The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-03

Will establish II base of supplies while he
ID locating tho exact spot from which to
make his observation. karad, town of
about Il, 900 Inhabitants, mostly Hindoos
and Mohammcdans, will probubly DO
chosen.
About month will DO left for making
all preparations. Tho grcat 40 foot telc-
scope. tho samo which was used in the I'M
fortunhte Japan expedition, will be set up
on as high an cminenco as possible. Two
or three smaller tubes will also DO mount
cd, and at least five spectroscopcs, with
which photographs of different parts of tho
corona will ba taken. Professor Campbell
will be accompanied by Mis- Campboll and
young lady friend. Mono of the rost of
the party will be scientific persons, as it is
expected that enough assistants can no So
cured among tho English army officers
quartercd in India, whose aid has been
courteopsly promised
Therc is evory prospect that this obser-
walton will not be failure, ns was tho one
which was prevented in Japan about u
year ago by clouds. Decombor In India is
one of tho finest months In the year, and
it Ia estimated that there is not moro than
one ohanco in 90 of the weather being unfn-
yorablo. STILL a single cloud which might
lnischievously sail across the sky in just
the right position to cover tho collapsed sun
might defeat tho purpose of the whole OK
petition.
The chief Objects Professor Campbell
will have in view in making tho obscrya-
ton will be to examine the corona and to
study the solar protuberances. The corona
IS simply tho gaseous surrounding of tho
sun. 1t has tho appearance of beautiful
halo of blush white about tho moon DUR
ing the period of eclipse. In brilliant con-
trnst to 1T IRE the fiery red arms or promi-
nences which arc thrown out from the sun
in long, fantastic strenmers and which
project for thousands of miles into spaoe.
Professor Campbell will endeavor to de-
termino how much of tho corona is gas
eous and how much solid matter, suppos
ably thrown out by tho terrific solar forces
lie Will also try to get some iden of tho
movements of the suns blazing tentaclcs
and their nature.
He will rely largely on photography to
help him accomplish these ends and will
tako many pictures during tho brief time
afforded He will carry with him over 100
pounds of Photographic plates, and the
negatives which hc obtains will not only
be developed before he leaves India, but
duplicates will he made of tho more i'm
portant and valuable ones These will he
carefully packed and shipped in different
vessels.
Professor Campbell will have about q
dozen assistants, and before the dry of the
eclipse he will have them well trained. so
that ut tho critical moment each may do
his part we'll. After the eclipse the as
Economical paraphernalia must be careful
ly rcpacked and shipped back to San Fran.
cisco. I,his work will occupy several
weeks, and when it is concluded Professor
Campbell and party will take private
tour through northern India, returning BY
way of Egypt, Italy, France and England
ind visiting all tho principal obsorvatories
in these countries.
1t Is expected TINT tho results of this ex-
petition Will be of the highest scientific
Importance, and doubtless IL 1t is "a success
many facts of popular interest will be dis
covered. 1t has been years since total
eclipse has beon observed by n we'll equip
ped party of scientists and during those
years there has been such an advance In
the science of photography, especially as
applied to astronomy, that the answers to
many problems hitherto unsolved may be
read like an open book. So important Is
this eclipse considered in astronomical cir
cles TINT three expeditions will leave Eng.
land and one from Franco
HOWARD SPENCE SINCLAIR.