The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1932-08-31
RADIO, PLANES,
! BALLOONS MD
SCIENTISTS
Alien Observers of Phenomena
Include English, and Two
Groups From Japan
CONTINUED from Page -

L OnIInuCu ITO" EUkG -
brief bursts of raindrops fell in
nearby vicinitieS.
A bright sky with only a few
roaming cumuluS clouds was in
prospect for the assembled Scien-
tific expeditions, however. accord
ing to all the local weather proph-
cts and most of the astronomers.
BY this hour every main road
near this center Of scientific &C
tivity was lined with automobiles
bringing watchers to the scene.
Thirty villagers, deputized last
night as special traffic cops"
were kept busy detouring the mo-
florists away from the scientific
expedition site, where automobiles
are not allowed on account Of pos
sible vibrational effects on delicate
instruments.
1t has been estimated that the
next total eclipse of the sun
visible from the United States
under observation circumstances
as favorable as those today will
not occur until IS years hence,
In 2017.
Ghost Dance Prelude
For a few minutes prior to
arrival of the shadow here today
there will appear what are
known technically as shadow
bands" These are tiny ripping
bands of light and shade. They
are clearly visible on walls and
sheets spread for the purpose.
Their ghostly dance and play
Is one of the most spectacular
features of natures most spec
tacular celestial phenomenon.
After this display, the corona
of the sun will appear, a garland
of softly glowing atmospheric
light fringing out from beyond
the rim of the moon.
Along the path of this shadow,
to watch and observe the effects
of the passage of the moons body
across the face of the sun are
millions of spectators besides
many scientific observers.
Fair Grounds Opened
Special trains loaded with
watchers have been arriving along
the path Of totality for two days.
Other special trains from Boston
and nearby cities are arriving at
this village and other sites along
the path every few minutes. Auto
mobile parties have been arriving
for several days.
Here the fair grounds have
been opened to accommodate the
overflow of watchers, all armed
with cameras, field glasses, movie
cameras. or mere strips of dark
ened glass or celluloid devices,
which will be aimed in unison at
the enhaloed moon during the 81
seconds the total eclipse will last.
At rope-encloSed and police
guarded sites in other parts of
the village are the astronomers
of the seven observatory expedi-
tions located here. Nearly IS
other scientific expeditions are
waiting at attention along the
shadows route from Parent, Que
bee, 200 miles north of Montreal,
to Gray, Me-, near Portland, loca-
ton of Harvard ObServatory's ex-
petition.
Two Jap Expeditions
Almost none of these aStrono-
mers will see the total eclipse, as
they must be at their tent-shel-
tered posts many minutes prior
to the period of totality And
they must stay there until the
shadow of the moons body has
passed by.
Among those who will have the
odd experience of not really see
ing an eclipse they have travelled
many miles to observe" are the
members of two japanese expedi-
lions, located in New Hampshire,
and several English expeditions
located in this State and Canada.
In large part each expedition
will duplicate the work of others.
Planes, Radio Aid
Under the shadow radio ex-
perts, photographers and aviators
will scurry and scamper at their
appointed tasks.
Planes will drone at designated
attitudes to make photographs
and records of changes in tenn
perature and barometric pressure.
Unnamed balloons will soar up,
loaded with recording instru-
mentS, to drift out of the shadow
and land at some spot where.
mayhap. somebody will find them
and return the instruments to
the expeditions from which they
were sent out.