, from the time when the moon
first appeared TO touch il until the eclipse
had passed.
Prof Hardness and his assistants had
all their apparatusin in position at an early
hour yesterday morning at Z O'Clock the
heavens We're diligently searched, and indi-
cations OF the nearness OF the event noted.
The securing of correct photographs, how
ever, was the most important part OF the
proceedings.
In one of the outbuldings of the observa-
tory was fixed the transitometer, q deli
catel y-contrived machine adjusted exactly
10 the meridian and used to indicate the
position of the reflector's axis
On a platform without was a oontri-
rance fitted with clock-work mechanism.
and placed in front or covered gallery
II consisted or series OF pow erful lenses
one or witch as tilted at a liberal angle
and upon whose surface the sun reflected.
Its high polish served as mirror.
The elockwork arrangement kept it con-
stantIy turning at rate proportions te
10 the revelation of the earth. AS the inn
age OF the sun was caught on this un-
siIverized mirror it was reflected by lenses
placed at proper angles through the gal
Iery in front, at the end of which was
placed q Gamers.
Every few moments snap shot was
taken and the exposed plates at once de.
Yeloped As soon az the shutter was
snapped a record was registered upon a
ciron0grarh near at hand, by which the
exact time when each picture was taken
,sill he computed. The beginning OF the
eclipse is registered at 8:3s:25 a. m, and
at 11;t0:42 il was over.
The developed plates show that at one
tine the sun was half obscured. Soon
afterward the segment OF the sun visible
began TO increase until a perfect circle
showed the 1897 eclipse was a thing OF
the past.