Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-14
AN ECLIPSE EXCEPTION.
Naval Observatory Party Expects to
View Phenomenon In Sumatra.

| Naval ODHefVatOFF FaTty L4RcCtD ~
View Phenomenon In Sumatra-
II present expectations are realized, an
observation party organized by the United
States naval observatory will study the
total eclipse of the sun, May IS next in
Dutch Sumatra. Shortly after Congress
met bill appropriating $4,000 for the
purpose Of defraying the expense of the eX-
pedition was passed by the House, and it
is believed 1t will be favorably acted upon
by the Senate and that the money will be
available in ample time for the purpose.
Preparations are being made with this
result in view and the observation party
has been chosen by Prof s. j. Brown,
astronomical director of the observatory.
1t will be under the leadership of Prof.
W. K Skinner, and its other members will
be Prof. Eichelberger, Messrs. Jewel
and Littell assistant astronomers, and Mr..
Peters, the official photographer, all OF
the observatory; Prof. Barnard OF the
Yerkes observatory, Chicago; Prof Hum
phrey of the University of Virginia,
Prof. Abbott of the Smithsonian In
stitution, Professor Mitchell of Columbia
University and Prof. Gilbert of Johns
Hopkins. Arrangements have been made
with the War Department for accommoda-
tons for this party on the first available
transport leaving San Francisco about
February 20 for the Philippines. Arriving
at Manila, the members of the party will
go aboard one of the United States war
vessels and sail for the west coast Of Su-
matra, the port where they expect to land
being Pedang. From there the party Will
take the Symatan railway, which Is 120
miles long, and ride about 60 miles into the
interior of the island. At this point Off
GERS of the Dutch government will be on
hand to help establish an observation sta
ton. Parties representing the British and
Dutch governments are also to be present
to view the eclipse. The party from Hol-
land is to consist of Prof Witterduch
of Leyden and Prof. INLAND of Utrecht,
both of whom observed 1.-THE eclipse last
May in Georgia.
The eclipse of the sun next May will be
of especial interest to astronomers, because
II is the most favorable of the century,
the totality lasting six minutes and twenty
seconds, which Is only twenty seconds less
than the maximum time for the totalfty
of any eclipse of the sun The totality will
occur about midday. and can only be seen
touching the islands of Sumatra, Borneo,
Celebes and New Guinea. The land it
strikes is a belt about $50 miles wide. The
scientific work will be conducted lines
similar to the observations made last May,
the scientists operating chiefly the photo
graphic telescopes and Photographic spec
troscopes Pains are being taken to i'm
prove the apparatus, and because of the
experience gained last spring and the UNI
equal duration of the eclipse. it is thought
that the operators will accomplish much
more good work than ever before.
The success of the observations made
last May, which was largely due to the
use of modern instruments, caused the
observatory astronomers first to consider
the feasibility of sending an observation
party to the East Indies. Each man was
chosen because he was a scientific worker
especially educated in the class CT astron-
omy to be assigned to him