246 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[October, 1905 



The Total Eclipse. 



Accounts froiTi all Sources. 



Ir had been our earnest desire to have given an ac- 

 count, in this number, of the general resuUs obtained 

 by each of the principal parties which left Hngland for 

 the purpose of observing the eclipse. But in some 

 cases the observers prefer not to publish any pre- 

 liminary account until their full report is presented, 

 while others have been too busy since their return to 

 render any narrative of their doings. 'llic following 

 accounts are, therefore, only a brief summary, which 

 we hope to be able to augment in future issues. 



The most westerly expeditions were stationed in 

 Ladkador, but it seems that clouds completely ol)- 

 structed the view in these districts. Sir William 

 Macgregor, the Governor of Newfoundland, was at 

 Cartwright, where also was a party from the Lick 

 Observatory. Another party of Canadian observers 

 under Dr. King, was at Hamilton Inlet, and Mr. E. 

 \V. Maunder was also there. 



.\l Burgos, in Spain, the overcast sky greatly im- 

 peded the view, but photographs of the corona were 

 secured through rifts in the clouds. 



The party at Oroi-esa, on the East Coast of Spain, 

 which was under Prof. C:dlendar, of the Royal College 

 of Science, was unfortunately entirely precluded from 

 making any observations on account of the clouds. 



Mr. |. Y. Buchanan, F.R.S., however, at 

 Torreblanca, only a few miles further north, had the 

 luck to see the eclipse in a quite clear sky. He 

 describes the corona as being very bright, and with 

 clearly defined edges, like fortifications. The light 

 generally, was so great that he was unable to detect 

 any stars except Venus. The prominences, described 

 as of violet colour, were well seen at the beginnings and 

 end, but were not visible at the middle of totality. This 

 should give a practical clue to the height of the 

 prominences. 



In the Balearic Islands various conditions of 

 weather prevailed. Near Palma, the expedition from 

 the Solar Physics Observatory had taken up a good 

 position. The party, under .Sir Xorman Lockver 

 included Dr. J. W. S. Lockyer, .Mr. C. P. Butler, 

 Mr. Howard Payn, Mr. F. McClean, and a number of 

 officers and men of H.M.S. " \'enus." Though the 

 weather conditions were by no means perfect, since 

 clouds moved perpetually over the sky, yet .some fairly 

 pood results were obtained with the many instruments 

 provided. 



In the centre of the town of Palma, several English 

 astronomers, including Mr. Crommelin, had estab- 

 lished themselves on the roof of the CJrand Hotel. 

 Here, too, clouds obstructed the view to some extent, 

 lillhough fairly gofKl observations were made through- 

 out the perifKl of tf>tality. But in f>ther directions on 

 the island, the eclipse was absolutely invisible through 

 clouds. .Shadow bands were well observed. Within 

 a few miles of the town severjd ob.servers had a clear 

 sky. 



Several British observers, unwilling to experience 

 the mysteries of out-of-the-way .Spanish hostclries, 

 and long railway jriurneys, Uxtk the mf>re cf)mfortable, if 

 less business-like, method of going in larg-e steamers. 

 Two liners, timed to be well within the limits of totality 

 at the moment of the eclipse, had arranged to heave-to 



to enable passengers to ha\e a good Nievv of Uie pheno- 

 menon. In both cases the atmospheric conditions were 

 fairly g'ood, and if no exact or speriallv valuable obser- 

 vations were m.ide, at all events the ol;servers were well 

 satisfied with what they saw. On board the "Orlona" 

 the prominences were well seen, ;md described as of 

 " rose-colour " with bases of yellow, and only noted on 

 one side of tlie sun at a time, llie corona, of " a soft 

 pearly blue," had streamers projecting about two dia- 

 meters, two pairs '" above and below " the sun. \'enus, 

 Ivegulus, and .Mircurv were reported as being visible. 

 The P. and O. steamship " .\rcadia " also carried , 

 party provided with small telescopes, two spectro- 

 scopes, and many cameras. The vessel hove-to near 

 the Columbrclcs Rocks, south of Majorca, in perfect 

 calm. 'Hiough clouds passed over the sun, there were 

 intervals of perfect clearness. Baily's beads were .seen, 

 as were the shadow bands. The conclusions were that 

 the corona was very compact, and very bright, and of 

 a silvery hue. Only one ray stretched out conspicu- 

 ously from the cr.rona, but four cr five minor streanuM-s 

 also existed. The prominences were said to be paler 

 than usual. The thermometer fell from 82.4° to 72.5". 



Perfect weather seems to have prevailed at Phillip- 

 viLLE. in Algeria, whither cur Solar Physics Observa- 

 tory party was originally destined to go. 



At GuELMA aJso, the conditions were most favour- 

 able. Here Mr. Newall made many successful obser- 

 vations with the g^reat spectroscope from Cambridg-e. 

 M. Trepied, director of the .Algiers Observatory, was 

 also installed at this place. Tlie corona was here re- 

 ported as being very bright, not extensive, and uni- 

 formly distributed round the sun. llie red protuber- 

 ances were w-ell seen, as were Baily's beads. Mercury, 

 Venus, and Regulus are reported to have been visible. 

 Thirty-one photographs were taken by the .Algiers Mis- 

 sion. The temperature fell during- the eclipse from 

 33° to 28" C. Shadow bands were well observed. 



.At Sfax, in Tunis, was the party from Greenwich, 

 under the .Astronomer Royal, assisted by the crew ol 

 H.M..S. "Suffolk." A French party was also here, under 

 M. Big^ourdan. Though partially cloudy, the eclipse 

 was fairly well observed and photographed. The 

 corona, as seen here, is reported to have been of the 

 characteristic maximum type, with streamers extending 

 to as much as two diameters from the disc, and "of a 

 rosy colour.'" 'Hie following account appeared in the 

 Times : — 



" The day of eclipse was by much the worst day that 

 was met with. It broke cloudy, cleared a little in 

 the forenoon, but left a nasty haze ;ibout the sun that 

 was reinforced as the time approached by light de- 

 tached clouds blowing from the north-west. The sun 

 was never hidden for more than a few seconds, but 

 it was unpromising for the big telescopes. .As the 

 moon crept over the sun's face the temperature, which 

 had been at 90 deg., fell slowly to 84 deg^. 'Iliere was 

 no sense of chill in the air. The party of observers 

 was reinforced by ofticcrs and men from the Suffolk, 

 told off for w.'ilchiiig attend.int phenomena, for count- 

 ing seconds from a metronome, or other help. 'Hie 

 light grew weird, and dancing b.'mds of shadow were 

 seen upon the ground and walls. \'enus shone out, 

 and soon afterwards Arcturus. -Sir William Christie 

 watchefl the diminishing crescent of the sun's disc on 

 the groiiiul glass of the Thompson camera, and called 

 out " Stand by" 20 seconds before the disc should dis- 

 appear. All was ready. Then f)ccurred a delay, im- 

 accounlable at the moment, but clear enough .after- 



