Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-04-24
Flying Scientist, Tvo Miles Up, to Photograph
April Is Eclipse, Visible Over All of u. S.
BY ISRAEL KLEIN
Science Editor, NEA Service

ing q scientist with q powerful
camera, viii be the chief instru-
ment with which American as
tronomers will seek to check up on
the total eclipse Of the sun on April
%.
This viii be the first total eclipse
visible In this country since the one
on January "a, 1925. which darken-
ed New York and New England and
was partially visible over a much
wider area. The 1880 eclipse viii
reach its maximum over the Pac-
ific coast, but will likewise be
partially visible over practically all
Of the United States and Canada.
The eclipse-caused by the pas
sage OF the moon between the sun
and the earth-will be total only
in a very restricted area: and al
though the darkness will come
gradually and disappear slowly the
period Of actual totally win last
only one second.
Consequently. scientists are max
ing elaborate and carefully culti-
waited plans for photographing the
eclipse at the instant Of its maxi
mum.
Total I'm Northwest
BEGINNING slightly above San
Francisco and running northeast
over California. northwest Nevada.
the southeastern tip OF Oregon and
central Idaho. the shadow formed
by the total eclipse will cut a black
band less than half q mile vide
and ending somewhere In Montana.
Beyond that point the eclipse VIII
no longer be total.
Within that area, shortly before
II a. m. observers can e a total
eclipse. Twilight conditions will
prevail. Throughout the rest Of the
United States the eclipse will be
only partial. decreasing in inten-
sity as the distance increases.
In Carson City. New. and Helena,
Mont, for instance, the eclipse viii
be 81 per cent. In washington, D.
c.. the heavens will begin 20
darken shortly after 2 p. m and
at 3.23 D. m. a maximum OF 40 per
cent will be reached. In New York
the intensity will be 81 per cent:
in Boston. SO per cent: in Chicago.
ga per cent: IN New Orleans, 80 per
cent: in Atlanta. So per cent.
Because 10 casts such a narrow
band Of shadow in its period OF to-
tally. and Is OF such a short dura-
ton. the eclipse will be a real test
for scientists trying to photograph
it.
BY keen mathematics astron-
omers have calculated the path OF
the eclipse and have set up sta
tons for observing it along this
path. But so narrow is this line.
that the slightest error in their cal
culations might find them off the
actual track.
1t is for this reason that the "air-
plane observatory" has been de-
cided on in California. BY this
means. the scientist in the plane
high above the clouds and flying
at a speed OF 100 or more miles an
hour, will be in the most favorable
position TO take or two photo
graphs OF the moon at the instant
IL completely covers the face Of the
sun. Alongside this plane may ny
another. the second plane carrying
another scientist with a motion pic
ture camera The airplane idea Is
a precaution in case clouds balk
ground cameras.
DR.. II. M. letters. OF the Lick
Observatory. Mt. Hamilton. Calf.
is 70 be the photographer in the
first plane.
To observe the eclipse from the
ground, the University Of Califor-
MIA scientists are setting up a sta
ton near Camptonville, Calf. At
this point. besides the regular in
struments for observing the eclipse,
three special cameras will be set
I'D along the shadow path al inter
vals OF about one third OF a mile.
with q photographer ready to snap
the photograph Of the total eclipse
as soon as II reaches each spot.
IN charge OF the ground work at
Camptonville will be Dr.. j. II.
Moore and Dr.. d. II. Mcneil, both
Of Lick Observatory.
Before the eclipse reaches the
California coast. starting about 80
miles to the southwest. IL will be
annular. or ring-shaped. the outer
edge OF the sur peering Over the
intervening moon. Then. as the
coast is reached, the moon will COM
pletely obscure the sun. After
leaving Montana. the eclipse again
viii assume its annular form and
will pass on into Canada and the
south Hudson Bay region. disap-
pearing over the Atlantic ocean
south OF Greenland.