About The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19?? | View Entire Issue (June 4, 1900)
SOLAR ECLIPSE WAS GREAT SUCCESS Professor Nyland’s Drawing of Sun’s Corona /■ ■ / ■ / / L & Th » one te’rss strongly to Mr. W Henson's interpretation of the phenomenon and is the re sult of tie work of Director Nylind of Utrecht (Holland) Observatory. RGM Now Orleans to Norfolk. I r-* In the path of the totality, the ■ eclipso ct the sun found hundreds ' •hntists. earnest in their work yet jubilant ever the clear weather, e.annlns every scintilla of tho corona I of its Sphere: hundreds of thousands, less scientific, but more awe-struck, regarded that profound phenomenon of thn solar system with eyes of curl- . os ty. not untempered by a sentiment ■ of utter discomfort. The light of day was throttled in a twinkling into twilight, sweep after sweep of shadow bands adding to the ' depressing gloom of the gray rnorn | ins?. Ip tanfly following the deepest I of the darkness there flashed, first n J I lik.. a flag for danger, then soft as the m-llowcst pear'y light, a signal of ■ -he sun's inextinguishable existence. It was the light and not the dark- 1 n<- - that r-prallcd. Brom the first contact of the determined moon tho light ■■■ gan to diminish, apparently In w iv- ». until on the fares of the ob servers there fastened a ghastliness that a- e« ntuated th.» desolateness of I tho -disastrous twilight.” The corona. pun» in color t >p«, peculiar and mys terious fn cor-’‘.••t ion. touched tn in and scenery ?.’?! -» with the high-lights <f • i '.-ig repuHvCMM. The natu ral • central: .n of the facia mnrcles offer**: a frdd tor the faint, deathlike light. it is yet too early to predict posl tlvo result*. Thus far the dew lop tnents tb.a. hate a reason for drawing out i re: h« I* .< are ccnfloed to the prominences of th.-* sun. In one in- | stance Professor Lord, of Ohio, be- . red that tl • myn» I th- . olar prominences. In the other I the observation of p.nk prt»min r n:'cs » promises a fin i opportunity for a close I Inspection of the photographs obtained S and a careful study of the results that JULIAN HARRIS. AT THOMASTON, GA i IJ.k Ob’inatorv Station. Th.'iraston. ra «■;*., Mir tSpecltl t'orrestwmdmce.t— --* 1 The total - ‘ir eclipse of this morning was d| n 1 rf-»et su cess. twiih from an astouvun ■f • an.) popular st .endpoint. It occurred I r J.rf. t weather conditions. By th men -t chan.w or bv the direct interposi tion ! r ■ • . it WSI from an inter and overwh» Indng failure. Imnie t it dr It fore the phase of totality j L-cun the face of the sun was almost whol'v el,'tired bv clouds. Not until | w.-ir a few seconds bes re the e t- am- lat al dt.i they drift away. L.eht ct— .1- aea.a obscured the sun within a f, w seconds after tntahtv. But d 'ring the intern nlng tim* the astron mr, were -T •-•"*! « iwm'fl"nt opportunity. J'• ’ - ti -for in so rtffny moat he of I t t nstaklng Jaber. What results hare been accomplished will n< t te kn iwn until the, COMPLETE RESUME OF ECLIPSE V/ORK ACCOMPLISHED AT ROTH THE BARNESVILLE AND GRIFFIN STATIONS, i Fy Pr-«f« • r fn» n J. Brown. Astronomical Director of the United St ites Nawtl Observatory. P"»m nt’!.'. Mnv 2N—To T!>* Constitution: Barnesville furnished us with th. m • r> rs- <t •! sv which the eclipse observers could wish. No cloud.* Intcr -1 r».l v -’. the otwervers In Barnesville. The air was steady and beautifully • " tlr* the preparations were ren.ly for the ecl!n«.» nt the time of Its oc- curr> . the proprammo of the observers was carried nut ess •ntlally ns In r>> • rla • with the carefully prepared plans. The visual work of the corona « r * .of naked eye and telescopic drawings whb h wore |n substantial t- ■ t to the principal feature:* of the corona. A remarkably • ,>d one f--r Its • r- ful representation of the details of th* corona was mad* with.chalk on dark blue paper by I’rofcsrur Otis Ashmore, of Savannah, who was a mem -1 rof th? f ivornment expedition. Ji* s;-ent many days In preliminary practice on tl Jr- saor lift, th» University of Mrlr.*. and It. . who m -1 t- ’« :-!e and visual drawings, each agreed tn essential f-atur•••* w ith the ••tl •r. Th< observations of the shadow bands was successful, although this I- . •«. i nw as not as pronounced as haa been recorded at former eclipses. Th »-|ow bands s*rm to te rot well pronounced parallel bands of shadow • -*. but appeared to b>> more like the reflection of rippled water pr-4 <t- : upon a screen. Professor Updegraff and Professor Nastman made •• fu! drawings of the finer details of the Inner corona of the equatorial re pr-.rs. Ail of this work shows the corona to have been remarkably similar to those of ICS and ISM*, both, of which years were years of minimum sun spots. This had b*m anticipated from the fact that the surface of the sun had been free from nets during the greater part of the year and during a mjmth’s occu pation of th* station here on’y on* grr.up of small spots has been «*• n. Except th* details of the Inner corona with h were similar In character to those photo graphed In th* India eclipse by Campbell, the equatorial streamers w*rc of a i rather nature and pn ■ nt. <1 but little --f the synclinal rat nont which was noticeable in the eclipse of M7B. The Western extension of th <■ ■ ~ was much larger and more pronounced than the eastern. In the ph .t<rrai -de work, ait hough the number of plates was n>t as great as had ■ t**n <anti«'l|at d. the exposures were successfully carried out and it Is confi dently expected thst th<y will b* of great value. Thera were secured in all th* following: "Thre* on ]| by 17 double coat.-d seed plates with the forty feet photo-h. digraph leas and four each or the S-Inch visual lens of h*Mnch feus with the color screen, the post C-Inch photographic tclescop' of 80 inch. s. the C-tncb Dulhneyce 33-inck focus, the 4-lnch Dallmeyer 17-lrch focus and Sc inch DiJim. yer of St* inch focus also provided wltn color sere. n. "Th* spectroscopic observations of Professor 11. C. Lord were a|fo success fully carried out with the slltlcss spectograph. In which he secured five photo graphs of it r»v.rrlng layer and corona. “At the Griffin station the spectroscopic observations went off In strict accord.ut.ee with the programme. .\t this point the duration of totality was only ® sccor. 's. but the briefness of this period was more than compensated for by the long . -xposurvs which It enabled on the reversing layer. Drs. Crew and Tatnall - wo-eded In obtaining three photographs of the reversing layer with the W fret concave grating on curved plates 22 inches long. Mr. Jewel and Dr. Xlltchcll made five exposures on the grating object I> * and Drs. Hum phr.-ys and Mr. Dinwiddle made three photographs of the reversing layer and comparison solar spectra before nn-1 after totality will, th.? 21 feet grating, using a spectrum th* second power. Observations of the shadow bands wcro made by <vi«»n*l It J. Bedding, of the Georgia exp- rlmeut station, and tele scopic drawings of th polar rays w»re nade by mys*'f with th 6-lnch telescope. "Tb* cnly particular f.-aturcs »f int.-icst noticed in this latter instrument was th- pa'*. r< -y color of th* prominences, th* coir being very much less pr< nouao-d than tn former eclipses. Os the most important observations wcro the photographic and spectroscopic. It would b'- premature to express any d« finite pinion until th* plates are carefully developed and studied, but there is ro reason to anticipate that they will not furnish results of great im portance. I forty-thre.* photographs taken dur- | ' Ing the p.r'ed of Utility had- teen '<h \ •1. No stud ed att uipt. wa* ni ide I •<> .*,• i u. ual id i tv., tl ms. but from th ' apt- iri’.u • of the ••nr.>r» .m l the yn- ral I apiwar m. e of tho sun during totality the , | ;:sliottorm rs believe thrv have . •.•cure 1 . I :oin,. valuable and inter* rtms inf jrm.i- • tion. an.l possibly made tn- di-coverics ; ! ».f the gr»-tert *• lent.fie va ue. ; The corona of the sun. whi h th- a.-tron om.is gave ti e . r-r | r: ■ : <t- ; trt.tlon, because of th< ir ln o.net <on -ep tion < its niture and • < itint. wa,« as | laru • as ;ny s-< it L>rh g ::'iv pr>'V.-us I .clip".—, and was of unusual brilliancy ami r beauty. j ffoilowinr is an authentic list • f the , photographs s <i* •'.! and tl- instruments • el tk . Ten with forty lo .t t. !• scop-, six with i aix-in- h photo-tele« op-'. »ix with the It’cn ! photo-t l.s.ope, th. with -h e- f<\ IS <a -t-ra ip tur - < f r • -stilts: it), four . with tlve and- -n -h i f-.t >■ ■ r -t o- (> •:«. one . :-h with t-.o sjiectros o-.-s. i ... with ol • : • rating three with objective misni sp.-tros.s.p-. AT BARNESVILLE* GA. ! I’nitod Stal.s Nit «l ol servatorv Sta- i J tion. Barnesville. May 2s.- (Spacial , . t’.irr* sponden.. .1 Afti r tunny weeks of ; exp«-et:it:<'n ut.i ar.xiely. : ft*r an infinite ..’ .... : - Irate and ! delic.ite details, the sol <r el lipse passed I my— ... ■- •' ■ ■ ..—I- * ARTIST WILKINSON’S SKETCH OF SUN’S CORONA. MADE AT BARNESVILLE, GA. " ' ■ . ■- Though the L - lO ni streamers are shorter than ■' ’ ‘ off here today with n success far beyond the mast sanguine « xpeet itions of those interested and with no ek ment or ft -i --inre to mar th* preconcerted program nn-. i At east two facts w«re brought out by lhe work today that may prove to be brand new discoveries and m< an new • facts for history, so far as th. world of j astror.emv Is cone-rn*d. Prof, or 11. ’ «• I..>r.i in hl« spectroscopic obs< rvatlons i nnd visual work has obtained results that tend to prove that the mysterious matter uhic! forms the j-orona. is to be found al eo tn th. solar prominences, a fact hith erto unknown Dr. W. E. Aiken, under i th* direction of Professor Otis Ashmore. made an original attempt at phntograh !• K the -’.- dow bands, and Ixlicv»s that th* development of hl* p>at<- will show Fldendtd results. This Is an :■ dronomlcnl feat that has s- Idont b far- be, n at tempted. and will add another branch to : THE WFPKTT CONSTITUTION: ATLANTA, GA., MONDAY, JUNE 4, 1900. I astronomical photography If it is sue- ' ceaafuh The first appearance of tha moon’s I shadow iv_s upon the upper rif,ht limb of tho f ’.-.n’s .«ur u:c. At fi—» there was tho .-dtali'.ilr.til tiers ac thovsh r. piece J. J teen Ic’.cn out. Gradually the dark ■pace was c;.'t.yc.d urtti at 7:35 o clock i only i. thin crescent rhapetf margin w.r - vi.lblo of th; aun’r. turfase, and tho light ! ’ .d '.-.x;-.- d u.. '1 the aurroundlr.s country 1 ciiiel to r»ot under the east blow of i twills'nt. At eltfht minutes before totality Proses- ■ • r ViiJ-graff shouted <_r all to get . ly. Harried order., wi re th're .. -a rushlns to end 'ro in wl it i. :i- and each i.uiii wu? or. the e.h ft for the . perted of tn tivlty to arrive. From then ' • * co: ‘aet. or t italtty, there was absolute i s, e..--in. ■ was depicted upon! < «-..unt< : . >r.'i only when nee- | ; e it;, d-mambd It. and then in a hushed I I i.ii... iany word spoken. F<»r at I 1,., t ten minutes before totality, a.l | vs w, r; dis. arded. and th- unusual | siyiit was presented of mortals staring ; i-.i th- sun >Uh naked ey< ... , , ’l I. rc are s ir* < - .y words that will truth fully or a ! quately des ribo the picture of th< .- nil ai d :u> on ■. i-mlro;ly blenucu to-- 'her In 11 ■ h< avens, or o' the .I nk- . in.-d disc with th- b.autii-11 and mysteri ous corona surrounding it. sharp and sudden the last ra> o. the sunlight was shut "’.lt. h< darkened circle of the moon. :. r th* idiot. <’>h o v. a- suddenly sllhuet t<-d against th.- hiavens. and around it .-trie i’-lits and i-nclr Inr; band of 1,1 ' \ that 1 I" loud a'l rift!ot> nut >ni th.- up|cr r gl-.t limb and the lower 1. ft limb of the darkened orb of ■ ■ , *ea.m projected tar into ‘ a.-. Ru.'m nlv at the lower riirlit limb ‘d. r.-n'.- pi’il;' b it.-ct was visible, being tin- b. pitiful chromosphere. Far .-fl' to the r:-,-ht. twinkling ns at > ’ the p me M'-rcury se.mod to gaze ■- . at the turn uat atti- tude <>f tlie large luminary bodies, and oft to t’ e 1.-ft th- st r Aldeb.iran of tho eon: te’t- tn -i of l’a irus. was also visible. At 7:7A o'clock a broad band of light ' V"I I■ •. u ' ■ V ■ i was . howtng on the upper right I'.mh, 1 t e light whb h had been gradually ir.< r< asin* was about the entile as at tn. n. With the « n-lliig of totality < nthu sj -mln tl - . lips- teemed to wan*. 1 ■ >r M I:. Sevd'-r. of the I h.1a ,,1, . , ]l‘- s. O’: .vatory s’at. >n. . . i • .a .■ the < 'ij'-e work as c ndu< :■ d ... ... , • . r the 1 .it- of t ’ t-xlltv vi l '!>abflr:s ,1.1.1 a rich harvest fre u t ■nd ’hat t . popular iu!n 1. an i .ir.ity appr—iate tho »rind array of talent nn.i ippiUnccs thlit han tn<..lj wrested from th. ccltpsed sun Fcret of tint-id value. Great, how ver, r.s th«» I.iriio st lcntllic entcr| s tin r ♦rtr: a’** rrsult?*. It was brna liy tru” that many minor and modest ntt^tni-. s tn i,ht prove of great valu. to science. H. had himself proved by hc ta.-il trial tod v that the lir.T- *c*ords of .-i" i rapidly eh.-.r.r'nir phenomena. . ;’.T 1 o rr* nr<led a nr- it» ’.y bv a chrnTin- , ■■ -ph i.j .l that nt. ’.v .n'-scent ntw !,„ . mid b* properly term* Ivl ta . ’ e’ vnt'ons of th* . nr.a a. Several pho- rs .-ae *'-.fully trad* oh«erv.a- ! t'.on* of the shadow l and* : nd the rolnr : prominences constituted the main work of this station. RT GRIFFIN, GA. Griffin. G,a„ May 2S.—(Special.)—The eclipse of th* sun which has been the dr. am. thought, speculation and the aid con Idercd topic of conversation around here forth- past few weeks has com* and gone and from a citizen’s standpoint it was a b autlful success, while from an asti-nonilcal view It may be satisfactory, and then again It may not, as there was a .-’fght cloud about the sun that c.atnc up I Just at th* time of the eclipse that may ' have had some effect on the photographs. ' This, however, cannot be determined, and will not be known until the pictures have ! be-n developed by Dr. Jewell, of Johns , Hopkins. At toX' o’clock the first speck was seen ! on th<- sun. wh'ch rapidly grew into a cr.-sc nt. Som*th’ng like a murmur of d.-llght went up from th* watchers, while th.- face- of the learned men at the sta tion wore a look of expectant enthusiasm. Every instrument w ,s re-examined and tested as to position, the last details thought of and c arried out, and at twen ty minutes before the time for it to reach totality everything was in the best of shape. Suddenly there was a feeling that something had gone wrong and it was I quickly nolle, d that a fie-cy cloud was moving toward the eclipse. [ Tiie astronomers began to experience a little nervousness and appeared appre- ■ hensive of dang, r to their project. The i curious only seemed to be pleased at it and .-n. > d the rainbow effects produced I I y tin- . xpirlng lays of the sun upon | u.. clouds that seemed to be condens ing around the sun. The time wore on and Instead of dispersing the cloud seem ed to become somewhat densed and to .-tick v< ry . . ly to the eclipse. An or der was givi-n to every one to keep quiet so not a word was spoken that was not a command. Everything was in its correct po. Ilion and when Professor A. J* Quaint unce. of the experiment station, called out; "Only t*n minutes until totality begins," every one so; ght his allotcd post. Dr. S. J. Brown, director of the l.'nltcd at nava . i. :it..ry at W ashington, to >k h’s -tan.l by the telescope. At the Hat grating instrument. Professor L. E. J. weli. of John Hopkins, ami I’rotoscor S. A. Mitchell, of the Columbus universi ty. of New York city, made ready. Dr. Henry Crow- and Dr. R. it. Tatnttll, of the Northwestern university, at Ev'iinston. Imi . took charge. Prof, ssm- W. J. Hti-n --pl i-y md Instructor VV. IV. Dunwiddie, of u.e I’niv -rslty of \ Irglnf... went into th-- dark room containing th* twenty on.- foot cofi iv.. grating ami were seen no more uni I the cel pse was over. Pro i. . A. i. Quaintan .ol Expt riment rt-.itian. was at th.- chronometer; State r R J. Redding and Agriculturist J. -\1: Kim brough, of Ex|“ rlm« nt Station, were di rect, d to look for shadow bands, while J. 11. Dr.-wry and J. V. Stwtell were sent off to watch for the shadow of totality. Dr. Crew impressed upon all that quiet ( was r.cc ssaty and ni one was allowed ti approach witbin one hundred yards of the circle. I roftssor Qualntance finished the min ute end count d forty seconds more lint ci-, the to’allty b< nmn perfect. T'ab; . v.o-ld make it J"-»t 7.W that the tot- iity I I comnitneed, Ir.sttad of 7:25:20. as wai f .re- ' i • . jn th!rty-t w > - nda acres • ■ , r :n rs too sun burst th->utrh and qv.lck i Iv the rarih was lighted up .-.ra ti and gradually the cres mt grew Jnrpor until j 1 when the last v< ' * c* a spot on the run had di- apij't r and. t iore were ' , - - - rrowa, ! F; sex \v. .1. I> -m, • r-'vs ray., that | 'he thinks everything will b vr-rv sa:i’- f.'-clitry though ho ciinn--.' tei! until tiic th“ pictures have be n (level >r»ed. They be develop* 1 ho ■ -- r al WMhlngtnn. - D f’. That work will be done by Dr. J. v ell. All <>f the a*tronom» r-< room to boos the i opinion th.-it very • it!s*?c:ory r - "Its hnv.- 1 boon obtained, tut can give nothing def | inlte. So all hope for the b*st. WEATHER FINE AT SILOAM. Chobot Observatory Station. Siloam, On., May 2S.—iSpcciat)—The rky was clear and general conditior s good. On large and small scale photographs were (btnined with two fifteen feet focus telo scopi-san’l a camera. These were coulpp"*! with special apparatus glvhv; faint part cf the corona from fifty to two hundred tines more than the extreme inner cor ona. The general corona was remarkably - similar to tho India eclipse of ISSR, but ! tin- extensions wire only idiout half as large. The polar streamers were, how- . - L -- u / ’< ’’’i ’ * 1". d ever, twice ncos long and the sunflame > rt> .re numerous and immensely long. I he full programme was carrl.-tl out without a hitch it. .Ighty-two second by ! . tai. nt and Professor Bttrekhalter s great . t exix-ctatlons ar* more than realized In ( v.-rv oarticular. The shadow ham’s and other ph<-ii..mena w. re observed by other t; i-.t.-tt ts. Th.? remaining plates will be taken t-> Chicago and home to California ji< i development Nine of these are e. n tt lied exp s ires from two to twelve b-.tn dr< 1 seconds at moon s edge and fro»’» f mr to eight seconds total exposure; the remaining plates were made in the ordl iij ry manner for comparison. The Eclipse at Washington, Ga. M’.-i- hlngton, Ga.. May 2?.—(Special.)— Th- m«-n of science from the east and west who have traveled thousands of . n b and spent thousand* of doll rs and much energy in ord r to h tv- just a . few minutes to observe the phenom, na | of this morning at )A tshington are happy and look back upon the morning hour with keen satisfaction. A drift of clouds In the southeast gave nn excellent opportunity for observing the moon’s shadow as It swept across the sky. The shadow bands were plainly seen boti bv experts and lookers on. It was r.u awe inspiring scene at the first instance of totality and as the wonderful light of th* coion.'. Hashed out from beneath the black shadow of the moon, two large MAP SHOWING GREATER PORTION TOTALITY SAND _ .. , „ . T , .. . J ' - - ('< / / TENHES.BB& x -'- A > ---- i / 1 ' Z / ; S ~x>' 7 / 1 » ATH e <? ff , j < AT L A NTA O I < l' Birmingham 'j A 1 | YAZoo Ctry I o Farion * v L )1 * I ' o %. \ /r 5 )/ J ff X ■ JJ 9AcKSON ’ •' z / Z V alb / - / , jf ) . j o y (// / / z / / /AONr/CELLO \ < //// / / / Jr \ Ua ß , a >7/ €™-HZ'^- ; -■ \ ' i . z /( ' \ / \ fc£? ACOUA r> - __ ) \ 0 /» u Mu ! I ~_, Wn \ \ V : OFFICIAL DRAWING OF THE SUN’S BEAUTIFUL CORONA: *-.<■ ■ ■’ - ' --L ? •.. - d \ / / . • • ..7 / ' '''■ ' / r . * • • r • .... > i .-ii- The Constitution is enabled through the courtly of Professor See to S ive the first public presentation of the official drawings made for tie Uu ted Stites Naval Observatory fast Mon I ■/ m rn ■ g protube’r'im or wore plainly visible. Dur ing the darkest portion «»t the movin' large print could be re;i<! without d'.fliculty. IN THE CAROLINAS. Conditions Ideal at Wadesboro. Wad- s'xiri., N. C.. May 28.—The scientific J men of America and England who have bten lor at cd here for weeks oast in pri-pa j ration for tho eclipse of the sun were never more delighted than they were this morning to see the sun rise In a skv that was : 11» v-1 tit ♦i y cloudless, save hvic and there a streak of cirrus. As early as 6 o'clock the observers were hastening to their various positions of observation, and ail was in readiness iong before the hour for the eclipse. Professor I-angiey. In . barge of the Smithsonian observ uory, bad assigned men to separate stations, and all pet formed their duties like clock work. Professor J. B. Colt, of Boston, pal l at tention particularly to the important mat- i ter of the corona ami protuberances, and his observations settled ono v' ry impor tant matt, r In regard to the pres.-nt cellpse—that is. that there were no white pt ominew «s in this nart'cular eclipse. J’roi. s.-or Colt 1 satisfied that the ’..-suit of tod ty’s observations will b - t 'octter I knowP'.i-: -of the corona, and that s-l*n tists w!d lenm more of the term ..ml | dins lion < f th* curvattip? of the str>-ain- I ers. The totality laste 1. a co:-lint to Professor Colt, s.-ven sc ends less than had be*n calculated, but this, he “avs. is not surprising. It only demonstrates that scientists are not perfectly -uro of iP the antics of the moon, and the m dions of the planets can not bo comp’it--i with more ac atracy than this morning. Good Results in South Carolina. Columbia, S. <’., May 2S.—ln South Car olina the weather was well suited for ob servations of the eclipse today. At Newberry there were two parties. one composed of Frank II- Bigelow and Cleveland Abbe, of the United States weather department at At ashington. and the other of Garrett P. Servlss. Charles Menhekc. of Brooklyn: Otis Wattells and ; J. (}. I.evlson. of Brooklyn. The. totality I at that point lasted eighty seconds. | Professor Servlss Is convinced that the | 1 corona must be nearer to the earth than . the sun itself as It required an entirely | different focus. He also noted hitherto unexplained conditions in the atmosphere at the occurrence of totality. Both parties ■ had specially constructed cameras, which worked successfully. The corona exhibited four distinct rays. I Professor Serviss's calculation is that one of these was jjHxi.OtX) miles long and ex tended to Mercury. At Little Mountain tho South Carolina university watched the phenomeni The shadow bands were plainly seen. The yel lowish light of the corona prevented total f darkness, but a deep twilight settled over the country. A wide perspective was af forded from this eminence .-nd the shadow could he traced io retreat as the aun emerged from totality. ECLIPSE IN-ALABAMA. Montgomery. Ala., Mty 28.—Fourteen ' astronomers from different unfvu sities throughout th- north took observations 1 of the eclipse at Union Springs this morn ing. Th-y were provided with the most improved instruments and the result of the Work will be of great benefit to the scientific world. They secured twenty six plates of tho approach and fifty of the OBSERVED CORONA MATTER IN SOLAR PROMINENCES Barnesville. Ga., May 28—To The Constitution: The sun Is a scmi-solld or liquid body surroun.V.l by an atmosphere of gases. These gases are not such as we arc familiar with on the surface of the earth, but are gases of such sub stances as iron, nickel, carbon, calcium, etc. Now if we allow the light of a solid. Intensely heater to fall upon a prism we get a continuous band of color. If on the other hand, we allow the light of a gas Intensely heated to fall upon the prism we obtain a series of bright lines: thus, in the laboratory if we have to heat a ball of Iron to white heat and allow Its light to fall upon a prism, we would got the continuous band of color; If. on the other hand, wo converted the metallic iron into a gas by means of the electric spark and al lowed the light to pass through the prism, we would get a vast number of bril liant lines. Now. if we took the intensely heated ball of Iron and allowed the light proceeding from that to pass through a mass of intensely h*ated gases. We would find on examining with a prism that the continuous spectrum or band of color would be crossed by a series of black lines occupying the same po sition that would Ik- occupied by the bright lines which we would obtain by examining the light of the gas alone; thus If we examine with a prism the light of the sun which passes from the intensely heated solid nucleus, through the surrounding gases which act as an at mosphere, we find a continuous spectrum crossed by nn enormous number of black lines. At the time of an eclipse, as the moon covers up th,? solid portion of the sun. we receive the light from the surrounding atmosphere alone, which, when examined by a prism In accordance with theory, ought »o show a bright line tn the place of every dark line an-1 ordinarily In the solar spectrum. The h*lght of the solar atmosphere Is prob ably not over from 5»X> to 800 miles high, and it takes th* mor n from one to two seconds to pass over this atmosphere so that th* duration of this bright line spectrum is of exceedingly short duration, not lasting over two seconds. My apparatus was designed to obtain a photograph of this flash spectrum and also of the spectrum of the sun immediately preceding and immediately following its appearance, the apparatus const-ting of an ordinary tel-scope to which was attached a spectroscope of moderate power, provided w th an ar rangement whereby a number of photographs could be taken in rapid succes ■ion. In order to tell when to make the exposure, I watched the sun through an additional spectroscope, making one exposure Immediately preceding the occur rence of the flash, anoth r exposure at the instant of its appearan- e. followed by :i third as soon as the flash spectrum had disappeared. I repeated this series of observations In an inverse order at third contact, securing in the meanwhile a long exposure on the spectrum of the corona. Until these pho tographs shall have been developed it Is impossible to -iy exactly what su« .<* has attended me. But th- usual observations which detennin' 1 th.- instant at i which to make the exposure have shown—at least to my own satisfaction - that the flash spectrum is by no means a phenomenon which takes plac>- insta:.t-y in its complete form, but that through it lasts for an exe-ctlingly short period of time (estimated immediately after the eclipse as no: ov- r <»t never theless it changes continually during that Intervil. Furthermore, these same visual observations teem to indicate that that mysterious matter which forms the corona is to be found also in the solar prominences, for during totality the chief coronal line was seen to be broken and irregular in exactly the same manner in which the prominences ate observed to extend fjom the sui face of the sun. Os course, when they an- d- vclopcd the photographs will give much stronger testimony in regard to this point than visual ot>- -rv ition. So f tr can be foretold the programme of observation ha? been < :ully carried through. 1 wish here to express my <1 •-p sense of oblieati nto Prose -r S. J. Brov.n and Professor 31. Updegraff, both of the Unit, . Stat- naval ob-ervatory, whose c->rdlal support and kindly interest have mid thfi work not <-niy pos sible. but who have a!-o contributed in a \ late- hare to its su cess. JI. C. LORD. totality. Three of these plates were de veloped in . water and were pr .nounccd perfect. Owing to the peculiar nature of the plates the remainder cannot be de - vcloped until they are in a i-liin ite that is I cooler. AH present were well satisfied I with the outcome, and while a slight hazi ness interfered s-'inewhat with the views 1 -,f corona, th' result was gratifying, i Among the party pr<-s nt were Pr lessors sworth, Ulegl u oratory; Brashear, of Alleghany; Kintner. of Uni : versitv of Pennsylvania: Davis, of United 1 II -pkins; Ward, of IJaldw n. Kas.; Wil son. of Beaver Falls. Pa.; aWr-.1. of Otta wa. Kas. ALGIERS. ALGIERS. M iv 28.—The eclipse was ob served here under fine conditions. The sky was almost cloudless and the atmos : ph,-r.- almost transparent. (NMervfng par ti. -s were i. re from i ■-; «I. France. • r ; many. Italy and Switzerland, the largest being the British. As totality approach , . 1 til" ■ if- ■ ■ W D .rkr,- -s -wept I the earth: the sea lost its deep blue and I took a neutral gray tint; trees became ! funeral purple. When the last ray of sunlight faded I the corona Instantly shone forth, unusual ' Iv large and brilliant, extending to Mer- I cury, shining with Intense white luster tw.>’ degrees aw.-sy. The shape of the corona was almost ex actly that of 'io- eclipse of 1878 as seen In the United State-; nani- ly, two wings, one shooting almost vertically upward , and the other downward, both almost i exactly on a solar equator. I 7
