The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-06-07
ECLIPSE AT PINEHURST.
Prof, Ames Describes the Result of
the John Hopkins Party's Observa-
tiOnS.
Baltimore SUM

story of the eclipse, as seen here,
may be told in word. 1t was sue
cess.
OF course, it will be weeks before
the Photographic plates can all be
developed, and it may be year be-
fore they can be accurately described
and discussed. The results hoped for
can only be learned after careful
and painstaking comparison OF the
photographs taken with the same in
strumcnts at different times Of the
moons passage over the face OF the
sun. This is especially true OF pho
tographs Of the spectrum take with
the prismatic objective and the graf
ing spcctroscOpcs.
Some immediate results were learn
ed by eye observations. The corona
had the general appearance to the eye
that it has at times Of sunspOt mini
mum with the magnificent equatorial
extensions. Polarization Of the bright
line spectra Of the corona was not
observed, nor was any periodicity Of
the shadow bands. Professor Wood
examined the corona with q strobe
scope in the hope Of finding some
periodicity in the illumination, but i'll
vain.
SHOUTS OE JOY AT CLEAR WEATHER.
With the first trace Of dawn in the
East nearly everyone in Plnehurst
was up gazing anxiously at the sky.
AS the light grew stronger and it be
came evident that the day would be
fair, JOY prevailed and shouts could
be heard.
The mum Der of observers and spec
tators had grown so within the last
two days that all the meals at the
astronomers boarding house were
served to two or three relays Of per
sons. Those most interested in the
cclpsc-the actual observers, who
had been here two weeks, and in some
cases more, making all their elabo-
rate preparations and tests-were
given the right Of way, and had the
privilege, if it may be 50 called, Of
having breakfast at } &. N.
Then came the preparation Of the
buildings Tor action. The curtains
were raised from the sides of the
observatory, rafters were taken out
and hastily constructed roofs were
knocked down. In Il short sine ali
the instruments were exposed To the
Eastern sky, where the sun was slow
~ rising and where as yet there was
no trace of the moon which was soon
to obscure the suns glory. The
heliostats were given their final touch
,ll 10 81,
Everything seemed to be right.
Next came the final rchearsals,
mainly for the sake Of the time keep
crs. All those who directed instru-
ments set their watches, so as to
have Il general idea how long it would
be before the time for work came.
EXCITEMENT MOUNTED HIGH.
We all knew that the instant of
second contact had been calculated at
46 minutes IS $40 seconds past 8
o'clock, but in the present state Of the
lunar theory there is enough uncer-
tainty as to the moons true position
at any time to make it possible that
there might be an error of a second
or two in this predicted time. The
excitement was more intense than one
would have expected. No one was
willing to acknowledge this until
afterward.
The instant which made Il change
in every ones feeling came when Pro-
fessor Frisby, at the 5-inch equatorial
announced:
First contact"
Then we knew how long we had to
wait-onc hour and ten minutes-and
the tension of the excitement was
gone. Action had begun. Every one
had his piece of smoked or colored
glass and was intently watching the
wasting away of the sun.
The darkness was scarcely noticed
Mt first. but soon became prominent.
1t was certainly an impressive sight
to see the slow, steady, apparently
irresistible covering of the sun. No
wonder the poets of ancient civiliza-
tions could picture the conflicts of
huge beasts, one consuming the other,
in this great spectacle of nature.
Slowly the light faded away, the
landscape seemed illuminated with
tHC "dHlHN CHESTNUT was
almost gone.
Professor Wood began his strobo-
scopic observations. Unfortunately
the shadow bands were conspicuous
by their feebleness. A large linen
sheet had been spread, so inclined as
to be perpendicular to the suns rays,
and this was watched intentlv bv
Professor Gore, who was ready to set
his stroboscope going so as to time
the passage Of the shadow bands
across the sheet. Mr.. Hoffman stood
close by with a tuning fork and violin
bow, so as to set the fork vibrating
and with it make trace on smoked
plate fastened to the stroboscope.
The waiting was in vain. for the bands
were too indefinite.
"ATTENTIoN," ALL PREPARED.
Suddenly we heard the cry. AT
tention," which meant that there was
less than 10 seconds left before the
second contact. Again the excite
ment was intense. All the photo
graphic slides were withdrawn. Not
sound was heard. even from the
surrounding crowd. Every observer