Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-27
ECLIPSE OF THE sun |
Celestial Event Is Scheduled
for Tomorrow.
WILL NOT BE SEEN HERE
Comparatively Little Interest Is Be.
ing Shown in Washington.
FOREIGN EXPEDITIONS SENT
England and Germany Both Have
Made Preparations for Scien-
tific Observation.
FOREIGN EXPEDITIONS SEN.

| Observers, of the celestial spheres are
today discussing the eclipse Of the sun
| which will occur tomorrow. Theoretical
~, it is a total eclipse. Practically. or SO
! far as. the United States ia concerned, 1t
is not. To inhabitants OF this section OF
| the globe 1t will be only a partial eclipse,
and will be visible only in the southern
| states. -" -
| Washington astronomers are apathetic
regarding the eclipse. They do not ex-
pect to see, 1t. In this latitude the sun
will be just dipping below the horizon at
the hour the eclipse sets in.- Their lenses
will be tipped westward in an effort to
see the phenomenon, but they concede
the chances are against gaining any view
of it whatever.
There is comparatively little interest
taken in the eclipse" said DR.. Asapl
States Naval Observatory. 'for the rea-
son that its salient features will not be
visible within our borders. and that we
| can make no observations Of value in
to gain a view of the eclipse. and if pos
sible to photograph it. but I have little
| hope of success in either direction. A
partial eclipse will be visible in the south
| observatories nor astronomers of the
| first class in that section l do not think
any observations or records of scientific
| value will be made in this country. No
expeditions have left the United States
| for purposes Of observation. In this in
stance We will play second fiddle to the
| scientists of Europe
Expeditions Sent Out.
England and Germany have sent out
expeditions. AS q totality, the eclipse will
me observable only on the Pacific archi-
pelagoes Of the Tonga. Samoa and Union.
of which Vavau Island. of the first named
group. was selected by the English expe-,
ditions as the best point Of observation.
On these islands there are many draw
backs to successful observations, and
american astronomers are skeptical OF
the success of the expeditions. They say
that the atmospheric conditions in the
archipelagoes are such as to interfere
greatly with the work Of the scientists.
At the present season of the year the rain
falls in that region on an average of
seven out of twelve days. The task Of
the Gemans will be easier. as they have
a permanent meteorological station in
Samoa. which is thoroughly equipped.
There are three English expeditions one
+. A. l.. Cortie of Stonyhurst observatory,
one by F. K. MCLEAN of Tunbridge
Wells and one by j. H. Worthington OF
High Wycombe.
ne dtutuOe OIL American astronomers
may be judged from the following state
mentS:
Prof. David Peck Todd of the Amherst
College observatory, Massachusetts: THE
partial eclipse will be visible as far north
east as Washington If the sky and hori-
ION are clear. Pittsburg and Cincinnati
might also catch a glimpse of 1t. Practi-'
cally all of Mexico and the southern two
thirds of the United States ought to see
it quite well. have no plans for observ-
ing the phenomenon
Prof. f. o. Pickering of the Harvard
observatory: mo expedition has been
sent out from this observatory"
Miss Ruth Stanton, secretary Of the
| Lick observatory, Mount Hamilton, Cal:
1.-The total phase crosses the Pacific
ocean centrally, and we have not sent an
expedition to occupy any Of the sew
eral islands in the shadow path. There
| appear to be no useful observations which
we can make of the partial eclipse from
Mount Hamilton"