The courier-index., 1917-11-09
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF
sun in JUNE 1918
WILL BE VISIBLE ON STRIP RUN
MING DlAGoNALLY ACROSS u.
S. ASTRONOMER PREPARING
TO MAKE OBSERVATIONS.

Denver, Colo, Nov. ASTRONOMERS
throughout the country already are
preparing for the work of observing
the total eclipse of the sun which
will occur June s, 1918, and which
Will be visible in its totality along
sixty mile strip extending across
the United States from the south
western corner of the state of Wash
ington on the Pacific coast to Flor
ida on the Atlantic. Astronomers
consider themselves unusually fortu-
nate in their opportunity for observ-
ing this eclipse, one of seven visible
in the United States in the present
century, in that the center line OF
this so mile strip passes within four
miles of the observatory at Denver
University, where photographs of the
corona will be taken with the aid of
the great telescope, which is equip
ped with 20 inch lens.
According to Dean Herbert A..
Howe, head of the department of as
tronomy at Denver University, this
is the first time that the path of a
total eclipse has touched an observ-
atory containing a telescope OF this
size, and astronomers are hopeful of
learning more definitely the compo-
sition OF the suns corona, which
appears as great glow around the
sun when the solar body is obscured
entirely by the moon.
THE altitude of the Rocky mount
ain region is particularly favorable
to observations" said Dean Howe
and astronomers from all parts of
the United States are preparing to
make observations in this vicinity
Because of the moisture of the air
on the Pacific coast. as well as the
low altitude there and at points east
OF Colorado, the Rocky mountain re-
gion is virtually the only place where
satisfactory observations can be
made"
Prof. Edwin B. Frost. director of
the Yerkes observatory, University
OF Chicago, already has made ar
engagements to use the facilities of
Denver University for making his
observations and now is constructing
special apparatus to be used In con
nection with the telescope equipment
here.
To guard against unfavorable
weather conditions here. another ex-
petition from the Yerkes observ-
atory viii be stationed ait Green
River, Wyo., which also Is near the
center of the path of the eclipse
There will not be another total
eclipse visible in the United States
until 1945.
Two hours, 10 minutes and q &
seconds viii elapse from the time
the moon first intervenes between
the sun and the earth, and the sun
VIII be totally obscured for a period
or SS.7 seconds. II is during this
brief period of less than a minute
and a half that astronomers will do
their most important work. Photo
graphs will be taken of the corona
and the spectrum as well as the
prominence of the sun. These prom
inences, II has been established. are
projections of incandescent hydrogen
extending millions of miles into
space and which appear as brilliant
scarlet flame when the sun Is OBJ
served. The composition OF the coro-
ma is matter of conjecture among
astronomers.
The corona as well as the promi-
nences, Dean Howe explained, should
be visible to the naked eye to persons
within the sixty mile belt of totality
and should be seen to advantage
with an ordisary field or opera glass.
Although the eclipse will be total
only In the narrow belt extending
from Washington to Florida, a partial
eclipse will be visible throughout the
country. The United States Is vir-
tually the only place the eclipse will
be visible
Dean Howe is preparing TO take
telescope photographs of the field
around the sun especially to confirm
or disprove the existence of a planet,
called Vulcan. said to be travelling
in an orbit so close to the great
luminary that it is extremely diff
cult TO see even during an eclipse.