Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-31
Seen in the Heavens in February:
Father Rigge Tells of the Wonders
BY WILLIAM F. RIGcE.

On the Sd there will be a total eclipse
Of the sun. AS a total eclipse II will be
visible on a line beginning in the Pacific
Ocean near the equator and on the me-
rtdian Of California. then passing through
Colombia and Venezuela in South Amer
lea and some small islands In the Yves
Indies, and terminating in the Atlsnts
Ocean a short distance south Of Irelsu,
With the exception Of the small sectlu
OF South America and the island OF
Guadalupe, the track will be altogether
on the oceans. The maximum duration
Of the total eclipse will be minutes. 81
seconds. On account OF the war there
will be no parties sent out TO observe the
eclipse, not even from the United states
or from South America.
As partial eclipse Il will be visible
over the northwest half OF South America
and over nearly the whole OF North
America, over the entire northern half
OF the Atlantic Ocean and portion OF
the Pacific Ocean. and at the time OF
sunset over a portion Of the northwest
corner of Africa. and over the whole OF
Great Britain, France and Spain. In the
United States the eclipse viii begin be.
tween $50 and $3.50 O'Clock in the morn
ing, central time. and will end between 10
ana ll;to From one to five-tenths of the
suns diameter will be obscured.
IN Omaha the magnitude OF the eclipse
VIII be only 50 por cent. The annexed
figure viii show US the appearance Of
the sun at s:lt a. M. when the obscura-
ton VIII be maximum. N + w are
the cardinal points OF the sun and are
the same no matter where we may be on
earth, the point N being nearest the north
star. This point n Is on top at noon. to
the left OF il before noon, and 10 the RIGHT
OF It after noon. the exact amount de-
pending upon the SUMS position In the
sky as we'll as upon our position on earth.
For us at Omaha the point h will be on
top when the eclipse begins. that is. AZ 3
O'Clock IS minutes. Az seconds. The moon
then begins to indept the sun at the point
r. the point of first contact. AZ the mid
ole or the eclipse, at 941 the point NJ will
De on top. And at its close, at 10 o'clock
% minutes So.6 seconds, the point c will
ne on top, and the moon will leave the
sun at l.. the last contact. II we hold the
diagram In such a way that 3. NJ G.
are each In turn on top at the proper
times' we shall know what we may ex-
pect TO sec.
In looking at the sun. ~ tho or,,,o,,.
clouds do not prevent. We must sI,,,a,,.
protect our eyes with a smo<od siass
especially when using a telescone Tho
Dese way TO observe the sun at any time
is not to look through the telescope hut
project the suns image on a white
cara heid beyond the eyepiece. No dark
SASS Is then necessary, and we may not
oniy ourselves look at the image with
ootn eyes, but at the same time exhibit
II TO circle Of admiring friends. The
image OF the sun. however. will be turned
apout IN way that depends upon the
KIND OF telescope we are using ordinar-
NY this makes no practical difference.
because the suns image is a true circle.
In an eclipse. however. we want to be
sure Of the position Of the point of first
contact F, so that we may be able TO
note the exact second when the eclipse
begins.
II we are using a common spygIass,
which shows objects upside-up and right
side-right. the suns image will have top
and bottom exchanged. just as II we held
the diagram with B on top and then
turned the paper over around a horizon
tai axis II we remove the inner pair
Of lenses and change our terrestrial tel
escope into an astronomical one, which
shows objects upside-down and right
side-left, our image on the card will
keep on top but exchange right and
left, just as IL we turned the paper over
around a vertical axis.
We may even dispense with a tel
escope altogether. An image Of the sun
Is formed on our card by any small hole
in piece Of pasteboard. or even by the
chinks in our window shutters, provided
we do not allow the sunlight to pass
through the pane. The image win then
be the same as II we projected It with
spyglass.
If we practice our method before the
eclipse, draw our sun circle on the card,
and mark the point OF first contact. we
may be able TO note the time OF the be-
ginning OF the eclipse within a few sec
onds A string with a weight hung in
front of the card and casting It's shadow
on the diameter through B. will ensure
our holding the card properly
The days are increasing In length by
one hour and nine minutes during the
month. being 10 hours long exactly on