The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-29

trum of a pyramid twenty four feet high
from the top of which a long iron frame
lined with canvas light tight leading to
the ground and into large dark room
Against the cribbing rested frame COW
cred over with canvass upon which was
to be projected the shadow bands By the
instrument prepared for this purpose At
the other end stood a pole from which an
American flag waved above a small shed
This shed has been around the world, l
was told having been used for obser-
vation purposes before. Inside the shed
was the telegraph instrument and the
chronograph attached to the chronometer
Between these was the long row of in
struments.
Promptly at 1856 o'clock the first con-
tact appeared at the upper right hand
corner of the sun. There were photo
graphers present not connected with the
party who began to take snap shots, and
continued until after the moon had pass
ed over No work was done by the as
tronomers until the moment of total
eclipse.
Soon after the first contact the light
shining through the leaves of the trees
was noticed to form little bright cres-
progressed they became narrower and
longer. AS the moon bore down over the
sun the sky assumed an ashen hue and the
landscape a half tone appearance. Then
as the sun appeared only a small ring
there came on a strange weird light,
which seemed to shine only on us and not
on the distant landscape. The sun seem
Ell no longer to give out its heat
C1y;,
ner. Let her go!' cried voice. Every
body keep perfectly quiet.'
The light shining through the leaves
now made very long crescents.
''One minute! Everybody keep perfect
ly quiet
A pause. and, as the shadow bands
came ripping by, some one cried in loud
voice: England expects every man to
do his duty AS he said this the great
black shadow swept down upon us like
a pail The darkness was about equal
to very deep twilight. 1t was too dark
to see how to make notes.
Standing close | could barely discern
the CHASTITY eager faces of the operators
The tension on them at this moment was
intense. Before them was a spectacle
the magnificence of which they had never
before seen and would probably never see
again. The work for which the govern
ment had expended five thousand dollars
and all those carefully prepared arrange
ments had been made was to be done at
this moment or never at all.
Ready" cried some one, and imme-
diately loud voice began to count the
second beats Of the chrOnometer as re-
corded by the chronograph. and continued
all the way through the period OF totalty.
The man who called ready was a few
seconds slow, it is said, but it made no
, difference in the result of the observa-
tions, they assured me-
Total eclipse began at :46 and lasted
just one minute and thirty-four seconds.
The light came on again, the long cres-
cents again appeared but in a reversed
position, and grew gradually shorter and
broader.
The whole patty now assembled in
body in front of their instruments.
large camera was produced in this soft
mellow light. photograph of the group
was taken. Every little snapshot in the
crowd of course, had to take a whack at
them as they posed.
The party went at once to work taking
down and packing up. The crowd melted
away, leaving few squinters still gazing
up into the heavens.
The spectroscope made for this special
occasion belong to the Naval Observatory,
and were under the immediate charge of
DR.. Ames. of Johns Hopkins.
THE bright lines of the spectrum were
beautifully registered said DR.. Ames,
land we obtained an excellent photo
oil n1,f nQ1
an excellent photograph of the corona"
do you think your observations will
other matters of uncertainty?" ] asked.
others of uncertainty?" | asked.
Yes, sir he said. eff they do not our
name is Dennis, but we will not know
until the plates are developed and posi-
bly, months may elapse before we will
/ know certainly"
The shadow bands were a dsappoint
ment The astronomers were not over
sangune about the operation Of their in
+, strument inasmuch as it was known that
unless the bands. or waves came at regu-
lar intervals the instrument would not
record them. The instrument was not a
new contrivance but an old contrlvdnce
which it was proposed to use for a new
purpose. The waves came family as you
have seen heat rising on not day ana
went shimmering some said in every di-
rection. But they were not regular, and
SO the instrument was no good.
The man in charge declared that he be-
lieved descriptions of them have been
heretofore overdrawn. 1t is very evident
that he was deceived in what he expected
TO see. So unless some other observer
I has found out something, the bands are
still as great mystery as ever.
Prof Skinner said: Everything went
off splendidly. We had perfect weather
and no mishap to our instruments. We
think we have obtained excellent photo
graphs and have accomplished much. We
will not be able to say how much until
/ the plates are developed.
The party vii leave tonight via High
Point for Washington.
Fl. A. CHAPPELL.
opcrpUATJoN oE SHan0W RaNnS