Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-10
Sun Will be Obscured From View
May %.
ECLIPSE WILL BE PARTIAL IN IOWA
Can be Seen and Photographed From
Numerous Points in Many of the
Southern States-Will ha
Worth Seeing.

will occur on May 2s, 1900, and fortu-
nately for us, it will be possible to
witness the phenomenon from many
sections of the United States. On the
occasion of the last eclipse scientists
who desired to study the sun during
the brief period of 'totality hurried to
western India, and many of them
were successful in obtaining excellent
photographs of the great event.
This spring, however. it will be en-
tirely different, and Americas anna
teur astronomers will be able to make
their observations and use their cam
eras with the same facility as the
most learned scientists. On May 30,
therefore. the circular shadow of the
moon cast by the sun upon the earth,
and about eighty miles in diameter,
will come sweeping across the Ameri-
can continent from New Orleans to
Cape Henry.
Circumstances Favorable.
Along the center of the path trav-
eled by this swiftly moving shadow
the sun will be completely hidden FOR
a period of about two minutes. More
than forty miles away, on either side
of the track, the eclipse will be par
tial, not total. To witness this astro-
nomical marvel it will only be neces-
sary to take up favorable position in
the state OF Mississippi, Georgia,
South Carolina, North Carolina or
Virginia. As it has been many years
since an eclipse has occurred under
circumstances so favorable to Ameri-
can astronomers, it Will undoubtedly
be witnessed by thousands of students
who have felt regret that previous eX-
hibitions have occurred at distances so
great as to prevent them from wit
Messing the events.
An eclipse of the sun to be visible to
us can occur only when the moon is
new. At that time she passes exactly
between us and the sun. If an eclipse
should happen when she is at her
least distance from us, say $4,000
miles away, the apex of the shadow
would pass over our heads at 4 dis
Itance of many thousands of miles.
In the first instance the eclipse will
be total along the path made by the
falling shadow. In the second instance
| the eclipse will be annular, as the
moon will be so diminished that at no
time will she be able to completely
obscure the sun.
Will be Worth Seeing.
Professor Langley, who is an author.
lily upon sun eclipses, is enthusiastic
/ in anticipation of the, exhibition that
is to be given next May. Such
eclipses," he says, ''are impressive and
awful to the last degree and must be
seen to be appreciated. A total
eclipse of the sun is worth a journey
around the world to behold. and repe-
tition does not dull the interest"
| According to the calculations OF
Professor Lumsden, the round black
shadow of the moon. like a great arm,
will sweep in out of space some time
after sunrise on the morning OF May
%. This gigantic arm will come into
contact with Nthe earth somewhere
near the Revilla Gigedo islands in the
Pacific ocean. With tremendous We,
llocity the shadow will rush toward
the mainland and will enter Mexico
near Cape Corientes, at a speed OF
more than 100 miles a minute. In
eight minutes it will have crossed the
Rocky Mountains, and by 1880 central
or $50 eastern time it will have
crossed the gulf and entered Mexico
Then on it will pass, over its selected
path, until it is lost again in space.
In order to witness the phenomenon
to the best advantage one should be
in the center of the ground over
which the shadow is to fall. The hes:
position is upon the highest possible
eminence, as under those conditions
one is able to appreciate the tremen
dous impression caused by the rushing
upon us of such stupendous shadow
The period of totality of the eclipse
varies at different points along the
track. At the Rocky Mountains the
spectacle will last but about thirty
seconds, and at New Orleans the peri.
cd will have been heightened thirty
seven seconds. At Union Point
Green county, Ga, the center of the
path for the United States, the time
of totality will be ninety-two seconds
while those who are at the Atlantic
coast just south Of the city of Nor
folk, will be able to continue thei1
observations for 105 seconds.
/ Scientific Importance.
While the occasion will be a most
interesting one to all who are able tc
witness the PHENOMENON, to astrono.
mers the event will be of the utmost
Importance, as there are severa
questions that they hope to be able
to answer after they have made theil
next observations. One of the mos
important problems relates to the
composition and arrangements of the
various layers Of vapor and dust thai
envelope the sun as with an atmos,
nj, az tp I'D