The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-07-19
OBSERVING THE ECLIPSE.
The Recent Solar Phenomenon Salts,
factOriIy Recorded by As
trOnOmers.

The astronomers who went from ths
Yerkes observatory to Wadesboro. n
c.. to view the total solar eclipse re
turned very much elated over the re-
suits of the observations, says the Chi
cago Inter Ocean. The atmospheric
conditions were perfect. In some
features the eclipse was disappointing,
owing to the faintness of the gaseous
portion of the corona, or the bright
light spectrum. but on the whole the
observations will undoubtedly be of
the greatest value, and commensurate
with the many thousands of dollars
spent in obtaining them.
1t will be many days. if not weeks,
before the results are fully known, as
much time and great care will be taken
in developing the photographs which
were secured. Prof. Barnard and Mr..
Ritchey, of the Yerkes observatory
party, secured seven plates with the
big Photographic telescope. and several
smaller photographs with smaller cam
eras. The work Of developing these
smaller plates will begin Immediately.
but special apparatus will have to be
constructed for handling the large
plates. Prof. Frost. assisted by DR.,
Isham, of Chicago, obtained a large
number of photographs of spectra
which should prove of great value. All
of the Photographic plates are here
and the work of developing will soon
be well under way.
For seven years Prof. Hale has been
trying to devise some method of map.
ping the corona without an eclipse
This has been heretofore impossible.
owing to the brightness of the sky in
the region near the sun. His first eX-
periments were Photographic, and
were made in Chicago and at Pixies
Peak in 1893. and at Mount Aetna in
1894. This proving unsatisfactory, he
devised the method of measuring the
heat radiation of th4corona by a bolom-
eter and galvanometer. The eclipse
occurred opportunely for these expert
ments. 1t has shown that his work
was in the right lire, but that his in
struments were not quite sensitive
enough, as the heat radiation of the
corona is less than was supposed. The
instrument used by Prof. Hale was ca
pable of registering the heat of cam
die over mile away. The heat radia-
ton of the corona is much less than
that, but an instrument can easily be
made that will measure it.
Il l,>
Hale is partially dependent upon the
observations of another for his concu-
Sions, as. at the critical moment of the
eclipse, his delicate instrument was
thrown out of adjustment by an uneN-
pected shock. In 20 seconds he sue
ceeded in readjusting it, an operation
which usually requires from five to ten
minutes, but just at that instant the
period of totality ended. With Prof.
Ellerman's assistance he continued his
observations, however. during the par
tial phase. and secured some valuable
results. BY comparing his observa-
tions with those made in the same line
by Mr.. Abbott. of the Smithsonian in
stitution. he deduced the above men
toned conclusions, which can be stated
more definitely after he has carefully
worked out the separate data.
Prof. Hale is now in a position to
continue his work of observing the
corona in full sunlight with sure prom
Use of success. The work with the new
spectroheliograph at the Yerkes OBJ
servatory before and during the eclipse
shows that this instrument is capable
of photographing the chromosphere
and prominences in full sunlight very
satisfactorily, although it needs some
further adjustment.