New-York tribune., 1900-05-30
BROOKLYN NEWS.
G. P. SERVISS ON ECLIPSE.
WERE REQUIRED FOR sun
AND CORONA

Professor Garrett P. serviss president of the
Astronomical Department of the Brooklyn Insti-
tute. returned to Brooklyn last evening from
Newoerry. s. C, where he went to witness the
eclipse AT his home. No. Middagh-st.. the Pro-
fessor gave Tribune reporter of the results
Of his observations He said:
During the eclipse there two observers
working with telescopes Independently of each
other-one at my station the other at Newberry
C6llege, a mile distant-who both found that
when their Instruments were properly focused for
clear definition of the they were out of focus
servers at the time called nv attention to this
curious fact This was Charles Lembke, OF New
spoke to me about ii afterward. Professor Sigh
I1und n1 aha5 the corona was absolutely Invisible
escope fully an eighth of a inch Thereupon the
MI Lenbkes observation appears to have been
ohaarna +,d was as not Using telescope mysef Lor
rectness of the statements made by the two gen.
One explanation, which instantly suggested it
self is that the corona must be the
nearby object, it is of course necessary to extend
the focus but while this explanation appeared so
probable that IL led persons the spot TO
declare their belief that after all the solar corona
ing either to the moon or the earth's atmosphere
my own belief is that the explanation depends
emitted BY the Corona It is possible that IN this
observation there lies clew the difficulty which
mas always been experienced in satisfactorily pho
tographlng the corona; The photographs have
ably shorter than the visual focus bur these OBJ
servations seem 70 intimate that the best result
The other observation. which seems TO be some
observers besides myself Newberry, that
or singular and very marked huctuations in the
phase. After the eclipse had progressed so far
that the defect of daylight became very apparent
and birds began to manifest their sense of the ap-
proach OF obscurtty. noticed and others also, two
or three times a singular increase in the illUmina-
Con The air seemed TO brighten up. il does
were clouds whatever. The entire sky was
absolutely without speck.
6Ia ey0Ia r1arfoU r. ha
an entirely subjective phenomenon. due TO some re-
hex action In the organ of vision; it might be due
70 fluctuations IN the light of the corona ttself but
direct inspection of the corona did Indicate
any Frightening, and last. and this view seems to
me the more probable II may have been caused by
undulations great pillows of wind so 10 speak. in
the atmosphere, producing changes in the re-
Mr.. Lembke was provided with a large camera,
having a 5-tnch lens, and using u by u inch
plate. What hope we have done is TO obtain a
very large picture both of the hidden sun and the
corona. The diameter of the moon these plates
would be not less than an inch, so that the struct-
ure of the inner ought 10 be clearly shown.
Inc combination used in this camera is somewhat I
different from any that has hitherto been employed
Otis Wattels. who assisted Mr.. Lembke in his
operations.
obtained with this instrument during the totalty.
W. @. LevisOn, also Of our party, had a smaller
possible. TO show on the same plate the inner and
pictures showing the various phases OF the eclpse
before totalty well as the rotahty itself, We're
taken 1t will be a day, or two before we really
know the results obtained.
The general appearance Of the corona vtndi-
by Frank H. Bigelow, of the Weather Bureau, who
had sta ton independent Of and took photo
in reference to its form This is the period OF mini
mum sun spots, and the corona, as seen, was a
speced reafon betWeen the form of the Corona
and the condition OF the sun really exists