The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-31
CLEAR SKIES GIVE
GOOD OPPORTUNITY
TO OBSERVE SHADOW!
Phenomenon Started Here at
1888 P. NJ, Darkest Per.
iod Came at 1:57
SMOKED GLASS IN DEMAND
Odds Appear to Be With Scien-
fist Who CambIed on Clear
Weather in East

Hundreds Of necks were craned In
Bismarck Wednesday as eager observ-
ers watched the moon obscure the
mighty brilliance of the sun.
Behind smoked glass; pieces of
photographers film and other make
shift eye protectors. persons here first
saw the moon begin to creep over the
suns surface at "A minutes and so
seconds past noon.
Slowly Old Soils brilliance began to
be obscured and at 81 p. M, 81 per
cent Of his flaming surface was hid
den behind the dark mass of the
moon. Thereafter the earth's satte-
lite began to recede, and at 3:06 p. m.
had disappeared.
Planets Are Observed
Observers with binoculars and those
with particularly keen eyesight saw
the planets Jupiter and Mercury
twinkle family near the sun. Off to
the west, Venus, usually discernible
on clear days. shone more brightly
than was usual.
The eclipse started so seconds be-
fore 1t was discernible to the naked
eye, o. w. Roberts, federal meteorolo-
gist here, said.
Amateur photographers were busy
on the roof of buildings. eager to get
pictures Of the phenomenon when
the maximum observation was
reached.
The moon obliged the waiting spec
tators by arriving on time. reaching
maximum observation on schedule
and moved out Of sight at the exact
minute set for its disappearance.
View Sight From Plane
Pilot Leslie Smith. of Northwest
Always. Inc. and Roberts made
flight during the eclipse in order that
they might view the phenomenon
from the air.
Only 81 per cent Of the eclipse was
visible from Bismarck though 1t
was total over a strip 100 miles
wide extending from Massachusetts,
into Canada in a northwesterly direc-
ton. with Salem. Mass. and Quebec
being in the center of the strip
The portion of the eclipse seen
from different sections. scientists
pointed out, was dependent upon the
relative position of the observer, the
moon. and the sun.
If the spectator happened to be in
such position that the moon was
completely in front of the sun. from
where he was looking, the eclipse was
total.
If, on the other hand. the observer
IN, 1i,,A ov,A
did not blot out the sun, he witness
ed only partial eclipse. the extent
depending on the relative position Of
the moon and sun to him.
The darkest period of the eclipse In
Montana, scientists said. came a..
1913 p. m. (MS.T) while the dar.
period occurred in South Daokta
at 200 p. m. (CS.T0 and Minnesota
At 200 tC.S.T)
Interest Is Great Here
Ecores of telephone calls to the fed
eral weather bureau here and the
great demand for exposed film and
colored glasses at local business es-
adjustments evinced the interest
which the phenomenon created In
Bismarck.
Though the Bismarck Paint and
Glass company had little extra de-
mand for glass preceding the eclipse.
an official of that firm said that UNI
doubtedly thousands Of western North
Dakotans smoked odd pieces Of glass
In preparation for the sieht.
The naked eye needed the protection
of colored or smoked glass or colored
glasses when one watched the eclipse
because Of the brightness of the sun.
Odds were with scientists who
gambled on New England's weather
Wednesday. Skies cleared through
out the district in which the sofa.
eclipse was total after a cloudy night.
Sun Breaks Through
At Barre. VT. on the edge Of the
totality area. the sun broke through
the clouds at 3 a. m. It had ratned
In northern We mont during the early
morning and daybreak was none too
CHEEKY. Through New Hampshire the
skis were overcast but ir gfeat part
Of the Granite state there were tndi-
cations Of late morning sun.
Down along Cape Cod there was q
haze. but forecasters predicted clear
er weather as the day wore on. At
Fryeburg. Me-. the weather was clear
with = few clouds high in the sky
The fair weather promised scien-
lists good view Of the eclipse through
their powerful telescopes. which en-
abled them to secure valuable data
regarding the solar system.
The only part Of North Dakota
/ which was threatened with cloudy
\weather during the phenomenon was
The northwestern section. Roberts