Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-05-26

troscope and camera, thousands OF
eyes will note things which perhaps
have6not before been described as visi-
BILE or as occurring during a total
eclipse.
Here Is the reply given by Professor
Burnham of Chicago, when asked by a
budding astronomer for advice as to
the best Instruments to use during the
coming eclipse. He said:
"Use the most valuable instrument
God ever gave you-your eye. Watch
the effect Of the strange phenomenon
on nature, and learn q lesson in her
laws that you'll never forget, sir; new
er forget"
Some details of the eclipse which are
Of interest are as follows: The track OF
totality begins on the Pacific ocean just
west Of Mexico at sunrise, trends due
eastward over Mexico. enters the Unit
ed States very near New Orleans, ex-
tends northeastward over Mobile and
Montgomery, near Atlanta, over Raj
eigh, and leaves this country In the re.
gion of Norfolk and Cape Henry. 1t
then crosses the Atlantic ocean and
touches Europe at Coimbra, Portugal,
takes in Algiers and northern Africa,
terminating near the northern end Of
the Red sea at sunset.
The eclipse, therefore, may be observ-
ed in the United States in the morning
hours from about 7:2O to o'clock, and
in Spain and Africa in the afternoon
after 4.
The local hour Of totality increases
from west to east, beginning at 1927 a.
H., near New Orleans. and growing lat.
er to $50 near Norfolk. as the shadow
sweeps over the country. The duration
of totality is / minute and 13 seconds
near New Orleans and l minute and AZ
seconds near Norfolk. This fact con-
stitutes a powerful argument In favor
Of locating the stations as far east.
ward as possible in North Carolina and
Virginia. since the gain Of half min.
ute is made in the duration Of totality,
which is important when every Sec
ond is precious for observations.
Scientific men have made elaborate
preparations for observing the eclipse.
The United States government will
have two stations, and every big col
lege in the country will have Its ap-
paratus located somewhere In the track
Of the moon shadow. From New Or
leans to Norfolk there will be an al
most continuous line Of telescopes and
cameras pointed skyward To a man
in balloon it would look as if we were
planning for a fight with Mars.
The amateur photographers, who are
q legion In themselves. will be out In
full force. They are spurred on by the
knowledge that the most successful
photograph Of the suns corona was
taken by an amateur. This amateur
was Mrs. Maunder, wife Of an English
astronomer, who accompanied her hus-
band to India to witness the solar
eclipse Of 1898. She used Dallmeyer
stigmatic lens of 11a inches aperture
and 8 inches focal length.
The silvery white halo Of the corona.
which looks rs If 1t belonged to the
moon, Is the most impressive object
seen during an eclipse. Portions of the
corona unquestionably extend ceveral
million miles from the body that 1t sur
rounds. The structure Of this envelope
excltes wonder even In the inexperi-
enced observer, but it is made the SUBJ
ject Of careful research by the scien-
tist.
Down at the base of the snow white
corona lies q crimson ocean Of hydro
gen, hellum and other gases. 1t Is
called the chromosphere. Langley,
Young and other experts say 1t Is about
5000 or 5000 miles deep. Up from
this rose red, or blood red, sea at times
rise cloudlike prominences over 1OO,OOO
miles high. Young has seen one swift
Iy grow to an altitude Of 35O,OOO miles.
with a spectroscope it Is now possible
for the astronomer to study the solar
ehromosphere and prominences at al
most any time, but the amateur can see
them only during total eclipse.
After it is all over, perhaps the as
tronomers may tell US the answers to
many questions about the corona which
as yet have never been answered. They
may also have news Of Vulcan, that
mysterious star, that lost world, which
is supposed to exist somewhere be-
tween the sun and Mercury.