The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-29
HAD GOOD WEATHER.
Government observationE Generally
Successful.

Successful.
Washington, May 2s.--Advices received
at the Naval observatory from its agents
in various points in the south show that
favorable weather prevailed for observing
the suns eclipse today, that the contact
occurred very close to schedule time and
that the programme arranged was carried
out without hitch. Three parties were
sent out from the observatory, viz:
One to Pin ehurst, N. c., In charge Of
Prof. Aaron N skinner; one to Barnes
vile, Ga, in charge Of Prof. Hilton Up
aegraff and one to Griffin, Ga, In charge
H. Davis, superintendent of the observa-
| tory was in communication with these
officials by telegraph and during the day
he received the following advices:
| "Pinehurst, N. O., May sS.-Clear sky
and favorable, permitting successful OBJ
instruments successfully operated. Con-
tact occurred very close to predicted time.
Corona very fine. Mercury only star
visible.
(Signed) "A. n. Skinner"
Prof Updegraff at Barnesville, Ga, and
ported that their observations were suc-
cessful. In Washington the weather was
slightly cloudy, which somewhat marred
| the opportunities for getting satisfac-
| tory observation Of the eclipse. The
eclipse arrived just few seconds ahead
of schedule time, but the irregularity was
so slight that an ordinary observer could
not have discerned 1t.
The trained star gazers declare that the
contact came from five to eight seconds
before 1t was due, but the difficulty of
telling just when the actual contact was
G.l. IL.
that even they cannot quite agree among
themselves. They do agree, however, that
| 1t was one Of the most remarkable predic-
tions in the history OF astronomy, it be-
| ing doubtful II ever before the time Of the
arrival of an eclipse was SO accurately an
nounced in advance. The hrst contact
| was scheduled to take place at forty-four
minutes and two seconds past seven
O'Clock, meridian time, which IL eight
minutes and fifteen and seyen-tenths sec
onds faster than Washington time. A few
seconds before that time the edge of the
sun and moon were in contact but 1t was
several seconds later before the eye, look
| ing through smoked glass, could tell that
| the eclipse was actually taking place.
Froms.the moment of arsttcontact until the
period of the nearest approach to totality
at exactly nine o'clock, the light faded
gradually until the ity was In condi-
tion of haZy twilight
Unofficial reports which have reached
Washington indicate that the eclipse was
visible to a greater or less degree in its
entire path Of totality. Particularly for
tunate were the observers in the Southern
section Of the country where the weather
seemed to be unusually favorable for se-
curing the Photographic data which the
scientists were SO anxious to obtain
though In some portions toward the gulf
the weather was cloudy. In some of the
Southern cities during. the period OF to-
tality stars were visible almost directly
overhead. In Richmond a most striking
feature of the eclipse was a short but bril-
liant rainbow on the west or contact side
of the sun. The phenomenon was the
more surprising as there was not cloud
in the sky.
FAILURE AT YALE.
New Haven, Conn, May 2S.-Eforts
of the Yale astronomers this morning TO
take scientific observations of the solar
eclipse, proved unsuccessful.
THE ECLIPSE ABROAD.
Berlin, May 2S.-The eclipse was OBJ
served by German astronomers generally.
Prof. Arczenhod In Baou- -Zareah, Algeria,
successfully photographed four phases.
He was assisted by Prof. Kahn of the
University of Strassburg. Here Prof.
Graf at the Urania observatory, delivered
a lecture and made observations. Obser-
vation was also made at the Hamburg OBJ
servatory, at Ireptow, Heidelberg, Goet-
tingin, Lepsic, Giesson and Freiburg.
SEEN AT ALGIERS.
Algiers, May 2S.-The eclipse was OBJ
served here under tine conditions.
GOOD LUCK AT TRIPOLI.
Tripoli, May 2s.-The day was splen-
did. The eclipse expediti on under Prof.
Todd of Amherst college, completed sue
cessful observations with twenty tele-
scopes including 24-inch telescope. The
was an exact duplicate of that of January
1859. compile tely confirming the eleven
years period of the corona variation with
the slln spots