The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-16
RESULTS Of ECLIPSE
Satisfactory So Far as They
Have Developed.
RATHER TOO MUCH LIGHT
Heat of the Corona Detected
for the First Time.

Washington, June ia preliminary ac-
count of the observations made at Wades-
| boro, n. c., during the recent eclipse,
under the direction of the Smithsonian
institution has been prepared by c. G..
Abbot of the institution.
THE main object of investigation" says
Mr.. Abbott was the corona, and of
this, first, a Photographic study Of the
detailed structure of the inner-corona;
with, second, a determination, by the
bolometer. whether appreciate heat
reaches US from it, and, If possible, an
examination of the form Of its spectrum
energy curve.
THE eclipse was notably not dark
one. No second magnitude stars were
observed with the naked eye. Most Of
the observers saw only Mercury, though
Venus was distinguished by some, skim
ming through the trees; and Cappella al
so was seen by a few The high degree
of Illumination operated unfavorably in
the study of the outer corona.
1.-THE fall of temperature and rising
breeze were distinctly noticeable before
totality. No change in direction of the
wind was noted. Shadow bands were
seen, but those observers who attempted
TO measure their velocity found them too
rapid and Pickering for any successful
work in this direction, yet there was
notable unanimity among independent OBJ
servers as to their size and distance
apart (about five inches.)
ut was noticed that the birds were
silent during totally, but. true to their
nature, the English sparrows was last to
be still and first to begin their discussion
of the eclipse after the return OF light.
1.-The attention of all visual observers
was caught by the equatorial streamers
Father Woodman described the appear
ance as Ike mother of pearl, but diff
ferent observers differed on the color esti-
mate. A yellIowish green tinge was noted
by the artist of the party, Mr.. Child.
while to others, the light was straw
colored or golden.
THE visual telescope observations of
the writer gave little indication of the
finely divided structure of the inner coro-
ma which he had noted at Pixies Peak
during the eclipse of 1878. Structure, TO
be sure, was evident, but not in such
minute subdivision as had been then
seen. One remarkable prominence was
seen as well as several snloller ones, but
the coronal streamers did not give to
visual observers the impression of being
connected any way with the prominences.
nor to the writer was the telescope coro-
nal structure within the Ogilva structure
of LAS connected with them
'All observers reported a successful
carrying out of the program. The great
est interest centered in the direct corona
negatives taken with the 135-foot tele-
scope. Mr. Smillie exposed six 30x3o
plates during totality, with times ranging
from one-half to sixteen seconds. All
these negatives have not yet been de-
veloped. Those of one-haif second, two
seconds and four seconds exposure have
been hurriedly examined, however, and
they give clear indication of the crossing
and recrossing of filaments like the ap-
pearance of field of, grain bending in
the wind. The promlnences and polar
steamers appear in imposing magnitude
and detail.
Mr. Abbott, with the aid of Mr.. Men
denhall, detected the heat of the corona,
for the first time. For five min
utes before second contact, the bolo-
meter was successfully exposed to the
region of sky close to the narrowing
crescent of the sun, where the corona was !
shortly to appear. A diaphragm was in
terposed in the beam, having an aperat-
ure of only 4 so. en-. Deflections rapidly |
from 50 to 6 nm were OBJ |
tanned, the last being about 40 seconds |
before totality. Then the diaphragm was |
opened to 800 times its former dimensions !
and negative DETECTION of 13 nm. was
observed after totality where these posi- |
tive reflections had just been found, |
showing that the corona was actually |
cooler than the gray card which had |
been used at the room temperature. |
Next the black surface of the moon was |
allowed to radiste upon the bolometer. !
and the still larger negative DETECTION Of |
nm. was observed. The important re- |
suit was that the corona gave a positive |
Indication of heat as compared with the |
noon. This heat, though certain, was. /
however, tO6 slight to be subdivided by |
of the prism, with the !
means at hand.
THE negatives taken TO depict the (
outer corona show from three 10 four
solar diameters' extension the longest I