The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-16
STUDIES OF SUMS CORONA.
OBsERV ATOMS OF THE ECLIPSE All
WADEsBORO. n. c.

Photographic Plates Developed Give
Clear Indications of the Crossing
and Recrossing OF the COrona's
Observation-Disclosures of Shadow
Bands Too Rapid for Observation.
Heat of the Corona Was Observed
for the First Time.
Washington. June ia preliminary ac-
count of the observations at Wadesboro
n. c., during the recent eclipse under
the direction of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, has been prepared by C. G. Abbott
of the institution.
THE main object of investigation" says
Mr.. Abbott, was the corona, and of this,
first, a Photographic study of the detailed
structure of the inner corona with, sec
ond, determination by the bolometer
whether appreciab Bile heat reaches us from
it, and, if possible, an examination Of
the form of its spectrum curve.
1.-The eclipse was notably not a dark
one. No second magnitude stars were OBJ
served with the naked eye. Most of the
observers saw only Mercury. The high
degree of illumination operated unfavor-
ably in the study of the outer corona.
1.-The fan of temperature and rising
breeze was distinctly noticeable before to-
taIity No change in direction of The wind
was noted Shadow bands We're seen, but
those observers who attempted to me s
ure their velocity found them too rapid
and Pickering for any successful work IN
this direction.
1T was noticeable that the birds were
silent during totalty, but true 10 their
nature the English sparrows were last to
be sull and first to begin their discussion
of the eclipse after the return of light.
Corona's Great Steamers.
"The attention of all visual Observers
was caught by the equatorial streamers.
Father Woodman described the appear
once as like mother of pearl, but different
observers differed on the color estimate.
yellowish green tinge was noted by
the artist of the party, Mr.. Child, while
20 others, the light was straw co.ored or
golden. The visual telescope observa-
lions of the writer gave little indica-
ton of the finely divided structure of the
inner corona, which he had noted al Pixies
Peak during the eclipse of 1873. One re-
markable prominence was seen as well
as several smaller ones, but the coronal
streamers did not give to visual observers
the impression of being connected in any
way with the prominences.
IAN observers reported a successful
carrying out of the programme. The
greatest interest centered in the direct
corona negatives taken with the 13o-foot
telescope. Mr.. Smile exposed six 30xS0
plates during totally, with dimes ranging
from one-half to sixteen seconds. All
these negatives have not yet been devel-
oped Those of one-half second two Sec
onds and four seconds expose, have been
hurriedly examined, however, and they
give clear indications of the crossing and
recrossing of flamenfs like the appear
ance of a field of grain bending in the
wind. The prominences and polar stream
ers appear in imposing magnitude and de-
tail. .aa
Heat Of the Corona.
"Mr. Abbott. with the aid Of Mr. Men
denhall. detected thC heat OF the corona
probably for the in st time. Observations
with the bolometar showed that the coro-
ma gave a positive indication II heat as
compared with the moon. This heat,
though rtain, was. however, too slight
to be subdivided by the dispersion Of the
prism, with the means at hand
"The mega ives taken to dc let the out
or corona show from three 10 four solar
diameters extension the longest streamers.
The equatorial wings assume more aud
more hairlike proportions as they recede
from the sun and are finally lost in an
equally Illuminated sky, wi bout having
given any indication OF actually coming to
an end.
NO attempt to clearly examine the