Middletown transcript., 1898-01-22
To-DAY,s ECLIPSE.

the solar eclipse, ABOUT Wnlcn aStrOnO-
mere have been talking for months
past, will have taken place, and those
who have gone to India to observe it
will be exchanging congratulations, let
us hope, over one of the most success
full pieces of eclipse work that have
ever been accomplished. This should
be the case, certainly, If the weather
shall prove propitious, since the cir
cumstances Of the eclipse are peculiar
ly favorable for the observations, while
the preparations that have been made
taking them are in no respect inferior
and in many particulars are superior
to any that have before been made for
like purpose.
This eclipse will not be visible in any
part of America, but it will be visible
as total OF partial eclipse over The
greater part of the eastern continents.
The path of totality, which is about
ffty-seven miles wide, begins in Gen.
tral Africa, in the Congo Free State,
crosses the Arabian Sea, enters India
about $50 miles south of Bombay, and
passing thence in northeasterly di-
rection through Hindustan and China,
ends near the southern boundary of
Siberia. The eclipse begins January %
at 4.46 A. M, Greenwich time, or
January 81 at 1I.46 P. NJ, Philadel-
phia time-at which hour the sun is
rising in Central Africa-and ends JAN
uary % at 9. So A. NJ, Greenwich time,
an hour at VIII ch the clock with us in
dicates 4. So A. M, while in the north
eastern part of China the sun is setting
The greatest duration of totality at any
one station will be 2 minutes 1914 Sec
onds.
The most favorable stations for OBJ
serving the eclipse are to be found in
India, where the total phase will occur
at about midday, when the sun is in the
very best position for observing. All
of the eclipse expeditions whose move
ments have been reported will select or
have selected stations at various points
along the centre of the path of totality
in this country.
The English observers hold the most
conspicous place on this occasion,
though America will be represented by
Professor Campbell, who leads a party
from the Lick Observatory, the ex-
penses of which are borne by Regent
C. F. Crocker, of the University OF
California. Among the English observ-
ers will be Sir Norman Lockyer. who
heads one of the three expeditions sent
out by the Joint Committee of the Roy
al and Royal Astronomical Societies;
Mr.. w. H. M. Christie, the Astrono-
mer Royal; Professor Turner, of the
Oxford Observatory; Mr.. Newall, re-
presenting Cambridge; DR.. Copeland,
the Astronomer Royal of Scotland; DIR.
Niche Smith, of the Madras Observa-
tory, and Mr.. A. A. Common, well
know through the Photographic work
done at his private observatory at
| Ealing.
Professor Lockyer, who is accompa-
MED by his son, Mr.. W. J. S. Lock-
yer, and Mr.. A. Fowler, has been CIV
en- the use of government vessel, as
on the occasion of the eclipse OF Au-
gust 9, 1896, when he led a party to
Norway. He will be stationed on the
coast, at point midway between Rat
nagiri and Viziadurg. The other par
ties will be stationed at various points
inland, the northernmost point selected
being near Buxar, on the Ganges, Pros
fessor Campbell also will be stationed
somewhere on this interior line, at a
point not selected at last accounts. 1t
is hoped that by distributing the OBJ
serving thus along the line some 9OO
miles in length, diminishing the chances
Of failure through bad weather,a some
of the many stations, if not at all,
splendid results may be obtained.
The work doue will be almost entire
ly Photographic. While everything
observable during an eclipse will be
observed, and in way which exper-
ience has shown to be the best; special
attention will be given to to the corona.
which is now the only solar feature
that cannot be studied at any other
time than during total eclipse. De-
scribing this mysterious solar append
age Sir Robert Ball says:
ION the occasion of total eclipse OF
the sun the margin of the luminary is
found to be surrounded with spread
ing extent of pearl. colored light known
as thescorona. This is very variable
| in form. Sometimes the corona is COM
partively uniform around the various
parts of the margin Of the solar disc.
On other occasions vast projections are
seen, extending at times to distances as
much twice the SUMS diameter. In
deed, in certain cases the projections
are far longer still........+, During
recent eclipses the precious minutes
have been utilized (for studying this
solar feature) to the utmost advantage.
Not only have careful eye-obseryations
been made of the outlines of the corona
and of the brightness of its several
parts, but it has been photographed with
considerable success, while thespectros-
cope has been invoked for the purpose
of discovering the materials of which
this strange solar envelope is compos-
ed"
As to the nature Of the conora there
| is variety Of opinions among astrono-
msrs. All bold it to bea true append