The Washington times., 1905-07-30
WHEN sun WILL
HIDE ITS FACE
A Total Eclipse Occurs on
August 80.
PATH OF THE SHADOW
Winnipeg the Place Where Phenomenon
VIII First Be Painly
Observed.
PATH OF THE SHADOW


great event on August 50 next. On that
day there will be a total eclipse OF the
sun. There have been. however, so
many total eclipses within the recoIlec-
tion of most of US that the question
may well be asked as TO why we ara TO
pay any particular attention 10 this
eclipse among the number. The rea-
sons are easily stated In the first place,
the duration Of totality at the best sta
lions IS fairly long. The complete OBJ
scuration OF the sun Will last for three
minutes and fifty seconds. No doubt
under combination OF favorable cir
cumsJances eelipses can and do some
times happen in which the duration OF
totality. as II is called. is considerably
greater
In some eclipses 1t has been. indeed,
nearly twice as great On the other
hand, in many total eclipses which have
been deemed worthy the attention OF
the astronomer, the precious seconds OF
totality have been barely half as many
as those which Will be available next
August.
But a special reason why we hear so
much about the eclipse Of this autumn
arises from the fact that it can be seen
under the most favorable conditions in
localities easily reached by q few days
journey The middle of the eclipse-that
is, the occurrence OF totality at aoon-can
be observed by those who travel no
greater distance than 10 the north Of
Spain. There. either AZ Burgos. or at
a place one-third of the way from Sara
gossa 10 Madrid, or al Morella. there
Will be goot prospect ot clear weather,
and view or one OF the sublimest of
natural phenomena under tie best possi-
bic conditions for observation.
Methods of Observation.
OF course. without leaving our homes
the eclipse of next August will be visible
TO some extent II viii be visible over
the whole OF Europe. and the greater
part Of Africa It will be visible over
the north Atlantic. and over a great part
OF Canada, and doubtless will be noted
BY many hundreds Of thousands of OBJ
servers. II may here be mentioned that
an eclipse of this kind can be observed
on bright day when the sun is high,
in Il manner which. though II may not be
actually instructive from a scientific
point of view. is certainly pleasing and
picturesque.
This observation is made. strange TO
say. not by looking up to 9he sun, but
by locking down upon the ground. When
the sun throws q shadow OF a tree on
the road the rays of light passing
through interstices between the leaves.
from bright spots, which though we may
not ordinarily notice the fact, are really
images Of the sun. When large part
OF the disc OF the sun is ecIipsed, then
the bright part is reduced TO crescent,
and consequently each of the myriad
little solar images on the ground pre-
sent TO US beautiful crescents-
A most satisfactory way Of observing
the phenomenon is 10 obtain the assist
ance Of a telescope. and then 10 arrange
that the Image Of the sun snail be
thrown on a screen. BY this device a
greatly enlarged image OF the sun is OBJ
taineo. and the excessive briIlianey is
suitably reduced.
But the characteristic phenomena
which make ecHpses so important are
never exhibited when the phase Of the
eclipse IS no mere than a partial one.
Complete extinction OF the sun is neces-
sary or. in other words. it is necessary
for the observer 70 take up such posi-
ton that the shadow Of the moon shall
pass over him as that shadow sweeps
over the earth. It Is with the object OF
getting into the track of the shadow
that astronomers are now preparing for
visit either 10 Canada. or TO Spain. or
10 Tunis, or TO Egypt, for the line
passes through these countries as well as
through Spain.
The width OF the shadow track is ap-
proximately 100 miles, but toward each
end CT the track the duration of the to-
taHty diminishes. so that 10 see the
eclipse under the most favorable condi-
tions position should be taken as near
as possible to the central line.
Path of the Shadow.
Just nineteen minutes before noon on
August 80. 1896. Greenwich time, the
shadow cone OF the moon east by the
sun. after rapidly moving through space.
first strikes the earth. The place so hon
ored Is about Winnepeg. and the Indus
trlous farmers viii there doubtless be
astonished to see the rising sun appear
ing as a black globe. The shadow has
fallen or the earth. and now as a black
spot about leo miles in diameter it com
mences an eastern rush at headlong
speed across our continent and oceans. /
Ia TWO or three minutes after its ar
rival Il has crossed Hudson Bay. and
then just five minutes before noon in
London. the shadow launches from the
coast Of Labrador upon the Atlantic.
over the Atlantic the black spot
rushes. Generally. OF course. the shad-
OW Is cast upon q mere waste OF water /
but II may no doubt occasionally hap
pen that the mariner has TO record in
his log that he was G+srtakeu by the
shadow. that broad day was suddenly
transformed into night. and any lights
which happened to be burning on the /
vessel would then stream forth into
the gloom with unexpected brightness. /
Nearly sn hour is occupied IN this ocean /
transit. during which from the astron-
omer's point OF view, the eclipse is
wasted
As the Greenwich clock shows ten
minutes TO !. the sun being now high
in the heavens, and consequently the 3
opportunities for observation being at
their best. the Atlantic journey is over
and the shadow enters Europe near /
Cape FIuisterre. For about twenty-five /.
minutes the course lies through Spain, /
and then the Mediterranean IS reached. /
This sea is crossed till Tunis is en-
tered about l:40 Then again follows a T
passage over the sea until Egypt IS en-
tered at 2:0l. Twenty minutes later
. fz TIA Jsz 81