The evening times., 1900-06-16

c. G. Abbott. Of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition. has made a preliminary report OF
the results Of the observations made by
the Astronomical corps under his direc-
tion at wadesboro, n. c., during the re-
ceat eclipse.
The main object of investigation" says
Mr.. Abbott. was the corona. and OF this.
first, Photographic study of the detailed
structure of the inner corona, with, sec
end. a determination by the bolometer
whether appreciable heat reaches US from
It. and. if possible, an examination Of the
form OF its spectrum energy curve.
The eclipse was notably not dark one.
No second agnitude stars were observed
With the naked eye. Most OF the observers
saw only Mercury. though Venus was dis
tinguished by some skimm.Tg through the
trees. and Capilla was also seen by a few.
The high degree OF illumination operated
unfavorably in the study OF the outer
corona.
The fall of temperature and rising
breeze were distinctly noticeable before
totality. No change in direction of the
wind was noted. Shadow bands we're 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 unanlmity among independent OBJ
servers as to their size and distance apart
about five inches.
1T was noticed that the birds were ST.
lent during totality. but. true to their
! Iaef
to be still and first TO begin their Gis-
cussion of the eclipse after the return OF
light.
The attention Of all visual observers
was caught by the equatorial streamers-
! Father Wcodman described the appear
I ance as like a mother-of- pearl, but differ
| ent observers differed on the color esti-
mate. A yellowish green tinge was noted
| by the artist Of the party. Mr.. Child.
| while to others the light was straw-colored
! or golden The visual telescopic observa-
| tions OF the writer gave little Indication
/ of the finely divided structure Of the in
/ ner corona which he had noted at Pixies
/ Peak during the eclipse Of 1878. Struc-
/ tIre, was evident but not in such minute
| subdivision as had been then seen, as well
| as severl smaller ones, but the coronal
! streamers lid not give TO visual observers
/ the impression OF being connected in any
/ writer was the telescopic coronal struct-
/ ure (the 'ogival structure OF Liais) con-
/ nected with them
"Au obst rvers reported a successful
! carrying out of the programme. The
! greatest interest centred in the direct cor
( oEa negatives. taken with the 135-foot tel
/ escope. Mr.. SmiIIie exposed six 3Ox3O
/ plates during totaIity with times ranging
( from One-haf to sixteen seconds All
/ these negatives have not yet been devel-
/ oped. Those Of one-half seconds. two sec
! Onds'. and four seconds exposure have
/ been huTriedly examined, however, and
| they give clear indications Of the crossing
| and recrOssing Of filaments like the ap-
! pearance Of a field Of grain bending in the
wind. The prominences and polar stream
ers appear ir imposing magnitude and de-
| tail.
"Nr. Abbott. with the aid OF Mr Men
I denhall detected the heat Of the corona
| probably for the first time. For FIVE min
| utes before second contact the b0iOmeter
I was succesS:vely exposed to the region OF
! sky close to the narrowing crescent OF the
I sun, where the corona was shortly 10 ap-
! pear diaphragm was interposed in the
| beam having an aperture or only four
4 tenths square centimetres- Dedections
/ rapidly diminishing from so TO miIlime-
| tres were obtained the last being about
| 40 seconds before tOtality- Then the dia-
pDTaSm was opened 20 JbU times its former
/ dimensions. and a negative detection OF l3
/ millimeTes vas observed after totality
/ where these positive Gefections had Just
/ been found, showing that the corona was
/ actually cooler than the grey card which
! had been used at the room temperature
/ Next the black surface OF the moon was
! allowed TO radiate upon the bOlcmeter. and
! tha still larger negative DETECTION Of one
| mill metre was observed. The important
| result was that the corona gave a positive
| indication OF heat as compared with the
moon. This heat. though certain. was.
| however, too slight TO be subdivide1 by the
J dispersion Of the prism with the means at
| hand.
| The negatives taken TO depict the outer
| corona show from three TO four solar diam
etres' extension the longest streamers. The
equatorial wings assume more and more
hair-lke proportions as they recede from
the sun and are finally lost in an equally
illuminated sky without having given any
indication OF actually coming TO an end
No attempt to clearly examine the
plates taken for intramercurial planets has
yet been possible. 1t is. however. doubtful
| If any very faint objects will be found in
! consideration of the considerably sky il
Elimination during totality. However. Plei-
/ one and many faint stars In the Pleiades
were plainly seen on one OF the plates.
'On the whole the expedition may fairly
be considered as very satisfactory in its