The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-12-19
Diana and PhOebuS.
High links
This Coming Year

During the year of 1917 there will
occur the maximum number of eclipFes
of both the sun and the moon, that Is
there will be as many eclipses as are
possible under the laws of celestial
mechanics. The number of eclipses
scheduled for the coming year is -four
Of the sun and three Of the moon.
To the average man it matters little
whether there are seven eclipses or only
one, but TO the astronomer it is of vas
importance, for during these periods
not only are many discoveries made blu
many lstroh omiGal theories verified OF
exploded. For instance on December Is
Of next year there will be what in
science is called an annular eclipse of
The sun. This means that the moon will
swing in its orbit between the sun and
the earth cutting off to great extent
the light of the solar orb
But AS the moon will be at that time
in uPheliUn with regard to the sun, tina
is, at its greatest distance in it's orb
from the center of the solar system, thu
eclipse will not be total. 1t viii leave
Il ring of light around the dark center
of the eclipse.
AT such time astronomers are en-
ablcd to study what is known as tho
solar corona or the streams of light
that flare out from around the dark
spot Of the eclipse. 1t has been found
that some of these streams Of what
SEE ms to be fire leap up to almost in
conceivable distances, that is, distances
greater than any that have been
measured in the solar system. Such
distances are not measured in miles
but in the speed at which light travels
Such an eclipse will occur on De,
ccmber l3 Of next year and it is more
than probable that all the great tele.
scopes Of the world will be trained OH
Chc phenomenon where il is visible
: 1t win not be visible in Hawaii, nor
will any of the other eclipses of the
sun that occur on January %, June Is
and July Is. All the other three
cchpscs will be partial.
But Hawam will be favored with
three echpscs of the moon. These will
occur on January 7, July and Decem
Der p, The eclipse of January and
December ~ will be visible, but that
on July will be invisible for the
reason that it occurs during the day,
light.
But what Honolulu will be particul
aTly interested in is the total eclipse
of the moon which occurs on January
7. as II will be favorable for obserVa
tiOn here. The shadow will first begin
to dim the light of the moon at seven
twenty O'Clock in the evening. Then il
Will gradually creep on the lunar orb
until the eclipse is total at eight. thirty
'clo"k. At the beginning it will ap
pear that small crescent section ha,
been bit ont Of the moon This cres
cent shaped observation will increase
until the moon is totally hidden. The
total eclipse will only last for u frac
tIon of minute, but to the naked eye
It VIII seem to be of greater duration
From this time on the shadow acros,
he moon will begin to grow less unit
It energies from the penumbra at nine
minutes past eleven o'clock. Prof. J
y Donaghho of the College of Hawaii
stated last night that, if the weather
is fair, the lunar eclipse on January I
Will be splendid spectacle, for tn,
/ reason that II occurs at an hour wher
It can be enjoyed to the best advant
! age.