The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-06-01
,TnE'EcnIpsE oEs TuE suN.
Preparations by Scientists for Oh.
servations of the Total Eclipse on,
June 9Th. ,

'' Soi' May LS. TIE tOta
eclipse OF the sun forecast to occur or
June has been postponed for one
hour' This is not the result of an,
error In the calculations of the as.
tronomers nor is it due to an orde,
oy modern Joshua that the sun stand
still. but is chargeable TO the oper.
auons OF the daylight saving law as
q result of which the clocks through.
out the United States were set for.
ward an hour on March 81.
In consequence the eclipse will be-
gin in Denver at 4.12 p. m.. will be.
come total at 5.22 p. m. will pass
from totality at 5.24 p. m. and will
end at G.27. The same variation in
the hours of the eclipse will prevail
throughout the length of the fifty
mile belt, extending from the south
eastern corner of Washington State
to the coast of Florida. In which the
total eclipse will be visible.
This change in hours will not af-
feet the astronomers. however, as
their clocks still are adjusted to
standard sun time.
Preparations for observing the
eclipse, the first total eclipse of the
sun visible in the United atStes since
1900 and the last until 1923, are 60
Ing ahead rapidly at the University
or Denver observatory, where astron-
omers from Yerkes observatory will
make their observations. Professor
Edwin h. Frost of the Yerkes oh,
servatory at Green Bay. Wis, recent
y notified Dean Herbert A. Howe.
head OF the department OF astronomy
OF the University Of Denver, that
several shipments OF specially pre-
pared instruments are en- route. Prof
Frost was expected here i'm the middle
OF May TO begin installing this equip
ment.
One OF the principal pieces Of ap-
paratus Is special spectroscope t.
be attached to the 21-inch telescope
at the Denver. observatory with
which to photograph the suns corona.
Opportunity to photograph the CO.
roma is afforded only during q total
eclipse and astronomers are greatl,
Interested In the result OF this work
as affording opportunity to study the
composition of this great outer bell
OF luminous gases which surround
the sun.
Photographs also will be taken OF
the sky in the region of the sun In
search OF any stray comet and also
Of the mythical planet Vulcan. which
some astronomers have asserted has
It's orbit so close to the sun that IL
can be seen only during an eclipse
The existence of such planet IL
doubted by most astronomers, how
ever.
Besides the staff from Yerkes OBJ.
servatory, other astronomers are
planning to work at the Denver OBJ
servatOry. Among them are Prof
A. V. Turner of the College of the
City of New York, Prof. SchlessingeI
of Allegheny observatory, Prof.
Beiheld of Dennison University and
Prof. Moore Of the United States Bu-
reau OF Mines.
Although astronomers consider
themselves fortunate in that the path
of .he total eclipse includes the
Denver observatory, with it's high
power telescopes. they have ex-
perienced much difficulty i'm obtain.
ing special apparatus because of the
war.
AS "a precaution against unfavor-
able weather conditions at Denver on
June s. the Yerkes observatory also
will have men stationed at Green
River. Wyoming. and other observa-
tories will have observers ut other
vantage points throughout the Noun.
tain states.
Points ut which the total eclipse
will be visible include South Benz
Wash; Chehalls. Wash; Hood Riv.
er, Ore; Baker City, Ore, POcatello.
Ida; Green River. WyO.: Denver,
Col; Garden City. Kan; Dodge City
kans.; Enid. Okla: Guthrie. Okla
McAlSter. Okla. ArkadeIphia Ark :.