New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-05-03
ASTRONOMERS HEAD
FOR EAST indies
Eclipse d SUI M I,y : At.
tracts Elrths SiIlnt

Berlin, Nay NeFivs minutes Of
total eclipse Of the sun. predicted BY
astronomers for May :, set in mo-
ton three expeditions Of German
savants to make observations In
northern sumatra, Siam and the
Philippines.
The first group will test the eff
fects Of Einstein's relatively theory:
the second will investigate the spec
trum Of the suns corona; the third
will attempt TO show by photo
graphs that sun spots determine the
share Of the corona. The costly ex-
petitions have been undertaken IN
the full knowledge that unfavorable
weather may balk them completely.
According to Professor A. koph,
director OF the Astronomic Aaths-
NAUTICAL Institute At Berlin ahlem,
1.-THE regions In which the observa-
ton Of the total eclipse 10 possible
are not favorably located. The to-
tality zone for the most part cuts
through tho Indian Ocean and
touches land only in the northern
part Of Sumatra. On the peninsula OF
Malakka. and in the middle section
OF the Philippines.
Besides. experience has shown
that in the tropics the conditions
for observing total eclipses are less
favorable than in temperate zones
But an eclipse OF such long dura-
ton 10 20 unusual that astronomers
Of the whole world have neverthe-
leas made preparations tor its Oh.
servation.'
The first German group consists
Of Potsdam professors, headed by
DR.. Erwin Treundlich, DR.. van Klue.
Der and DR.. Walter Grotrain. /
will make its observations in tho
highlands of North Sumatrs. FRI
undlich and Won Kluebcr will tc.i
the existence Of the so.called Eli
stein effect. According to E.nste:,,.
4 ray Of Light 10 detected slightly
the pursuit of what was previo,
assumed to be an absolutely stra'c
ceu-se, In other words even t.
"straithtne.s' Of rays Is only rela-
tive. The proof Of this can b,
tested, however, only on those rnr'
occasions when the sun il eclip:c;
70 completely that the a,troncr, .
can observe tina stars near the 81
and measure the course OF liz.
emanating frcm them.
Professor Gcotrcin. the tn
member OF the Po:sdam gro:
hopes to dem no the relative
niinoslty q the lines OF the s.,
corona In. tla various spectral Il. .
The outer atmosphere enve;c.
the sun. l.nown a. its corona /;
visible only during q total ecl'n-
according to Professor Kopff, en-
Hight which on spectral analysis rc.
veals not only. continuous spec.
trum. but elso light .spectral line.
Professor Grotrcin intends to photo
SrAph the corona spectrum W
varying apparatus to determine T.
relative luminosity of the lines. Til
problem has been. tackled exper.
mentally only within 4 few years.
: The .sean4 &Eeup Of Gerpen &C.,
nts A0o5frcf. Ham tto,.l
Cd Dr. Ro-enbere Of the Kicl OF.
:rvatory. They took apparatus TO
q observation station near Kobe
nhedi. IN the semess sectionsof the
Mala!sllan peninsula. LIE their
Fotsdart collier sues. Rc,erborf and
Nebbe will concern Themselves with
tAe solar corona. Scientists know
that the luminosity of the corora
lries; that it IL lighter toward TIE
center. immediately next to the sun,
than on the outer fr;n3a. But
hitherto no exact measurements
have been taken Of the varying lu.
ninosity Of the corona. by making
such measurements the kicl party
Aopss 10 add TO the da.a concerning
the composi:ien Of The corona,
This same x.'rup will also At
tempt to eetab'tsh the relationship
between the color OF the sun ana
mat Of the corona Observations
made In 1879 In MEXICO by Prof.
H. Ludendorff. brother Of the n.
NOUS general Of the world war. e.
tAhltshed that the continuous spec-
trum Of the corona matches exactly
the spectrum OF the sun. Professor
Rosenberg will attempt still further
70 establish this point.
The third grouD, headed ~ Dr.,
Baade Of the Hamburg Observatory
ana the optician. y. Schmidt, started
for the Isle OF Cebu. in the Philip-
pines to continue a program exc
cuted BY the Hamburg Observatory
N number Of eclipses; by photo
graphing the corona under different
conditions its appearance at a given
moment can be studied. BY COM
pairing the photographs ta'.-n ct
different times it will be po~-ihle 10
determine the relation s.,'p bctwer,
certain peculiorities of the coror.
and the other phenomena Of the sun.
There are about 100 active VOL
cAnoa under the American flag in