Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-27
NEXT TOTAL
ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
Noteworthy Event which Will Occur
January I3-VisibIe in Central Asia.


Mary Proctor writes in the Scientific
American of the next total eclipse of the
sun as follows:
"Fclipses are predicted, and science
bows them in
The next total eclipses of the sun takes
place on January 13. 1901. and will be
Visible in central Asia. The track of the
eclipse Is wholly on land. and gives the
last favorable opportunity for observing
an eclipse until that of April l., 1872,
which may be Witnessed FOR one minute
in South America, and for a brief inter
val In Spain.
The best region for observing the 1907
eclipse IS available by means OF railways
recently constructed in Russian terri
tory. On this railway, and about two
thirds Of the way from Tashhend to
Smarkand, lies Jlzak, only few miles
from the exact line OF central eclipse
Fortunately, the railroad from Orenburg
TO Tashkend. practically branch of the
Trans-siberian railway. which has been
in course of construction. Is now COM
pleted. Other easily accessible places
near Jizak, and well within the belt Of
totally, are Zaamin, Nau and IRA.
Tube, The last is practically central.
From the United States, the best way
to reach Jizak is BY means of Naples
Constantinoplc, the Black Sea, Tlflis, the
Caspian Sea, Bokhara, and Samarkand
From Krasnowovsk on the Caspian Sea
to 1Nshkend trains run regularly there
being two trains which leave Krasno-
wovsk daily at a. m. and 7:lb p. IN. res
pectivcly.
II we go farther cast the track of the
difficult OF access. although the totally
lasts n few seconds longer, and the
eclipsed sun is a few degrees higher
Only one station in Mongolia. Tsair-osu
seems likely to be considered. In The
American Journal of Science, FOR March,
1856. Prof. David F. Todd of Amherst
observatory, has given the position OF
ten possible observing stations, exact
local times of the four phases. durations
Of totally, and other Interesting facts.
The middle OF the eclipse occurs at sun
rise in a region north Of the Black Sea-
the track crossing the Caspian Sea
where the eclipse begins at sunrise. 1t
reaches Jizak in Turkestan about q quar-
ter to nine totality beginning at h. 30
IN. 5s.4 sec, ana ending at 10 H. I'm. s.. 2
Sec, the duration being about two
minutes. Jizak Is thirteen miles south Of
the central line. while Ura-Tiube is only
two miles south. and practically central
There the eclipse begins at Sh. 30 m. Sc
| sec. totality being at 10 h. 6m. 81 sec,
and ending at i0h. s m. 400 sec. a dura-
ton of two minutes and\ seventeen Sc
conds.
miles north of the central line, the eclipse
begins at i2h 20 m. So sec, with totality
at h. 40 m. 4l.6 sec. and ends at h. 81
m. 36,7 sec, n duration of about one
minute and ffty-hve seconds.
| 1t appears that no expedition froLl any
of the well-known American astronomi-
cal institutions will observe the eclipse.
and in all probability no eclipse expedi-
tons from Europe viii attend. on ac-
count Of such unfavorable weather con-
ditions liable to prevail, and uncertain
communication with the difficult region
(Russian Turkestan,)
The following eclipse will be that Of
January g. 1903, and Will be wholly con-
fined to the Pacific Ocean. with the pos
sibility of observing stations on two is
lands. A brief account OF these islands
will show how little they are adapted for
such work. One named Flint island, one
of the Line group, Is situated west Of
the Marquesas Islands, in long. 1871 deg.
IS min. W.. and lat. II deg 20 min. s. 1t
belongs to the British and was discovered
| In 1901. 1t is covered with brushwood
and trees. and is visible from the mast
head Of ship from distance of sixteen
! miles