Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-26
Great Nations win Watch Eclipse
ofthe Sun.
Limo OF Totn, Eclipse win Pa.s
Through Southern statoa From
Virginia TO Northumberland
Lies within tho shadow Path.


year 1900 will be he total eclipse of the
sun on May 2S
While the sun will not be entirely OBJ
scured in New York, 1t will be darkencd
to such an extent as to make an inter-
esting spectacle.
The line of total eclipse will pass
through the Southern States from Vir-
GINA to louisiana.
All the noted astronomers of this coun-
try as we'll as those in all tho universe
ties OF the Old World are already making
arrangements to observe the dazzling
spectacle.
he governments of Great Britain, Ger
many. France and Austria have notified
the United States that they will send TO
. inns country observation parties to note
the phenomena of the total eclipse.
our own government Is making OK
tensive arrangements both to receive and
entertain the scientists from abroad as
we'll as to note in behalf of the scientists
of this country the spectacle of an eclipse
which occurs IN its own territory.
Tho House COMMITTEES on .Appropria-
tons has reported favorably an item of
5000 in the urgency deficiency bin TO
the total eclipse Of the sun. OF this sum
5000 is for the Smithsonian Institute
and 5000 for the United States Naval
President Mckinley, Secretary Gage
and Secretary Wilson asked Congress to
hasten the passage of the appropriation
tended.
NORFOLK IN SHADOW PATH
Speaking OF the matter Captain c. II.
Davis. U. S. ~, superintendent of the
naval observatory, says: This eclipse is
eclipse The path of IF" total eclipse Pat.iei
through New Orleans, Mobile, Raleigh
and Norfolk; 1t IS necessary TO select OBJ
line to which properly equipped parties
from this observatory may be assigned.
The Instruments used In observing the
transit of Venus in 1874 and 1852 are
available for this work.
1T is unnecessary to d,late on the i'm
portancc OF the work. The United States
ties In such observations Foreign par
ties representing Their own governments
VII be in this country. and 1t Is desira-
behind hand in an astronomical event
which occurs In It's own territory"
Professor Willis l.. Moore. chief of the
prepared under his direction elaborate
surveys of the. sky for determining Its
path of the eclipse in the United States
These observations were made by Prof.
Frank Bigelow,. who says:
THE total eclipse of the sun which Is
TO occur May 2S next Is of special interest
to the people of the United States be-
cause of its unusually convenient place
u HHppcliHE III inc i~'iSt SruiI ana Mluule
''The cities OF New Orleans. Mobile.
Montgomery, Raleigh and Norfolk ali
and this is certainly one of the most
unique conditions possible, as it will ell
able thousands of persons to see that most
wonderful spectacle of astronomy, the
solar corona.
TRACK OF TorALIry.
1.-THE track of the total:ty of the eclipse
begins on the Pacific Ocean west of Mexi-
co at sunrise trends due eastward over
Mexico, enters the United States very
near New Orleans, and extends northeast
ward over Mobile and Montgomery, Ala.
near Atlanta. Ga, over Raleigh, y. c.,
and leaves this country In the region OF
Norfolk. Va. and Cape Henry. 1t then
crosses the Atlantic Ocean and touches
Europe at Coimbra, Portugal. takes in
mates near the northern end of the Red
Sea at sunset.
The suns eclipse, therefore, may be
observed n the United States In the morn
ing hours from about o'clock and twenty
minutes to o'clock. local mean time and
ll-A al trr1TUuu
after 4 O'Clock.
The central pathway of darkness where
in the eclipse will be total in the United
States. is fifty-five miles vide. Professor
Bigclow's work on the cloud surveys
shows that the elevated grounds of Geor-
gia and Eastern Alabama which Is high
er above the sea level than any other
portions of the track and remote from
mum of cloud!ncss for that region.