Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-15
REPORT OF ECNRsE
Preliminary Account Of Smithsonian
Scientists Observations.
WAS not 4 DARK One
Studying the Inner Corona and the
Results.
SILL ENCED THE IRDS

A preliminary account Of the observations
at Wadesboro', N. c.. during the recent
eclipse, under the direction of the Smith
sonian Institution. has been prepared by
c. G. Abbott of the institution.
THE main object of the Investigation,
says Mr.. Abbott. was the corona. and of
this. first. a Photographic study of the de-
tailed structure of the inner corona, with,
second. determination by the bolometer
whether appreciate heat reaches us from
it, and. if possible, examination of the
form of its spectrum curve.
THE eclipse was notably not a dark one.
No second magnitude stars were observed
with the naked eye. Most of the observers
saw only Mercury. though Venus was dis
tinguished by some. Swimming through the
trees; and Capella also was seen by a few.
The high degree of illumination oper-
ated unfavorably in the study Of the outer
corona.
1.-The fall Of temperature and rising
breeze were distinctly noticeable before to-
tally. 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 observers to their
size and distance apart about five inches).
1T was noticed that the birds were silent
uuiILS tOtdhlS, true u their IldluIc,
the English sparrows were last to be still
and first to begin their discussion of the
eclipse after the return Of light.
The Inner Corona.
1.-THE attention of all visual observers was
caught by the equatorial streamers. Father
Woodman described the appearance as like
a mother-of- pearl, but different observers
differed on the color estimate. A yellowish
green tinge was noted by the artist of the
party. Mr.. Child. while to others the light
straw colored or golden. The visual
telescope observations of the writer gave
little indication of the finely divided struc-
ture of the inner corona 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, well several smaller ones;
but the coronal streamers did not give to
visual observers the impression of being
connected in any way with the promi-
nences. nor to the writer was the telescope
coronal structure Che ogival structure of
Liais) connected with them.
AI observers reported a successful car
rying out of the program. The greatest in
tereSt centered in the direct corona Mega
tives taken with the 135-foot telescope. Mr.
Smii1e exposed six 80 by 30 plates during
totality, with times ranging from one-half
to sixteen seconds. All these negatives have
not yet been developed. Those of one-half
second, two seconds and four seconds ex-
pose have been hurriedly examined how
ever, and they give clear indications Of the
crossing and recroSsing of tilaments like
the appearance of a field of grain bending
in the wind. The prominences and polar
streamers appear in imposing magnitude
and detail.
Heat of Corona.
Mr.. Abbott, with the aid of Mr.. Menden-
hall. detected the heat of the corona prob
ably for the first time. For five minutes
before second contact the boiometer 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 interposed in the beam hav-
ing an aperture of only O.4 So en-. De-
Elections rapidly diminishing from 50 to 9
nm were obtained. the last being about 40
seconds before totaity. Then the da-
phragm was opened to 800 times its former
dimensions and a negative detection Of ID
nm. was observed after totality where these
positive 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
radiate upon the bolOmeter and the still
larger negative DETECTION of 1 mm was OBJ
served The important result was that the
corona gave positive Indication of heat
as compared with the moon. This heat
though certain, was, however, too slight
to be subdivided by the dispersion Of the
prism, with the means at hand
The negatives taken to depict the outer
N'i'iii sii'" lioiH tTTee 10 FOUR solar diam
eters extension the longest streamers The
equatorial wings assume more and more
hair-like proportions as they recede from
the sun, and are finally lost in an equally
illuminated sky, without having given anv
Indication of actually coming to an end
NO attempt to clearly examine the plates
taken for intramercurial planets has vet
been possible. 1t Is, however. doubtful if
any very faint objects will be found In con-
sideration of the considerable sky illumina-
ton during totality.
AFFAIRS IN ALEXANDRIA