The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-29
FINE VIEW OF ECLIPSE
Scientists Jubilant Over Re.
suit of Observations.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CORONA
Astronomers at BarnesviIle.
IN North Africa, Report More Complete
and satisfactory Observations Than Ever
Before known-similarIy Successful Re-
suits Obtained at Many Other Points.

| Atlanta, Ga. MAY 2S.-In every section
OF the southeastern States to-day over
Whlch the belt OF tOtality of the suns
| eclipse extended the weather was ideal
for the observation of this remarkable
| phenomenon.
In the southern portion of Alabama
tnere was sor'e haziness. but other than
| TINS the astronomers and scientists who
located their observatories in North and
south Carolina, Georgia. Alabama, and
louisiana report that the weather could
Eot nave been more auspicious 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
ana private parties the reports indicate
mat the taking Of scientific data was en-
tlreiy successful, and no incidents occurred
10 mar in the smallest degree the full
DEMENT'S that were expected &c be derived
from the event by the scientists, many
ol Whom mdde long Journeys to view the
eclipse for eighty-five seconds.
Inc TWO most notable features of the
day was the discovery by Prof Lord. OF
the Ohio State University, who believes ne
obtained results that tend 10 prove that
the mysterious matter which forms the
corona Is 10 be found also in the solar
pTOmfnenCeS and the existence of prOtub-
erance on the sun as reported by Prot
Pickering of Harvard
From the standpoint of grandeur the
spectacle was awe-inspiriug The move
ments of the heavenly bodies were rapid
Not over i've seconds elapsed from the
time of first contact until the great shad-
oW Was seen sweeping over the earth
from the southwest. Just as the moon
covered the face 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
ne has not committed himself tonight.
Prof. Updegran's Statement.
The United States Naval Observatory
achieved splendid success at both Barnes
Vile and Griffin. Following is a part of
the statement given out by Prof Cpde-
graft, who directed the work at the gov
ernment station at GAINESVILLE:
The weather was very favorable, and
the conditions under which observations
were made were good Our programme
H.
without accident or delay. We secured
twenty photographs on the five cameras
mounted on the polar axis, and four pho
tographs with the large photo-heiiograPa
The transparency of the sky WAS COOL.
and the steadiness of the air was excel
lent, in fact. IL was unusually good. We
feel as far as we can tell a this time that
the observations were entirely success |
full"
The work of Prof. II. C. Lord of the |
State University of Ohio. in which con-
siderable interest has been centercd was
successfully carried out. In his spectre
sCOpiC observations and visual work he /
believes he has obtained results that tend |
to prove that the mysterious matter |
which forms the corona is to be found also |
in the solar prominences. fact hitherto /
unknown and regarded as OF great i'm /
portance by the astronomers.
At the stations Of the Philadelphia High |
School and University of Pennsylvania ex-
hibtiOn Of the work was attended with |
very gratifying results.
The accuracy Of the results at Griffin |
will not be known for some time. as the
photograph plates will not be developed |
at present. 4 few minutes before total |
ty one OF these clouds drifJed across the
suns face and cut of a good portion Of /
the light Ii is "A disputed question as To
whether there Vas any haze before the
sun during the tCtality.
sought nv the Scientists.
While great interest attached 10 tha
eclipse itself. the object OF the astroa-
1mers composing the eclipse expeditions"
from all parts Of the country was not
alone 10 observe the passing Of the moon
pnfpTa ha bIIt ba Of /
roma.
This particular branch Of the many phe-
lOmena generally attending an eclipse las
'lways been an unsolvabie problem i;
S the belief Of many astronomers that
lie corona is product Of the sun and he's
nothing to do with the earth or moon, as
'ornCrIy suspected. Two spectra, one Of
right lines and the other continuous
2ave been revealed az 70 mer ecliosas
hydrogen gas has been indicated and an
element called helium, recently detected
n the volcanic rocks on the earth has
leen seen. or whatever substances the
corona may be composed. and whatever
nay he the true nature OF its physical ard
chemical constitution, il is certain that II
: or extreme tenuity. so rare is Il thar
comets. in their swift flight around the
'un. nave Deen known TO pass through II
Without sensible resistance.
surrounding the sun is a gaseous SUP
Dnce termed by astronomers the 'chro-
nosI here II Is believed TO be from, five
o ten thousand miles deep. Projecting
through this chrOmOsphere are observed
WITH total ecliDses the shoots. or limb.
Which rise often 10 d height OF lalO,I
niles with amazing rapidity. To the accu-
ate observation Of this paramount feat
re ot the eclipse, every appliance Of IA
art. combined with
ne astronomer knowledge, was direct I
Il with the nope Of reaching 4 soIutiop ~
his phenomenon. Generally sDes King } ,
he observations taken By the astrooo-
1erS to-day were confined 10 the SIN
endous grandeur Of the phenomenon.
Observations Taken in a Balloon.
New York. May 2S.-WiIIiam \ Eddy /
lite flyer, took observations Of the con-
itiOn Of the air At the time OF the ecIinsa
O-day IN BayOnne, y. j. Mr. Eddy saws !
he moons shadow decreased the elec-
ricity in the air. increased the moisture
humidity. and lowered the temperature
lree degrees. II also increased the wind T.
elOciJy from ten 10 forty miles an hour
loft. Immediately after the ecIips.. th- q
Tind declined 20 about fifteen miles an |
our
CLEAR shy AT GAINESVILLE.