The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-29
IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES AT ATLANTA
Reports Generally Indicate That the Taking OF
Scientific Data Was Successful.
(By Associated Press.)

(By Associated Press)
Atlanta. Ga. May 2S.-In every section
of the Southeastern States today over
which the belt of totality of the suns
eclipse extended the weather was ideal
for the observation of this remarkable
phenomenon.
In the southern portion or Alabama
there was some hazness but other than
this the astronomers and scientists who
located their observatories in North and
South Carolina, Georgia. Alabama and
Louisiana report that the weather could
not have been more suspicious for the
study of the suns eclipse and to secure
splendid photographs Of the details at
tending the passage of the great orbs.
From the many stations Of observation
established by universities and scientific
and private parties the reports Indicate
that the taking of scientific data was
entirely successful.
From the standpoint of grandeur the
spectacle was aweinspiring. The move
ments CT the heavenly bodies were
rapid Not over five seconds elapsed from
the time of first contact until the great
shadow was seen sweeping over the earth
from the southwest Just as the moon
covered the fact of the sun, Mercury
came into prominence.
What constitutes the gaseous element
surrounding the sun. however, has not
been determined, and if any astronomer
has solved this problem he has not COM
mitted himself tonight.
The United States Naval Observatory
achieved splendid success at both Barnes
vile and Griffin.
Pref. Updegraff. who directed the work
at the Government station at Barnes.
Vile, says:
The weather and other conditions
were good. There was no accident or de-
| Iay. We secured twenty photographs
on the FIVE cameras mounted on the pola'
axis and four photographs with the large
photo Photograph. The transparency OF
the sky was good and the steadiness of
the air was excellent In fact. it was
unusually good. We feel as far as we can
tell at this time that the observations
were entirely successful"
The work of Professor l.. C. Lord. CT
! the State University of Ohio, in which
considerable interest has been centered,
! was successfully carried out. In his spec
! troscopic observations and visual WORK
, he believes he has obtained results that
tend to prove that the mysterious mat
ter which forms the corona is to be
found also in the solar prominenccs, a
fact hitherto unknown and regarded as
OF great Importance by the astronomers.
The accuracy Of the results al Griffin
| will not be known for some time, as the
photograph plates will not he developed
! at present. a few minutes before tOtality
a cloud drifted across the suns surface
and cut off good portion of the light.
DR.. Brown, the director of the observa-
tons, thinks there was a very slight
cutting Off of the light on this account,
while other observers say there was no
material interference.
Where the Massachusetts Institute Of
! Technology made observations, at Wash
| ington Ga, the weather was perfect.
| Time Of totality one minute and % 2-10
seconds. Seven sketches were made of
/ the corona.
Prof. w. H. Pickering at the head of
| Yale's expedition furnished the following
! statement:
| I'VE secured sc plaes with intra-m ercu-
| rial apparatus and 81 with Is other cam
| eras aided by - assistants. The plates
will be developed in the Cambridge OBJ
servatory The corona resembled that
| of the 1889 eclipse. Two large solar pro-
tuberances were noted. Venus and Mer-
curry were conspicuous. The inner corona
was visible in the telescope several sec
ords after totality was aver. There was
! no dark band around the moons limb
during the partial phases and no detail
| on the moon during tOtality"
| Prof w. w. Campbell, astronomer in
! chief OF the Lick Observatory expedl-
! ton, states:
I "FCrty-two photographs were secured
, The corona had somewhat the appearance
of the corona in 1898 as observed in In
/, dia Two prominent streamers extended
! to the west near the line OF the solar
! equator 10 distance equal to about five
or six diamcters of the sun, several mil
lion miles.
"One prominent streamer to the cast
cf the sun and north of its equator was
traced - equal four diamcters OF the
! sun The corresponding streamer south
of the equator was very much less prom
| inent The shadow bands were observed
easily at the beginning and ending of to-
! tality.
1.-The eclipse occurred seven seconds
| earlier than was anticipated
PLANET EROS REDI5C0VERED.