Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-24
Eclipse of Sun
Seen at Catalina
OF Big Interest

| Los Angeles, Calf. May % "a. p
When the shadow of the moon end.
| its diagonal dash across the Pacific
| September 10 next and strikes inlanC
near Santa Catalina Island near here
/ pilgrims from all parts of the world
! VIII he on hand to watch the first to-
! tai eclipse of the sun visible in the
! United States since 1918.
| Regarded as the most important
! astronomical event of the year. the
/ September eclipse will attract thous
/ ards of scientific men to southern
California, and preparations have
! been made to facilitate the work OF
! observers and to accommodate the var
! lens scientific organizations which
VIII hold gatherings in this city in
connection with the phenomenon.
While the total phase of the eclipse
Will be visible from Santa Catalina
Island, several expeditions from Am
erlcan and European observatories
Will await the observation at Ensona-
da, Lower California. whore the per-
iod of tOtality Will last three minutes
| and 35 seconds. as against two minu-
ties and IS seconds at Santa Catalina
| Some of the scientists will photo
graph stars in the vicinity of the sun
IN an effort further to Substantiate
the EinStein theory. according TO
which light rays. being matter and
therefore subject to the pull Of grav-
itation. are detected from their
course by the proximity of heavenly
body.
Other observers will devote their
| attention to the corona, the golden
cmanatiOn which extends outward
from the sun past the border OF the
moon in every direction for hundreds
of thousands Of miles. With the spec
troscope they will watch for any
chemical elements hitherto undetect-
/ cd in the solar atmosphere.
Still others will study the red
prominences, supposed to be fiery
matter projected from the suns deep
interior with enormous velocity and
extending through the corona, and
Which change their form so rapidly
that they are never precisely alike at
two consecutive observing stations
during the same eclipse.
The exact moment when the appar-
ont edge of the moon touches that of
the sun will be noted by still another
group of astronomers for the purpose
OF procuring more precise data con-
corning the orbit of the moon, and in
the hope of solving a lunar problem
OF some years standing-that is. the
small but as yet unexplained acceler-
alton of the moons motion in its
swing around the earth.
Probably the largest band Of oh =
servers, however, will come from that
section of the general public which,
though not deeply versed or interest
ed in astronomy, periodically displays
feverish desire to occupy rinsside
seats at the bout between sun and
moon.
Observers Of this class will get the
thrill of a lifetime, according to as
trCnomers, who say that the approach
Of the lunar shadow, if watched from
the high hills of Santa Catalina Is
land. will be a truly spectacular sight.
Looking northward about 1880
O'Clock on the afternoon of the
eclipse. watchers on these hills will
see the great dark shadow of the
moon, more than a hundred miles in
diameter. rushing toward them with
incredible rapidity and overwhelming
them with an abruptness that is ter
rifying.
While the total eclipse will not be
visible in Los Angeles, nineteen
twentieths Of the suns disc will he
hidden, leaving only narrow. bright
crescent and plunging the city into
temporary gloom.