New Britain herald., 1930-10-21

Pacific Nurakita, but no observa- tions are expected there.
 In a literal sense astronomers ob- serve the Dance of the Atoms during an eclipse. Their principal studies are made with telescopic photographs taken through glass prisms called spectroscopes, which break up light into it's colors and record on the photographic plates shadowy lines, each of which rep resent q mass of a particular kind of atoms in the sun.
 Einstein Gave Theory This dance" under one Of the verified predictions of Einstein's relativity theory, is greater in and 1 about the sun than on earth. That is, in scientific terms. the atoms around the sun vibrate more or faster than do the same kind Of atoms on earth. The reason for this, under the Fin stein view. is the peculiar curvature of space" about the neighborhood of the sun.
 This is the same 'curvaturc' which so sensationally demonstrated the Einstein theory when, during an eclipse in 1919, astronomers ob served for the first time that it caused bending of rays of light from distant stars, as Einstein had pre- dicted
 During total eclipse astronomers get their best opportunity to study the substances of which the sun is made, and the laws which govern matter there.
 The sun is the only star which | they can study in any such detail, and so eclipses aid them in under standing what is going on in more distant parts of the heavens. This | is especially true because the sun is a standard star, being of about the same size and hotness as the aver ! age star.
 For years scientists have searched i cclipses for evidences that there may exist in the sun elements unknown on earth. They found one-helium, which later was discovered on earth.
 The head of the scientific work of the American naval observatory cN- petition at Niuafou today. Dr. stan ley Mitchell, director of T.eandcr Mccormick observatory of Virginia, has identified iron vapor in other eclipses. rising hundreds of miles in the suns atmosphere. Picture Reversing Iayer' Astronomers photograph not only | the pcarly white light of the corona and the scarlet band below called the chromosphere, but beneath that | another layer at or very near the suns surface called the reversing | layer"
 This is a section which ordinarily appears dark in comparison with the glare of the other layers. But just as | the suns edge peeps out from the side of the moon, the unseen layer ''reverses." That is it flashes into bright light It is photographed with the spectroscopc and is sometimes named the flash spectrum"
 Seldom have American and Eu- rCpean astronomers travelled to such an outofthe-way corner of the world.
 The islands native nam c is Niuafou; it lies near the Fijis and is one of two small islands which are the only land the eclipse touches.
 No Docks at Island There are no docks at Niuafou and the monthly inter- island steam CT drops mail overheard in sol dered tin can in deep water few | hundred wards off shore.
 Two natives swim out and push or drag the mail box ashore. Hence the name "TiN Can island. The island belongs to the prnCi- pality of Tonga. only governing state in the South Pacific
 Us shape is that Of a signet ring with the seal to the north its diam cter about four miles, and it's popu- ulation about 1000 natives and two whites
 "Tin Can' island boasts it pro- dGcos the largest cocoanuts grown in the Pacific.
 IL also contains in it's tiny circle | 90 volcanic craters, some SO active | tEat q year ago last June an orup- | tlon destroyed enc of inc island s | two villages. So Dr. Thomas A. Iaggor. Jr., Hawaiis famous vol carologist has joined the party to dc soma volcanic observation.
 Prof. R. w. Marriott of Swarth- more, will make ltinsteh theory tests and photograph the corona. l. J. Johnson of California Insti- tutc of Technology and R. r. Sharp less Of the t-. $. Naval Observatory v-ill make various photographic ob- servations, The Naval Observatory sponsors the expedition. Commander C. II. l. Kcpplcr is il administrative charge and II
 cllisted men of the navy and ma
 rinea will assist in conalructioi of 9 Gj-foot and other telescopes ana
 in, ,,l. i1,r 11 ,,-1t to,1c