Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1900 — ECLIPSE OF THE SUN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

PHENOMENON OCCURS MAY 28, AND WILL BE TOTAL. In the Path of Totality the Orb of Day Will Be Obscured for Nearly Two Minutes —The Event Is Attracting World-Wide Attention. The forthcoming total eclipse of the sun, on May 28, is attracting world-wide attention, and astronomers everywhere have long been making preparations for observing and photographing the phenomenon. Besides making the usual time observations, interest Largely centers in photographing the corona, the coronal streamers, the spectra of the chromosphere, and particularly the celebrated flash spectrum appearing both at beginning and end of totality. Fortunately for us, it will be possible to witness the phenomenon from many sections of the United States. On the occasion of the last eclijSse scientists who desired to study the sun during the brief period of totality hurried to western India, and many of them were successful in obtaining excellent photographs of the great, event. On May 28. the circular shadojy>rf-TEe” moon cast by the sun uponth<earth, and about eighty miles in djaffieter, will come sweeping across thjx'American continent from New OrleanZvo Cape Henry. Along the center of fem- traveled by'this swiftly moviflg shadow the sun will be’ completelyyuidden for a period of about two minutes. More than forty miles away, either side of the track the eclipj>e will be partial, not total. To wifedess this astronomical marvel it will

since an eclipse has occurred under circumstances so favorable to American astronomers, it will undoubtedly be witnessed by thousands of students who have felt regret that previous exhibitions have occurred at distances so great as to prevent them frdtai witnessing the events. An eclipse of the sun that will be visible to us can occur only when the moon is new. At that time she passes exactly between us and the sun. If an eclipse should happen when she was at her least distance from us, say 222,000 miles away, the apex of the shadow would pass over our heads at a distance of many thousands of miles. In the first instance the eclipse will be total along the path made by the falling shadow, lu the second instance the eclipse will be annular, as the moon will be so diminished that at no time will she be able to completely obscure the sun. I’rof. Langley, who is an authority upon sun eclipses, is enthusiastic in anticipation of the exhibition that'is to be given next May. "Such eclipses,’ he says, "are impressive and awful to the last degree and must be seen to be appreciated. A total eclipse of the sun is worth a journey round the world to behold, and repetition does not dull the interest.” According to the calculations of Prof. Lumsden, the round black shadow of the moon, like a great arm, will sweep in out pf space some time after sunrise oh the morning of May 28. This gigantic arm will come into contact with the earth somewhere near the Revilla Gigedo islands in the Pacific ocean. With tremendous velocity the shadow will rush toward the mainland and will enter Mexico, near Corrientes, at a speed of more than 100 miles a minute. In eight minutes it will have crossed the Rocky mountains, and by 7:30 central or 8:30 eastern time it will have crossed the gulf and entered Mexico. Then on it will pass, over its selected path, until it is lost again in space. The period of totality of the eclipse va-’ ries at different points along the track. At the Rocky monntaihs the spectacle will last but about Zuirty seconds, and at New Orleans the period will have been lengthened thirty-seven seconds. At Union Point, Green County, Georgia, the center of the pnth.for the United States, the time of totality will be ninety-two seconds, while those who are at the Atlantic coast, just south of the city of Norfolk, will be able to continue their observatiqps for 105 seconds. While the occasion will be a most interesting one to all who are able to witness the phenomenon to astronomers the event will be of the utmost importance, as there are several questions that they hope to be able to answer after they have made their neXt observations. One of the most important problems relates to the composition anil arrangement of the various layers of vapor and dust that envelope the sun as with an atmosphere. Another relates to the existence and position of what is sometimes called the "reversing layer.”

POSITION OF THE PLANETS.