The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-01-19
THE SINS TOTAL ECLIPSE.
MANY Things That Astronomers Hope to
Learn at the Next Appearance
of This Phenomenon.

of This Phenomenon
The next total eclipse of the sun
will occur on May % 1900, and, for
tunately for us, 1t will be possible to
witness the phenomenon from many
sections of the United States. On
the occasion of the last eclipse
scientists who desired to study the
sun during the brief period of tJtali-
ty hurried to Western India, and
many of them were successful in OBJ
tanning excellent photographs of the
great event.
Next spring, however, it will be
entirely different and America 8
amateur astronomers will be able to
make their observations and use
their cameras with the same facility
as the most learned scientists. On
MAY 2S, therefore, the circular
shadow of the moon cast by the sun
upon the earth, and about eighty
miles in diameter, will come sweep
ing across the American continent
from New Orleans to Cape Henry.
Along the centre of the path
travelled by this swiftly moving
shadow the sun will be completely
hidden for period of about two
minutes. More than forty miles
away, on either side of the track
the eclipse will be partial, not total:
To witnes this astronomical marvel
it will only be necessary to take up
a favorable position in the state OF
Mississippi, Georgia, South Caro-
lima, North Carolina, or Virginia.
AS it has been manv years since an
eclipse has occurred under circum
stances so favorable to American
astronomers, it will undoubtedly be
witnessed by thousands OF students
who have felt regret that previous
exhibitions have occurred at dis
tances s. great as to prevent them
from witne ssing the events.
An eclipse of the sun that will be
visible to us can occur only when
the moon is new. At that time she
passes exactly between us and the
sun. If an eclipse should happen
when she was at her least distance
from us, say 222, 900 miles away, the
apex of the shadow would pass over
our heads at a distance of many
thousands of miles. In the first in-
stance the eclipse will be total along
the path made by the falling shadow.
In the second instance the eclipse
will be annular, as the moon will be
so diminished that at no time
will she be able to completely OBJ
scure the san.
Worth Seeing.
Professor Langley, who is an
authority upon sun eclipses, is en-
IN in nj nj ~
hibItion that is to be given next
May. such 5clipses," he says ''are
impressive and aw full to the last de-
gree and must be seen to be appre-
ciated A total eclipse of the sun is
worth a journey round the world to
behold, and repetition does not dull
the interest"
According to the calculations of
Professor Lumsden, the round black
shadow of the moon, like a great
arm, will sweep in out of space some
time after sunrise on the morning of
May %. This gigantic arm will
come in contact with the earth
sOmewhe near the Revilla Gigedo
Islands in the Pacific Ocean. With
tremendous velocity the shadow
will rush toward the mainland and
will enter Mexico, near Cape Cor
rientes, at speed of more than one
hundred miles minute. In eight
minutes it will have crossed the
Rocky Mountains, and by Z 30 Cen
trial or s 80 Eastern time il will have
crossed the Gulf and entered Mex
leo. Then on it will pass over its
selected path, until it is lost again
in space.
In order to witness this pheno-
menon to best advantage one should
be In the centre of the ground over
which the shadow Is To fall. The
best position is upon the highest
possible eminence, as under those
conditions one Is able TO appreciate
the tremendous impression caused
by the rushing upon us of such a
stupendous shadow.
The period of tOtality Of the eclipse
varies at different points along the
track. At the ROcky Mountains
the spectacle will last but about
thirty seconds, and at New Orleans
the period will have been leugthen-
ed thirty-seven seconds. AZ Union
Point, Green County, Georgia, the
centre 81 the path for the United
States, the time Of totality will be
ninety-;wo seconds, while those who
~. =. 80 Atlantic csass, last sc-.E