The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-05-23

sningo 10 which astronomers attach
importance 10 the accurate observe.
tion OF the timss Of beginning and
endi,g Of the eclipse 1t 10 easy to
SEQ LET the mathematical considers
sion upon which ere based our theo
ries Of lunar motion will be put to o
very severe test 10 predicting the
exact instant when the sun will be
covered up By the moon If observe
sion sgrees with prediction. We have
the strongest corroborative evidence
Of the correotness of our theory and
Of our numerical calculations. o.
the other hand, II Il be found that the
predictions are slightly 10 error. lie
amount OF that error can De deter
mined BY observation. and mathemat
ical theory thus corrected for the
benefit Of future predictions. Al
though our knowledge in this depart
ment of sssronomy has reached Q
very high state of perfection. il 10 Q
fact that We cannot predict the times
OF eclipse todsy without possibility
OF error amounting to several SEQ.
onds. Part Of this error 10 due no
doubt to insufficient knowledge of
the moou's size, or to the possibility
that contact between sun end moon
nay OCCUR at very irregular or
mountainous pert Of the lunar surface.
Bot esch eclipse tends to improve
our information and make our mathe.
ms.icsl theories moro perfect.
The grestest interest, however.
centsrs about the physical observs
tlons possible during total eclipse
Dor sun 10 not merely the blasing,
brilliant, luminous globe We see
every day in the hesvens The fiery
center ball has . vest outer append
sgs, stretching millions of miles into
spsos-ihs de'iossely tinted. tenuous,
dlmy. unexplained corona. Il is the
corona that makes total eclipse 30
beautiful. regarded merely "a . spec
lsols to bs seen and enjoyed Ito
light 10 much fainter than that of the
sus; ws csn see il only when the
letter 10 completely obscured. At all
other timss the bright light of the
central ball illuminstes the cir sur
rounding our earth % % TO make it
fsr superior .in brightness to the fam.
corona ; sod observers looking per-
force through this illuminated cir
cannot distinguish the delicate trscery
OF the coroua itself. Bot when the
advancing Of the moon slowly covers
the sun's ceutrsl disc. until st last
only . narrow sickle shaped piece is
len. the waiting astronomers have Q
iew momeDts Of intense expectation
The sickle narrows gradually but Q
more thread 10 left; yet even that 10
quite sufficient to mask the corona
Then. suddenly. oil 10 covered. %
The instant. % though st the touch Of
msgioisn's wand. outbursts tho
splendid coroas into view IT'S q
. eight Of beauty indescribable, i'm
pressive beyond comparison Men
that have been privileged to see it,
ever sfter tell OF ito laving given one
Of life's most exciting moments.
never TO be forgotten
But the quiet scientific investlga.
tor tries to make use of these rsre
opportunities to obtain some knowl
edge OF the true constitution of our
sun Before the coroua's appearance,
iust ~ the brilliant central disc is
being totally obscured. there are q
very few brief important seconds
when we receive light direct from
the outer layers of the solar globe,
and these moments offer the only
chance to examine directly the glow
ing gsses that make up the sun's ou.-
side envelope Much of our solar
knowlege has been thus gathered
painfully 10 the few flesting minutes
Of observation made possible by cue
cessive total eolipses. Then it is
tbst We see great red fsmes flashing
hundreds Of thoussnds of miles out
into space Curling, interlsciug,
ever changing. veritsble oloudbursts
OF living dre. these are proofs OF the
power and violence of natures hid
A~u co.~n>