The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-01
THE SUN WILL BE HIDDEN.
a. TOTAL ECLIPSE TISIBLE IN The
SOUTHERN STATES MAY 28.

Path off the Moons Shadow, New Or
leans, Montgomery, Mobile, Atlanta,
Raleigh and Norfolk In or Near the
COursc-Interestingt to Both AstronO-
mers and Laymen.
G. T. Fl. writes in the Mail and Elk
press:
For the first time in a number of
years total eclipse of the sun will be
visible May % next in region compare
lively easy of access from New York,
the path of totality stretching across
the Southern States from New Orleans
to Norfolk. Total solar eclipses are
perhape the most interesting Of ce-
lestial phenomena, to both astronomers
and laymen, but unfortunately, they
have no regard for the convenience of
spectators when they pick out localities
to visit. Dreary deserts and shipess
seas stand just as good chance as
civilized and populous countries After
the eclipse of this year none will be
visible in the United States until 1918.
Meanwhile the favored lands will be
Sumatra Borneo Celebes, Labrador,
Spain, Egypt, Russia, Turkey China,
Colombia, Brazil, Norway, and Sweden.
It, therefore, behooves Americans to
make the most of the coming opportuni-
by, and the marvellous sight will doubt
less attract many to the Southland next
May whose interest in astronomy, as
whole, is slight
OF course the eclipse will be visible as
partial eclipse over very wide ter
ritory. 1t maye be seen here at New
York, where large portion of the suns
surface will be obscured at the middle
of the eclipse. In fact the sun will be
more or less covered to observers from
the north polar regions to the northern
coast Of South America and from the
Pacific coast of the United States east
to Russia on the North and the Desert
of Sahara on the south. But the reg
ion in which the eclipse is total and in
which alone the wonders of total
eclipse are to e'seen, is band some,
fifty miles wide which starts in the
Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico,
crosses that country and the gulf of
the same name enters the United States
at New Orleans, traverses the south
eastern corner of Mississippi and pass
ee through Alabama, Georgia, South
and North Carolina, leaving this coun-
try at the point where the boundary line
between North Carolina and Virginia
meets the sea- New Orleans is almost
on the central line. Bobile and Mont
gomery, Ala, are on the limit where |
the totality will asst but an instant. At
lanta, Raleigh and Norfolk are both in
the path Wadesboro, N. c.. is right |
on the central line. After leaving the |
United States the path of totality |
crosses the North Atlantic, enters Spain,
crosses the Mediterranean to Algiers
and traverses the northern coast of |
Africa to the Red Sea, where it termin-
ates.
LENGTH OF TOTALITY.
The totality will last longest-about
two minutes nine seconds-at a point in
the North Atlantic. In the United
States it varies between one minute
Twelve seconds at New Orleans and one
minute forty seconds near Norfolk, the
nearer the station is to the Atlantic the
onger being the time
With such a brief time at their dis
oosal astronomers are greatly handi-
capped, but they recognize greater
vii than the shortness Of the period
or actual observation. After months of
and the transportation of
costly instruments long distances, all
heir work may be undone by clouds
rhe whole day may be stormy, or ct
ust the moment of the eclipse the sun
nay be behind a cloud, while all the
est of the sky is clear. Either is fatal.
What can be done? Not much; but
ertain precautions can be taken in the
way of selecting observing stations 80
hat those places eholl be chosen where
here is the greatest probability Of clear
weather.. To this end the United States 1
Weather Bureau has been making spec I
Al observations along the eclipse track
uring May and June for the past three
care. 1t has been found that the interi- I
r stations in Georgia and Alabama
ave the best records and those on the Z
cast the worst. But the nearer the At
antic coast the longer is the totality :
o a balance has to be taken. Probably
tations along the whole line will be oc- :
uped, so that if one party is unsuc-
essful another will not be so unfortu-
ate. Wadesboro, N. c., as has been
iSilipiSt, 10 VII llC CSbNicti my, ciiN |
as an excellent record for cloudless
xies 1t is also favored with longer to-
ility than the Georgia and Alabama
WINS, and all things considered, is one
the best places on the list.
LONG ECLIPSES.
Eclipses may have period of total
y of from seven to eight minutes al \
Rough this is extremely rare. The \
INCEST for many centuries, over seven
inutes, will be visible near Manila
Inc 20, 1865 Such prospect alone
ould justify the United States in re-
lining possession of the Philippines
ON the astronomical point of view.
Their long eclipses will be that of May
1901, visible in Borneo; that of May
1919, visible in Brazil, and that of
eptember q, 1922 visible in Australia. a
ach of these will last six minutes. "
Notwithstanding the shortness Of the a
ne, next May, valuable results are /,
pected from recent improvements in u
particularly in photo
Apply. Picturee of the corona will be l.
ken in the United States to be com ~
red with others taken i'll Spain and +
'rica so that any changes may be
ted during the Progress of the eclipse.
lie corona as well as the other pheno-