The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-27
PATH or THE TOTAL ECZLPSE

-. 4. MITCHELL, NJ. A., PH. D., ASTRONOMER
US. ECLIPSE EXPEDITION.
Next Wednesday hundreds of astrono-
mors Of different nationalities will be sta =
toned along a narrow dark strip runnin z
from Manitoba. across Canada and Labra-
dor, the Atlantic Ocean. Spain and Africa,
after months of preparation and the ex-
penditure OF thousands Of dollars, to avail
themselves Of a few moments observation
Of total eclipse Of the sun. Cui tono?
In the days Of ignorance and super
stition. an eclipse inspired awe and dis
may, being regarded az the harbinger of
evil, the forerunner of dire disaster, or an
indication Of divine anger. In these days
OF enlightenme mt, Partial eclirscs rass
almost without notice. and total eclipse
Of the sun Is welcomed as only affording
an opportunity for nve stigation and the
acquisition Of further knowledge.
By observation and mathematical de-
duction, astronomers have calculated just
whore the eclipse Of Aug. 80 will he visible
and just at what time, to the NE arest frac-
ton Of a second the striking features will
appear at any one place, and it may also be
added that they have already worked out
with nearly equal precision just whe n and
whore the eclipse Of the year 2012 will be
aSeen. May you and I, reader, be there to
eco.
So confident are these scientists in the
correctness Of their calcnlat ions. that they
will oheerfully travel half way around the
globe to witness their verifcation and avail
themselves Of the few moments time to
gain further information. In 1900 the
writer OF this article.went to Georgia to soc
the eclipse Of that year, in 1901 he travelled
t. the East Indies on a similar GRAND; and
.now IL In Spain, busy making the ANAL ad-
justments Of some Of the delicate apparatus
to DO used by the United States Govern
!ment party. for to sec this eclipse in all it's
beauty one must 60 outside the United
6tates. Surely there must be objects to
gain Of great practical as we'll as scientific
importance, to repay the astronomers for
their arduous labors.
HOW 10 OBSERVE THE ECLIPSE IN NEW YORK.
It will not be necessary. however, for the
readers Of The SUN to 60 away from home
merely to $50 the eclipse. The would-be
observers will only have to get out Of bed
earlier than some Of them may be in the habit
q doing.
The sun rises on Wednesday next for New
, York city ct 5:24 In the morning. About
half an hour later, CT. to be more exact, at
S53, the moon touches the edge Of the sun,
and first contact" as astronomers call it,
takes place.
Tho black shadow OF the moon creeps
slowly over the face Of the great luminary
until o:4e A. NJ, when q tri1e more than
two-thirds Of its diameter will be covered
We will then be getting considerably less
than half the usual supply Of light from the
sun, q condition which makes itself mani
fest In the altered appearance Of the streets
and landscape.
To look at the sun ITSELF one should be
provided with smoked or colored glass, or
. Photographic plate developed until quite
,black. II tho eclipse were to be total in
New York city, the last third would be
much more interesting to watch than the
previous portions, but this time the moon
ghdes by the sun without covering 1t up
completely, and at 7:s8 the shadow passes
entirely of, and the eclipse is over
But this partial eclipse is of little interest
to the astronomer, as 1t will not help him to
master any Of the perplexing problems re-
curing solution. It is only when the brill
liant, dazzling light Of the sun is wholly
cut OF that We become aware that there is
more to observe than Is ordinarily visible
In our orb Of day. It Is only then that the
beautiful corona-the halo, or crown Of
Rlory-b SEEM and II Is only when the sun
b in total eclipse that We are able to study
its atmosphere and learn of what gases it
IL composed.
CAUSE or EcLrPsEs.
The cause Of an eclipse is not hard to
grasp. The earth makes circuit about
the sun once In a year. in a plane we call
the .ecliptic-for 1t Ia only when the moon
b near this plane that eclipses can occur.
Tho moon makes revolution about the
earth once a month. II this motion about
tho earth was In the plane OF the ecliptc,
there would be two eclipsee every month
once at new moon, when the moon would
come between the sun and the observer.
and the sun would be eclipsed, and again
at full moon, when the moon would pass
into the shadow OF The earth, its light would
be cut OIL, and there would be an eclipse
of the moon.
Our satellite however, does not movc |
in the plano Of the eclptic. but in path |
inclined to II by a small anglo Of five de-
grees and q quarter, 80 that generally at |
the time Of new moon-when the moon and |
sun ara on the same side OF the earth-the
moon will be above or below the plane OF
the ecliptic. and the shadow cast by her
will not reach the earth's surface. II Is
only at the time OF the new moon. and when
in addition the moon Ia In the plane Of the
eclptic. that she can get Immediately be-
tween the sun and the earth and cause a
solar eclipse. !