The Washington herald., 1908-01-03
THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN
BY FREDERIC j. HASKN
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

To-day short while before noon,
there VIII be total eclipse Of the sun.
With a rather annoying disregard for the
OF astronomers the sun has
chosen an almost inaccessible part Of
the earth's surface for this especial
eclipse and despite the fact that its
greatest totality will be four minutes and
thirteen seconds-sufficient time Ia which
to make many observatiOns-there will be
few to witness II. Instruments have not
yet been so perfected that scientists can
make observations from the deck or
vessel. Solid land must be had on which
to erect the telescopes. cameras, spectre
scopes, p0lariscopes, bolometers, and all
the other long-named and eminently es-
sential paraphernalia that are 50 puz-
zling TO the mere layman. In casting
about for a place for the observation OF
this particular eclipse II was found that
in the curving path Of totality, which eX-
tends from point In Polynesia TO Cen
tral America, there were only two spots
OF dry land These are Hull Island, in
the Phoenix group, and Flint Island, Is
ing 10 the north Of Tahiti, OF the Samoan
group.
Both islands are small, have little fresh
water. and are naturally protected by
coral reefs. The observations viii be
made from Flint Island. Its exact loca-
ton is given as 151 degrees fortyeight
minutes west longitude. eleven degrees,
twenty-siK minutes south latitude. There
land making observations there. Out Of
all the world only two parties have
gone. The larger Of these was sent by
Lick Observatory, California, and
financed by William II. CroCkeT, Of
san Francisco, who has financed five
previous ones it Is under the di
rection Of Prof. W. ". Campbell,
OF Lick Observatory, and the personnel
Of the party further includes two other
astronomers. two assistant astronomers,
a professor Of physics. a carpenter, two
woFkmen, and two cooks, while the
Smithsonian Institution Is represented by
Director G. c. Abbott, an astro-physicist
Of note. The other party is that OF an
Englishman. r. X MCLEAN, of Tun-
bridge Wells. an amateur scientist OF ex-
perience. who. al his own expense. is
conducting his small expedition He
went by way Of Australia and Auckland,
reaching Flint Island in a chartered tug.
The practical interest taken in the ex-
pedition by the United States govern
ment has extended only so far as the
transportation. The gunboat Annapolis
was set aside 10 take the Lick O0serva-
tory party Of twelve from Tahiti 20 Flint
FrfA. Flint
Island before Christmas, and practceC
daily the work that must be quickly 6one
in the few seconds that the swiftly NOV
ing shadow allows them. They eNpec-
10 take corona pictures on both large
and small scales with a fortyfoot focal
length coronograph pointed straight dt
the sun. and in order 10 search for intrd-
mercuriat planets they will have two
groups Of four cameras, each pointed 10
the east and west OF the equatorial re-
gions OF the suns surroundings. As
there were twenty-five clear days In the
month Of January, 1907. the expedition
hopes for equally good meteoric e0ndt-
tions this month. and prsys for the clear
weather necessary for their careful Oh
scrvations.
Sometimes the weather has set At
naught. at the last minute. the work Of
many weary weeks. the expense OF the
government or the individual financicr
has been for nothing. and a body OF
hard worked fellows has been doomed 20
disappointment because cloud blew
across the face OF the sun at the ore
second in all the year when il was not
wanted. This IS what happened In Japan
lsl FTlg Est.art
s.O00 miles with ton Of telescopes and
other Instruments. had secured castle
well I'D on a HILL and had practlced for
weeks that they might be deft in the
three minutes work they had come so
far 10 do. Then az the critical moment
Nasu-take decided to give a bit Of na-
turaI pyrotechnics all Of her own. and
blew n cloud Of smoke across the san
that blotted out corona and all. and when
that had passed a rain cloud followed
close on It's heels. and only a few pictures
were caught between the clouds. In 1883
clouds made utterly useless the fine in
struments taken TO South America and
Africa. last years observations were him
dered by clouds. and the one to-day IS
to be the first one since the Spanish ex-
DeditiOn OF 1905, in which the scientist
will have opportunity for good work.
AS total eclipses Of the sun occur at
the rate Of seventy every hundred years,
It might seem that everybody would have
an opportunity of seeing one at some
time or other in his lifetime, yet so er-
ratio is the varying path Of totalty that
every spot on the globe is likely to come
within range Of the moons shadow only
once in every three and a half centuries.
The stay-at-home man of really advanced
age may never see a total eclipse, Bos-
ton and New York have not had total
eclipse for over a century. yet in the
vicinity Of the Yellowstone Park there
was one in 1878 and another in 1889. When
London was suddenly thrown into dark
ness in 1715 terror was widespread. for
there had not been phenomenon or TINS
kind for six centuries.
No wonder il was a matter OF super
stition In the olden days. and no wonder
the affrighted people of China and India
still rush forth with gongs TO frighten
away with loud noises the great monster
that Is eating up the sun. When the
mysterious darkness has fallen, birds
have been known TO go to roost, cattle
return lowing TO their stalls. and leaves
Of sensitive plants curl up for the sup
posed night season. while an awed and
eerie feeling pervaded the zone Of dark
ness. II was not until iS42 that the golden
age of the suns study began. Science
and discovery brought instruments that
could make a practical research into
what had formerly been a superstition.
The first studies of the sun were made
only to correct time tables, on solar and
lunar motions. Now the astrO-physicist
bends his mind to study Of the suns
constitution and its radiation with view
to discovering It's possible utility to the
industries of the future when the sun 5
ravs NAV be harnessed for mans service.
The present expedition, undertaken
amid difficulties, Is only another proof OF