The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-13

of the corona ever obtained were made
by an amateur with a tense of one and a
half inches aperture and nine inches focus.
The exposure should be very short from
one one-hundredth to one-fifth of a second.
The telescope is chiefly valuable for OBJ
serving the structure of the inner por-
tons of the corona. which can be seen
only during total eclipse and for
searching for possible small planets near
the sun. For many years astronomers
have suspected the existence Of an I'M
discovered planet within the orbit of Mer-
curry, but so far this planet alphabetically
called Vulcan, has not been seen. In
1873, during an observation upon the total
eclipse of that year, Prof. Watson an
nounced two small stars near the sun
which he could not identify among those
known in the catalogue, and he strongly
suspected them to be -Mercurial
planets Swift, at the same time, made a
similar announcement, but il is now gen.
orally believed that no large intra- Mer-
curial planet exists, and that the stars
seen by Watson and Swift were fixed
stars which they did not then recognize.
AT tine same time, Il Is quite pTobs bic tina:
there are a very great number of minute
planets or asteroids between the orbit of
Mercury and the sun, but they are too
small to be picked up by our present
telescopes. 1t is quite possible that such
/. a planet two hundred niles IN diameter
would fail to be seen even under the most
favorable conditions, while one of fifty
miles in diameter would be almost sure
TO escape observation. Certain irregularl-
ties in the motion of Mercury, not ac-
counted for by known causes, make 1t al
most certain that there are considerable
Masses of matter revolving between that
planet and the sum- but II is quite proba ba-
BILE that these masses large in the ag-
| -.
bodies 100 insignificant to be seen by the
telescope Should such planet as Vul-
can exist at all, II must be very near
the sun, whose dazzling light would pre-
vent its discovery except during a total
eclipse of the sun when its strong rays
are cut off.
Astronomers, however, will sweep the
heavens near the sun during the present
eclipse with telescopes, specially adapted
to this work, with the hope of throwing
additional light upon this question.
| The spectroscope, that wonderful instru-
rnent in the hands of modern science, will
play an important part in the observa-
lions.
This instrument will anayze the light
from the corona and the prominences, and
tell us the story of their chemical compo-
sition and their motions.
Observing Parties.
Many ODStINiHB pdIiitsr NOlupJStA VI Ahc
most, skilful observers and learned men,
will be sent out by all the civilized ma
lions of the world TO report upon this
eclipse The American observers will be
stationed along the line of totality from
Georgia 10 the Atlantic, while most of the
European parties will view Il from Spain
and Northern Africa. The stations best
suited for this work are carefully selected
and occupied several days in advance in
order that sufficient practice may be gain
ed upon the spot to render the obserVa-
lions at the critical moments of the great
est possible value. Every man of the par
ty is assigned to some one particular fea-
ture of the eclipse, and he is expected to
give his entire attention 10 this feature
alone. one man marks the time which
has been previously ascertained with great
precision. Another attends to the spec-
troscope another with several assistants
devotes his entire attention 10 the camera.
another searches for intra- Mercurial
planets while still anothed makes naked
eye observations upon the general effects
produced upon the atmosphere. Many
other duties require trained observers, ana
IL is very important that they be not d.
turbed during the few critical moments
allowed them by the fleeing shadow OF
the moon.
One Of the most important observations
10 be made during a total eclipse Is 10 as-
certain the exact time OF the four con-
facts OF the nlooHs limb with that OF the
sun. The first contact occurs when the
dark edge of the moon first appears 70