San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-07
Batteries of Astronomical Apparatus Trained Eclipse May Unlock
Mystery Of Suns Power and Pulling Secret Atomic Energy
By JACK JUNGMEYER

San Diego, Cal, Sept. 7.-Whcn
bn September 10 "the moon swallows
the sum-" as solar eclipse was once
fearfuly interpreted, the mysteries of
the suns halo or corona will be
probed by the most powerful astron-
bmical instruments ever assembled for
such an event.
Along the path Of total shadow,
sweeping across the Pacific, skirting
the extreme southwestern edge of
California and on through Mexico,
dozen famous observatorics have
Established field stations. The
Eclipse will last slightly more than
three minutes in any spot, and
Elaborate rchearsals and precautions
have been made TO make the most of
he precious seconds.
1t is during such brief intervals.
often spaced years apart in civilized
lands, that the astronomical world
has a chance to make records of the
suns gaseous outer envelope. then
clearly distinguishable from the main
solar body which is screened by the
moon.
And it is from such records that
valuable additions are being made
to the scientific story of the uni
verse and of human life on this lit
lie grain of gyrating dust.
The exact nature of the suns
butter envelope has yet to be definite
y determined, and the present
eclipse will be utilized chiefly for
that purpose, just as the one last
year. observed in Australia, was
studied chiefly as a test of the Elm
stein theory of curved stellar light.
Extending some two and half
million miles from the suns surface,
more or less at different periods. is
this gaseous substance, unlike any
thing on earth. 1t has heat and lu-
luminosity.
Several instruments never before
trained upon the corona during an
Eclipse are to be employed by the
Mount Wilson Observatory field
staff, at San Diego, such as the in
terferometer and the radiometer, the
latter so delicately sensitive to heat
that it would react to a candlelight
5000 miles distant.
1t is unlikely that anything of an
Immediate popular interest will be
determined, but the expected new
data on the constituency, size, dens-
|ty. heat radiations. rate and direc-
tion Of revolution of the suns halo
will eventually filter through the
science sieve to the public ken.
While astronomers ply their i'm
Elements at San Diego, Catalina,
Ensenada and points in Mexico,
chickens and animals will go to
sleep at midday of September 10.
Stars will be visible in the path of
artificial night, and ordinary specta-
tors, training binoculars and smoked
GLASSES. may momentarily echo that
ancient terror which ,once hurled men
prostrate under the eerie gloom.
The most complete set of instru-
hnents will be welded by the Mount
Wilson representatives at Point
Iona and Lakeside. near San Diego.
The Point Iona instruments, all
mounted on one revolving table. in
plude direct photograph telescopes.
spectrographs, interferometer and
radiometer. At the instant the
moons surface begins to slide over
the sun, timekeeper will begin to
toll off the seconds with each of
score of men taking his cue for the
Iinsertion and removal of plates and
the necessary time exposure.
Other observatories represented at
points in the path of totality are
Yerkes. Washburn from Wisconsin,
Goodsell of Minnesota. Lick of Cali
IL ,a.,so I'm
University of Paris. Sproule of
Pennsylvania, Flagstaff and the Uni
Eersity of Arizona, Potsdam of Ger
many and several Mexican institu-
tions.
Results will depend upon the state
of the weather. Clouds would vitiate
most of the elaborate preparations.
This same position eclipse will oc--
cure again September 81. 1041, and
will then be total through the region