Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-06-04
WAS PLAINLY SEEN
CONDITIONS VERY FAVORABLE
FOR SEEING ECLIPSE.
REPORTS FROM THE SOUTH
Government Expeditions Secure Val
liable Photographs of Phenomenon
and Other Data-Prof. ComstocE's
Observations Verify His Views

Washington, May 29.-Advices re-
ceived at the naval observatory from
it's agents in various points in the
south show that favorable weather
prevailed for observing the suns
eclipse yesterday and that the contact
occurred very close to the schedule
time. Three parties were sent out
from the observatory, one to Pine
hurst, N. c., in charge of Prof. Aaron
| n. Skinner; one to GAINESVILLE, Ca,
under Prof. Milton Updegraff, and one
| to Griffin, Ca, under Prof. Stimson J..
Brown. Supt. C. H. Davis of the OBJ
servatory during the day received
the following from Prof. Skinner at
Pinehurst: CLEAR sky and favorable,
permitting successful observation of
the eclipse. All the seventeen instru-
| ments were successfully operated.
| The contact occurred very close to the
predicted time. The corona was very
fine. Mercury was the only star Wis
ible." Profs. Updegraff and Brown
merely reported that their observa-
tions were successful. In Washington
the weather was slightly cloudy which
somewhat marred the opportunities for
getting a satisfactory observation of
the phenomenon. The eclipse occurred
just a few seconds ahead of the sched-
ule time but the irregularity was so
slight the ordinary observer could not
have discerned it. Trained star gazers
agree that it was one of the most re-
markable predictions in the history of
astronomy, it being doubtful if ever
before the time of the arrival Of an
eclipse was so accurately announced in
advance. The first contact was sched-
uled to take place at A minutes, sec
onds past7. A few seconds before that
time the edge OF the sun and moon
were in contact but it was several Sec
onds later before the naked eye looking
through smoked glass could tell that
the eclipse was actually taking place.
From the moment of the first contact
until the period nearest the approach
to totality at exactly 9, the light
faded gradually until the city was in a
condition of hazy twilight Watchers
at the observatory made no attempts
at photography as all instruments for
such purpose had been sent south.
Their only object was to catch the rec
ord Of time of the first final contact
and the exact moment ON the nearest
approach to totality. At exactly 9,
80 per cent. of the suns face was OBJ
scured. Unofficial reports which have
reached Washington indicate the
eclipse was visible to a greater or less
degree in the entire path of totally.
Particularly fortunate were the OBJ
servers in the southern sec
ton of the country where
the weather seemed to be
unusually favorable for securing photo
graphic data which scientists are SO
anxious to obtain. In some southern
cities during the period of totality
stars were visible almost directly over
head. In Richmond the most striking
feature of the eclipse was short but
brilliant rainbow on the west or con-
tact side of the sun with a cloudless
stay.
AS Seen Abroad.
Tripoli, May 29.-The eclipse expedi-
ton under Prof. Todd of Amherst col
lege completed a successful observa-
ton with 20 telescopes. The corona
was seen 81 seconds and was exactly
duplicate of that of January, 1889,
completely confirming the eleven years
period of corona variation with sun
spots. The weather was splendid.
The eclipse as seen in Madison was
in every way a success, and much
credit is due the management for it's
very handsome performance. Prof.
Comstock at the observatory admits
the eclipse was three seconds behind
the schedule, but three second hitch
in the program was nothing to the
good-natured public. In explanation
of the delay it is said the sun and
moon do not quite agree with the COM
puted positions. The scheduled time
for the eclipse to have commenced
here was GAS a. NJ, but it did not &C
tually take place until three seconds
later.
The only value which the eclipse af-
fords is to ascertain it's time and end
ing in order to correct the table for
the motion of the sun and the moon.
According to the observations of Prof.
Comstock the previous tables are al
most entirely correct. During the
process of the eclipse he observed par
ticularly with a view toward ascer-
tanning whether the cusps were dis
t0rted in shape. AS observed by Prof.
Comstock no such distortion took
place.
If the moon is surrounded by any at
mosphere however dense it will influ-
ence a distortion. The results, as OBJ
tanned by Prof Comstock, go to con-
firm the view which he previously
held, that whatever atmosphere the
moon may possess it is far less dense