Evening star., 1937-06-07
EXPEDITION PARTY
READY FOR ECLIPSE
Canton Island Group Has
Finished Three-Week Prep.
aration for Event.

VII IAAe AedItu SduOS VI llNy canton
Island, in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean, final preparations have been
completed for the total eclipse Of the
sun, which will take place there to-
morrow, and which will be the longest
eclipse In more than II centuries
Radio reports received here from
the National Geographic Society Navy
expedition indicate that three weeks
of intensive preparation have been
completed, and every operation to be
performed during the eclipse has been
carefully timed and rehearsed in ad-
vance so that not one OF the 2l3 sec
onds OF the total eclipse will be wasted.
The eclipse shadow. averaging about
140 miles in width, will move $500
miles across the Pacific. Canton
Island is one of the few points OF land
In the path suitable for making OBJ
servations. The total phase of the
eclipse will begin at 7:39 am, Canton
Island time (2:06 pm, Eastern
standard time). A partial phase of
the eclipse will be visible from the
Southern United States.
To Be Broadcast.
The eclipse and activities OF the
scientists while making their observa-
tions will be described in radio pro-
gram direct from Canton Island,
which will be rebroadcast in the
United States on the network of the
National Broadcasting Co.
Members of the eclipse expedition
are DR.. S. A. Mitchell. University of
Virginia Observatory director, scien-
tif1c leader; Capt. J. F. Hellweg. super
intendent Of the Naval Observatory
here, in charge of the Navy participa-
tion; DR.. Paul A. McNally, S. j., di-
rector of the observatory of George
town College here: DR.. Irvine c. Gard
ner, Bureau Of Standards; DR.. F. K.
Richtmyer, Cornell University; DR..
Theodore Dunham, jr., Mount Wilson
Observatory, California; Charles G..
Thompson, Foundation for Astro-
physical Research, New York; John E.
Willis, Naval Observatory: Charles
Bittipger, local artist; Richard H.
Stewart, staff representative Of the
National Geographic Society, WASH
ington; Walter Brown, New York radio
engineer; M. S. Adams, San Francisco
radio engineer; George Hicks, radio
announcer, all three of the National
Broadcasting Co.; Lieut.. Herman A..
Gross, Navy surgeon, Honolulu, and
Lieut.. T. B. Williamson, commander
Of the expedition ship, U. S. S. Avocet
Air Conditioning Plant.
Canton Island consists Of q narrow
rim of sand a quarter mile wide In
closing q lagoon ~ miles in circum-
ference. Cameras, spectrographs, tele-
scopes and other instruments have
been mounted on concrete bases along
the shore. Members of the expedition
are camped nearby in tents.
Probably the first r-conditioning
plant ever set up on a desert island is
in operation to keep the Photographic
darkroom at a temperature Of IS de-
grees so films and plates will not be
injured by the tropical heat.
During the eclipse, the scientists
will make intensive observations of the
chromosphere or atmosphere Of the
sun, the gases of which give clues to
the composition of the sun itself. They
also will photograph the corona and
measure the total amount Of its light
and record the polarization of this
light.
The exact times of contact of the
edges Of the sun and moon will be
recorded as check on calculations
Of the length Of the day and year. This
will be one Of the important functions
Of the Naval Observatory, the ofncial
timekeeper for the Nation.
Effects of the eclipse on the electri-
ned region Of the upper air which 1e-
fleets radio signals will be measured.
The colors of the eclipse will be re-
corded both in natural color photo
graphs and by Bittinger, who will
make a quick painting. Many black
and-white photographs will be taken
and motion pictures will be made Of
the entire eclipse.
The American expedition has been
joined by an expedition from New
Zealand, led by G. B. Mickey, which
arrived at Canton In the patrol sloop
H. M. s. wellington, and set up camp
near the American base.
In radio broadcasts picked up here,
members Of the party have described
their weeks Of life on the island as
far from dull. The only vegetation is
nine lonely palm trees and scattered
pigweed. There are numbers Of rats
80 tame .hey eat from the hands Of
members Of the party. Hermit crahs
raid the camp and have been caught
trying to drag away ever 3hing from
socks and handkerchiefs to packages
OF. cigarettes and cameras.