Evening journal., 1918-03-01

R1ll probably prove bad half hour /
around the tank stations.
written Exclusively for THE EVEN
ING JOURNAL.
BY w. w. CAMPBELL,
director os The lick Observatory, Uni
versity Of California, Largest In the
World.
An eclipse OF the sun. favorable for
obsevaton In the United States, will
occur on the afternoon OF June s.
Il win be total for observers situated
within narrow band running diagon-
ally across the United States, from
Washington TO Florida. and partial
sverywhero else In North America.
A total solar eclipse, given clear
sky, is one Of Natures most wonder
eul phenomena. worthy Of long
tourney 70 see, A partial eclipse, on
NE contrary. Is hardly worth looking
IT,
Why do astronomers travel so far 10
observe total solar eclipses'
They so for the definite purpose Of
Ftudying those parts Of the sun and
ne suns surroundings which are In
visible except at times Of eclipse.
The brilliant sphere which we sea IN
me heavens every clear day Is the
lhief part OF the sun. but not the
whole Of II When the moon comes
fxactly between us and the sun. finally
roverins completely the round body Of
HE sun. the sky darkens, the beautl-
f1l solar corona bursts into view, and
The brighter stars become visible. We
tannot hope to understand the sun
until we shall have studied ihOroughly
Al parts Of Il. including those parts
observable only during ecllpses.
Astronomers know, very accurately.
ne orbit Of the earth around the sun,
hg orbit Of the moon around the
var b. and the positions Of the moon
and the earth to those orbits. Il Is for
hem an easy task 10 calculate lust
when the sun. moon and earth will h,
n siraight line snd where tht
Moons shadow wiz fall on the earth
In the eclipse of June s the moons
shadow viii touch the earth, as sun
Use, az q point about midway between
Tokyo and Manila. sweep northeastern
~. mass two hundred miles 10 M
south Of the Aleutian Islands and
gradually CHANGING TO southeastern,
course, enter the State Of WashlngtoI
NJ Souihbend The central line Of thl
shadow path viii pass ihrough Baker
City In northeastern OREGON, poca
tello In Idaho. Green River In Wyom
Ing. Litueton ten miles south OF Den
ver) IN Colorado, Ashland In Kansas
midway between Enid and Guthrie Il
Oklahoma. ten miles south Of Yazot
City in Mississippi, seven miles soutl
Of Orlando in Florida. and end at sun
set shout three hundred miles out a
Iea AMONGST the Bahama Islands
The total phase at Baker City vii
occur at SO5 Pacific standard time: a
Denver 4:2i. Mountain standard time
81 Jackson. Mississippi, SIS. Contra
standard time; and correspondent
Tor other points along the line tn
duration Of the total phase at Bake
City viii be 4 minute So seconds. "a
Denver 1 minute 81 seconds and so OF
The width OF the shadow path
WashinSton and OREGON viii be abot
20 miles, and in eastern Florida
miles.
Intending observers can select the
point Of observation by drawing
strairht line through the cities mel
tioned and locating themselves prefe
ably within fifteen or twenty miles
lfNt line
The interesting eclipse phenomer
BEGIN 70 be in evidence about mimi
before totality is complete, when O
brilliant flames shooting up from O
solar surface. known as the promh
ences, first appear The solar corol
becomes family visible a few secOn
before the last trace OF the solar ere
cent disappears. and flashes into II
new the instant total.ty arrives. IN
accompanying illustration gives son
idea as 10 the form and structure
lhe corona The coronal streamers e
END out in All directions from q
sun, the LONGEST sometimes TO a al
'ance five-fold the suns diameter.
The corona supplies the chief eclip
problcm; astronomers want TO knC
rs chemical composition, the con-
lions existing within Il, It's relation
he rest OF the sun, and the reaso
for It's existence. The corona appea
10 be a mixture OF gases aud fine
divided solid particles. A great ina