El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-09-05

ne claims, its Importance can scarce
I " De exaggerated, for perfect fore
/ knoWleoge Of the weather would
enormously increase mans control
! over nature
At all events a true and thorough
knowledge Of solar variations is the
first step. The Smithsonian is per
I iecting at its Calama station. the
means for making these studies OF
solar Rotation upon which Clayton's
nelnoq Is based During his stay
there Dr. Abbott introduced a method
which reduces the time necessary for
making the daily observation from
ABOUT IS hours to about three hours.
The instrument used for this purpose
is known as a pyranometer-
me problem Of measuring the sun s
heat is a difficult one. It has en-
gagged scientists for long time. OF
course. the very existence Of life on
the surface Of the earth depends uuon
the heat OF the sun. So far, there is
no reliable evidence that the suns
neat has diminished within historic
times, but the CaIama observations
show that it does vary. somewhat IN
accountably. and often the variations
amounts to several percent within a
few days.
Il is easy enough 10 measure the
amount OF heat which reaches the
surface Of the earth from the sun. Tut
OF the earth they have passed through
the atmosphere. and this is never a
perfect medium. Il is filled with
varying amounts Of dust. moisture.
clouds and other things which impede
Or retract the sun beams.
Heretofore Il has been necessary TO
pass the sun beam through 4 prism.
breaking the beam up into its COM
ponent waves OF light. to measure
each wave length separately. and 70
estimate which one had been partly
absorbed in the atmosphere. and to
what extent This process requires
several hours. and the results were
often spoiled by clouds springing up
meanwhile.
Measures Brightness.
When there is much cloudiness or
dirt or other obstruction in the al
the sky is bright. because Of the large
amount OF light which has been de.
nected from the main beam. on ths
other hand, when the atmosphere IS
clear, the sky is a much darker blue,
as anyone may observe. The bright
ness OF the sky, therefore. at a given
distance from the sun is an index TO
the amount OF impurities in the at
mosphere which tend to obstruct
light Dr. Abbotts pyranometer Is q
mechanism for measuring this degree
Of brightness Of the sky. and thus de-
termining at one operation just what
percentage Of the SUMS heat is reach
ing the earth. The amount OF the
heat reaching the earth is then
measured with a pyrheliometer. and
this reading being corrected by the
reading Of the pyranometer. IL is pos
sihls TO determine just how much
heat the sun is giving off at a certain &
time BY comparing their readings AZ /
Calama with the readings which have
occasionally be made at othe- points, I
the scientists have reached the con- I
clusion that they are reading the heat Z
Of the sun within one percent Of per-
feet accuracy. They know how the t
sun is functioning just as well as an J
knows how the boiler Of his 7
engine is working.
Sees Total Eclipse.
An Incidental part Of DR.. Abbot's /
rip was the Witnessing OF total I
eclipse Of the sun al La Paz, Bolivia n
It occurred about 20 minutes after l
sunrise on May %. ana was a remark
ible spectacle. as described by Dr. 4
Abbot
When the sun rose IL was not com
lietely eclipsed, but showed as a
resent Of fire. with the outline ~
he moon above it This crescent or
ire was quickly swallowed by the
lack mass Of the moon. and Il be-
anne as dark as twilight From the
hidden sun radiatsd in all directions
road rays Of light. known as the
oronas, while q long, crooked tail OF
rilliant crimson light, scientifically
allied q prominence" hung from its
0Wer edge.
To the scientists the eclipse was
are and beautiful spectacle, hut Il
fas terrifying one to the natives
Peru, who are descended from sun
'orshiping barbarians. and the
trength Of the ancient faith was
nown in their terror at the disap-
sarance Of the sun. Many fires were
GIFTED to coax the sun back and an
1idemic Of typhoid. which occurred
bout that time, was ascribed By
lem TO the anger Of the sun god,
IN had hiHlen he fana