The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-01-23
Nation Awaits Advent
of Solar Eclipse,
First in Years
CONTINUED from page one.)
900 and more miles away from the

Continued from page ono.)
900 and more miles away from the
fSun.
One of it's mysteries is an element
called "cofonium," gas that seems
to refute the theory that all cle-
ments known to exist on the sun can.
be found on the earth. For though
this is known to exist on the sun,
by it's presence in the corona, it has
not been discovered on earth.
Shadow Bands
2. Mysterious shadow bands seen
about five minutes before and after
total eclipse are another source
of scientific investigation. These APP
pear as waS bands of light and
shadow on the landscape.
The light bands are about three
inches wide and are separated by
shadow bands of about foot wide.
They always have a wavy. appear
ance, with distance of about two
feet between the crcsts of the waves.
These bands are not seen at every
eclipse, and may not be seen to-
morrow No one knows what causes
them, although the theory is that
they are due to atmospheric motion.
Want Lay Help
3. Exact time of the eclipse, espe-
cially at the northern and southern
boundary lines Of the shadow band,
will be noted so that scientists may
have more specific data from which
| to foretell future eclipses more ex-
actly. For this the help of the lay
observer who happens to be at or
near the boundary of the shadow
band is sought.
The American Astronomical So-
ciety, with headquarters in New
York, has called for such reports
1 from every one who happens to make
this observation.
a. The ditfused light of the sky
as result of the total eclipse, its
strength and extent, will also be OBJ
served by scientists. The light in
tensity of the corona will make par,
of this observation.
In addition to these major obser
vations, there will be the Einsteir
theory to support or refute. 1t i:
his theory that the light ray of
star is bent as it passes the sun ane
is attracted by its mass.
Other Problems
The chemical composition of tn
corona, whether it moves, whether
it is a mass of matter held to thu
sun by sort of electro magnetic
force or whether it is merely an ex
plosive flame from the sun-thes'
are some other points to clear III
in the study of the eclipse.
The mystery of the atom, with 1T
immense energy, may also be delve'
into through the study of coronlum
!. To learn all this is practically i'm
possible in two minutes. Scientist
; have had only about so minutes al
together, to study the eclipse and it
related phenomena, in the last hal
century.
But every additional minute bring
them closer to solution of tn
worlds mysteries.
Millions To Watch
The use of excursion trains T.
enable the public better to see tn
total eclipse of the sun, January "a
1925, is suggested by Professo
, George II. Peters Of the Naval Oh
:: servatory here. He was DISCUSSING
this phenomenon which will b
visible, under favorable weather con
ditions, in the eastern part of tn
county.
The middle line of the shadow pat
during the eclipse, the professo
: pointed out, will run from Buffal
< TO Montauk Point, N. Y, betwee
seven and ten o'clock in the morn
ing, in a section of the Unite
: States we'll supplied with railroads
The railroads might run specis
S trains for the benefit of the public
d ne declared, shunting them on sic
$, ings during the period of the eclips
d Naval Experts Watch
r The Naval Observatory, which ma
observe the total solar eclipse {
It January "a, has had Old Soils vae
S aries under observation for nearly
j. century.
! In 1888 Lieutenant J. M. ellis
I. observed an annular or parti;
It eclipse of the sun at Santiago, Chill
= The total eclipse of 1870 was o
served at Gibraltar and Sicily. a,
l. eight years later, another ecllp
= was we'll observed. In 1883, Caroli
Island in the Pacific was used
naval scientific party during
total eclipse.
In 1900 the total eclipse of t
sun visible in the southeastern sc
ton of the United States was 0
served by three naval parties. TIL
were stationed at GAINESVILLE, G
Griffin, Ca, and Pinehurst, N.
The next year the observatory Sc
an expedition to the Island of 5
matra, Dutch. East Indies, to obser
the total eclipse and obtained 60
results.
In 1905 an expedition was d
patched to Spain and ,Algiers une
Admiral Chester, then superinter
ent of the Naval Observatory. WI
clear weather fine observations we
obtained. The last naval scientii
party to observe total solar eclip
was sent to Baker, Ore, in 1918, b
a slight haze interferred serious
with observations.
CHANGE IN OLD FIRM
Edgeley, N. D., Jan: 23-Annount
+ment has been made of the disso
- - e