The Washington times., 1932-09-01
CLOUDS HINDER
OBSERVATION
+. Of ECLIPSE
Michigan Expedition Expects
Plates TO Show Only so Pct.
of Possible Detail

(l.N.S. Tile mackerel and
cloud-spotted skies along the
path of the total eclipse yester-
day afternoon caused much
genuine grief among many. of
the millions of observers and
scores of the scientists out to
witness the spectacle.
But those who chose as obserVa-
ton sites this village and
vicinity. Portland and vicinity.
and other spots by chance free
of cloud shadows, rejoiced today
in memory of. an experience
which probably never will come
again to most of them.
Next Eclipse In 1853
The next total eclipse visible
in the United States, under
circumstances anywhere near as
favorable as those of yesterday
will not occur until the year
1863. Certain astronomers state
the next comparable eclipse in
this country will not occur until
20l7, a matter Of IS years from
now.
There was drama in eclipse
observations as they were con.
Quoted here back of the Frye
burg Academy by the expeditions
Of the Lick Observatory, UniVer.
Sity of California. and the obsery-
atory Of the University OF
Michigan.
For over 80 OF the l07 minutes
of the beginning of the eclipse
to the beginning of the period
Of totality. the sun blazed freely,
diminishingly in portions of the
sky not quite clear Of clouds. Up
to within IL minutes of the
period of totality the now nearly
eaten-aWay sun had shaken itself
free of all cloud drifts.
Get SO Per Cent Of Detail
Members of the Lick and
Michigan expeditions thought for
q time that the sun would be
piled upon and smothered out
Of sight, but fortunately they
were spared that blow.
DIR. Moore and Prof. Heber D.
Curtis. head Of the Michigan
expedition, said they expected
their Photographic plates to show
about so per cent of the detail
that would have been visible
without clouded sky"
But If the astronomers felt
partially frustrated, the thous,
ands Of persons who gathered
about this chief expedition site
for just the curiosity of it,
were not.
They were treated to a display
probably enhanced in beauty
and effectiveness by the thin
transparent layer Of cloud
through which they observed
natures most August pheno-
menon. The major changes of
light during the 97-second period
of totality illuminated the outer
surface Of the cloud layer, bath
ing the whole color demonstra-
ton in lambent glow.
Crickets Brought Out
For about five minutes before
totality set in the shadow
bands" ripples of light and
shade, played on the tent tops
and on the walls of white washed
homes. The air was still. Crickets
began to hop boldly about, as
they do at night. Sterlings flew
excitedly among trees looking
for r0oSts.
A COW in a distant pasture
started lowing and making 4or
the barn. In the last few minutes
an eerie effect was produced by
the rapid cutting off of clear
sunlight. This change did not
in any way resemble twilight, in
which darkness comes to the
earth with the sky lighted over
head.
1t was a light similar to moon
light, only glowing dimly. how
ever, with the gold of the sun.
Then the moon skinned COM
pletely across the face of the
sun, and at the left rim, which
had just closed over the suns
disc, came the flare of light
known to astronomers as the
flash spectrum period"
For about three seconds it
seemed as if this edge Of the
moon had caught fierceIy afire.
Then the blaze was quenched
and the corona Sprsng into view
in its full glory.
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