El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-28
HE eclipse of the sun, predicted
for today, will only be visible IN

He eclipse of the sun, predicted
for today, will only be visible IN
It's entirety along a prescribed
course extending from Australia to
Mexico. Practically all of this course
IS over water, the only land covered
{ being some of the small islands be-
longing to the Samoan. Fiji and Union
groups in the South Pacific ocean
These Islands are difficult of access
and are subject to cloudy weather at
this season Of the year which makes
the observance Of the eclipse both diff
ficult and uncertain.
In view of these circumstances. the
United States government will not send
an expedition of astronomers to make
observations in the field However. ev-
cry possible effort will be made to Sc
cure results from observation of the
eclipse which will be visible over the
country at different hours during the
day 1t will be observed from the ma
val observatory in Washington short
ly before sunset. but only the record
of Its time of contact and its duration
can be made at this time IN the Sa-
moa islands, where the total eclipse will
be visible, its appearance is scheduled
for 7:45 a. m. The difference in time
between the appearance in washington
and the islands is only the usual yari-
ance noted between the antipodes of
Greenwich. near which the Samoa is.
lands are located. and the eastern por-
tons of the United States
Americans Not Going.
American scientists vvao are unable
to go to Samoa, will accept details OF
the phenomena Of this eclipse from
astronomers located more convenient
~ 10 its course. While anxious to
M 1n--fr4 l.
roundings of the sun, which are only
visible during the time of the eclipse,
In this instance the difficulty of send
ing an expedition for this purpose
overbalances the benefits to be OBJ
tanned. Whatever information regard
ing the suns surroundings may be
gained by those able to view the
eclipse from the islands will be prompt
~ communicated to the world and uti1-
lied by other astronomers.
Three Expeditions.
As the German government owns
Samoa, careful observations will be
taken by the astronomers of that ma
ton Three English expeditions to the
Samoa islands are planned, one under
the British government and two under
private auspices. Individual American
scientists will affiliate more or less
with these expeditions. Dr. L. W.
Baur of the Carnegie institution in
Washington. who is now on a tour of
inspection of the terrestrial magnetic
stations in the South Pacific islands,
planned his trip with the intention of
representing his institution in observ-
ing this solar eclipse The Lick obser-
yatory of California may have several
representatives on the ground and a
number of other Americans, under pri-
vate authority. will endeavor to make
observations upon some one of these
several islands.
Causes and Time Known.
The causes and time Of eclipse,
though matter of speculation to the
general public, are expected and as
well understood by astronomers as the
changes of the seasons each year, and
are predicted with far greater accur
acy. The eclipse Of today is one of the
group which occurs regularly every 10
years. The naval observatory Of the
United States published It's prediction
Of this eclipse in the Nautical Almanac
five years ago. giving its time Of con-
tact and duration at different points
in minutes and seconds.
Some 10 years ago. DR.. Oppolzer OF
Vienna. published a record Of eclipses
covering a period of 1000 years, ex-
tending 1000 years B. c. and 1000 years
after the goth century. While the rec
ords of eclipses 1000 years ago are
incomplete, they are still
sufficient to indicate the correctness
Of DR.. Oppolzer's calculations. His