Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-06

~ VERYONE can have the thrills of an
II astronomer during the coming eclipse
~ of the sun, Monday, September 10.
This great astronomical event will be Wis
IDLE in it's partial phases in all parts of North
America, and although the darkening will be
total in only small part of California and
Mexico, the amateur make many OBJ
servations at home without the trouble of
travelling to this area.
Amateur observations, like those of pro-
fessional astronomers, can be both visual
and Photographic.
Plan your program carefully in advance of
the eclipse. Pick out a location from which
the sun will be easily visible and where no
smoke, dust or clouds are likely to obscure
the spectacle.
Crescent Suns
Dozens Of crescent suns can be observed If
you will look under shady trees and on tree
shaded walls while the eclipse is in its par
tial phases. These images, with the horns of
the crescents turned in AM opposite direction
to those of the sun above, have a striking
appearance. Tiny holes in the leaves act as
lenses, as they do in pin-hole cameras, and
form the images with the ground or wall as
q screen In ordinary times when the suns
light is not in conflict with the moon, the
sunlight filters through the leaves in a series
of tiny, overlapping disks on the ground,
each round since it is an image of the sun.
In phOtographing the crescent images of the
eclipse period an ordinary snapshot exposure
with large stop in the lens may be used.
These exposures should be developed full
time Because of the fact that the images
obtained with ordinary hand cameras will
be quite small, it is recommended that en-
largements be made and these enlarged pic
lures should prove very attractive.
SmO,-- d Glasses
For observing the sun directly, the old
and tried method of smoking a piece Of glass
over a fish-tail gas jet or with a candle will
prove satisfactory. This smoked glass should
be prepared before the time of eclipse SO as
to obtain carbon coating Of proper density.
Dark spectacles will be popular with those
who do not wish to get their hands dirty.
A Photographic film or plate that has been
exposed to light and developed can also be
used.
With such eye shields it will be possible,
by beginning observations few minutes be-
fore the predicted time of eclipse, to check
up on She actual time that the moon first
infringes on the suns disk. The magnitude
of the eclipse, the amount Of the sun S
diameter that is covered by the moon can
also be estimated through the protectors and
also the time that the moon passes Off and
ends the eclipse should be noted. A draw
ing of the sun showing the location of the
points at which the eclipse began and ended
would be an interesting record.
Pin Hole Images
The eye strain of looking directly at the
sun can be obviated by using the pln-hole
method of observation. A hole is punched
with a fine needle through ~ piece of card
board or dark film and a smooth white card
is used as a screen. The needle-hOle acts
as a tense, since it is so small Rays from
opposite edges of The sun pats each other in
going through the hole and the result is a
perfect image of the sun on the cardboard
screen that can be enlarged ii desired with
a small magnifying glass This simple ap-
paratus can be constructed and tried out On
the uneclipsed sun.