| Show II 11 m successful i STREAKS OF SEEK TOTALITY taken 01 the beautifully distinct corona f POCATELLO 1 eclipse was witnessed this afternoon by a luro number of people who went north on the utah A northern 0 view the splendid sight tho atmosphere mo sphere was very clear and it was a most beautiful day for observations the railroad people had arranged to send a special on the oregon short line but tho party went north on the utah northern Coming south the eclips was most beautiful and all in party expressed great pleasure abc the sight although no observation was i taken it is thought tho line between pocatello and was most favorable for the view the line of totality was about forty miles north of here aaDi the incoming in coming special had an excellent view some twenty miles north the indians on the I 1 reservations were much excited over 1 the wonderful phenomenon some 0 them thinking the end of ahe had come and many wanting to know how thy white man foretold the eclipse mont january 1 the ellipse wag observed hero favorably this afternoon the day was bright cold and clear it began at a quarter past two and lasted an hour and a half tho sun was all obscured except a thin crescent at the top 31 grew colder and dark chickens wont to roost and lamps were lighted doors SAN jan 1 professor louis smith director of warren observatory atory of boch ester was stationed at nelson and telegraphed the following as the result of his observation the eclipse as far as affording an opportunity to search for in fra mercurial planets was a failure from the clouds and haze all four contacts were well mado a chronometer watch previously set to licks observatory time being used civo vety smaily were seen all having pointed apexes near the point of one was another detached from the sun baileys beads were gesn at the second and third contacts but were entirely unlike those seen at denver in 1878 no crono sphere was visible although looked for mercury venus vea and alpho cygal were seen the corona could not be drawn but as een through the telescopes was net very extensive the conditions were generally favorable today to day both in california and nevada for a clear observation of the total eclipse of the sun in this eity the eclipse was only partial half of the totality in california was from 50 to miles north of san francisco and trains from this city this morning conveyed a large number of people to various points favorable for observation the weather at marys ville was very clear the first contact was about 1230 several streaks of lightning were observed during the totality several photographs were made during the totality and the views will bo sent to amberst college prof holdon of the lick observatory telegraphs to the associated press that the beginning of the eclipse was successfully observed at that point andallo and also the last contact photographs were taken at oro villo A cloud obscured the view on tho totality but a good view was bad up to within a few minutes of that period the conditions were all dav orallo at st helen the nearest approach to totality was at when the observers noticed plainly with the naked eye a narrow circle of light on the northeasterly side of the suns disc and a constant bright sheet was transferred to the other side the party from the lick observatory in charge of prof made successful observations at bartles springs prof keller telegraphed to the associated press that tho corona was beautifully distinct and that ho saw a remarkable change in the length of the coronal lines prof barnard obtained nine photographs prof hill photographed all contracts and studied the structure of the inner corona prof Sen made seven measures of light during the totality reports from many other points m california and nevada state the eclipse was observed with great interest A decided drop in the temperature during the period of totality was noticed and at some points the stars were visible as plain as at night ida PAUL minn jan 1 A hotter day for tho observation of the eclipse of tho sun than that given the entire northwest could scarcely be conceived clouds were almost unknown and the warm atmosphere added to the pleasure with which the people watched the eclipse which in this diate was about three quarters whilo further west it was almost total GENEVA N ajan L professor brooks director of the smith observatory secured an observation of the eclipse in the afternoon just before sunset the disc of the sun was quite conspicuous and was watched aa it sank below the coizon of the eclipse as seen locally the herald bays smoked glass was in demand yes gerdav and eligible street comers where an unobstructed view of the sun could be had were at a premium the savanis savants and the almanacs had both agreed that the first signs of the eclipse of the sun would be visible i in sake at about p m so lar time for once at least the sa and the almanacs agreed the day was a most perfect one and an excellent view was afforded at about 10 local time a faint blaak spot was noticeable oa the edge of the SUB and at 2 it had progressed so as to bo distinctly visible to the naked eye covered by n piece of smoked glass there were hose who we re inclined to believe this city would be one of the favored spots the total eclipse would b seen but at this idea was dispelled as it became evident that the shadow inclined toward the bottom edge at the ana was about half obscured and from that time until the maximum had been reached things earthly assumed a very peculiar appearance in many cases business places became so dark as to necessitate the lighting of the gas at 3 the city was flooded with a pale light resembling moonlight aad which cast biord shadows at about the maximum was attained about 1112 11 12 of the orb being covered the sunlight began to brighten and assume its natural color the shadow passed from the sun at about the eclipse was visible to the larger portions of north america and the North Pacific ocean and was total along a tract eighty boiles roiles wide extending from the aleutian islands aad running centrally through point arena cal winnemucca nov mountain meadow idaho and term mating about lake winnipeg it was invisible east of a line drawn through new york city and agdens burg california and portions of nevada the most favorable poiana for a I 1 view of tho eclipse and the lino of totality where stations could bo established was in the northern and southern portions of the golden state tho eclipse was of great importance if for no better reason than that all eclipses furnish important data to the student of science the lick observatory had several parties in the field cambridge and harvard had as many more and it was the in leation to have several foreign governments ern ments also represented in california the different parties worked for different results somo sketching and still others watching the various phases and writing out their impressions the purpose of tho observations was a study of the surroundings of the sun which can only be don ewhen his light is obscured advantage is taken of the total eclipse of the sun usually to lok tor a planet between the sun and mercury the existence of which has aa basis tor endless discus there are some disturbances in the orbit of mercury which theoretically might be accounted for by the presence of a planet inside of it heretofore owing to the limited duration of the eclipse and the campara dively large field to be covered the non discovery of a planet did not necessarily indicate its nonexistence non existence but now the celestial photography has been brought to so high a state of perfection it is possible to obtain photographs covering the probable orbit of every planet in our system the nonappearance non appearance of a planet on one of these negatives would be considered as strong evidence that no such planet exists mare important than this however is tho study of the photosphere and the corona which are considered by scientists of more practical interest than searching for an interior planet inasmuch as this gives us more knowledge of the suns atmosphere and surroundings the solar total eclipse invites a renewed attempt to solve various j problems the suns corona by means of photography and other problems relating co the amount and intensity of the light emitted by the sun under the conditions suggested the object of photographing the corona is to ascertain if possible what its size and shape are in 1878 when aa expedition went to fort worth texas to observe the total eclipse of that year there were about twenty persons who were trained to make rapid sketches of a picture ef the sun shown to them for two minutes and some seconds the length of the total for that year when the eclipse came their eyes were blindfolded until the word was given and then they all made sketches of the appearance of the corona these sketches differed marvelously but they showed that the corona was not the same shape that had been noted before this year tho astronomers attempted to get them with the sensitive plates it is not exactly known what the corona is it is believed to bo an atmosphere mo sphere of some sort surrounding the sun comets when they pass though it have their brilliancy increased by the friction against particles it is vastly moro tenuous than our atmosphere but what it is composed of we do not know the results of the investigation will be awaited with no little interest in the scientific world in addition to the eclipse of yesterday there will be four more during the year two of tho sun and two of the moon will be a partial eclipse of the moon january 1617 16 17 visible more or less to the world generally save asia and australia an annual eclipse of the sua june visible only in southern asia and the indian ocean A partial eclipse of the moon july visible to the world generally except north america the larger part of south america and the pacific ocean A total eclipse of the sun december to the northern half of south america and the most of africa |
