September 29, 1905.] 



SCIENCE. 



411 



MAGNETIC AND ALLIED OBSERVATIONS 



DURING THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE 



OF AUGUST 30, 1905. 



The stations finally decided upon by the 

 department of terrestrial magnetism of the 

 Carnegie Institution of Washington in order 

 to provide for the proper distribution and suc- 

 cessful study of the subject under investiga- 

 tion were as follows : 



Labrador: Battle Harbor (magnetograph, 

 atmospheric electricity observations and dec- 

 lination eye-readings, the whole under the 

 direction of J. E. Burbank, assisted by 

 Messrs. Bowen and Homrighaus) and Turna- 

 vik (magnetic declination eye-readings by 

 Mr. G. L. Hosmer, of the Massachusetts Insti- 

 tute of Technology). Both parties were sup- 

 plied with full sets of absolute instruments 

 with which important magnetic secular varia- 

 tion and magnetic distribution data will be 

 obtained en route and returning. As the 

 Canadian magnetic expedition, under the 

 direction of Professor Stupart, located its 

 station in Labrador within the belt of totality, 

 the above stations were selected so as to have 

 one immediately south of the belt and the 

 other about the same distance north. Dr. W. 

 G. Cady, of Wesleyan University, further- 

 more, made magnetic observations at Black 

 Point, Nova Scotia, and Dr. L. A, Bauer, as- 

 sisted by Professor W. C. Bauer, of Baker 

 University, observed at Missinabi, Ontario, 

 Canada. 



In addition, Professors Elster, Geitel and 

 Harms made atmospheric electricity observa- 

 tions at Palma, Majorca. It was also found 

 that the department could avail itself of the 

 skill and experience of Professor Palazzo, di- 

 rector of the meteorological and magnetic 

 service of Italy, and so made arrangements 

 for magnetic, electric and meteorological ob- 

 servations under his direction at Tripoli. 



Observations were made under the auspices 

 of the United States Coast and Geodetic Sur- 

 vey at Pembina, North Dakota, by Professor 

 H. W. Fisk, of Fargo College; at Wausau, 

 Wisconsin, by Mr. C. C. Craft; at Colebrook, 

 New Hampshire, by Dr. G. B. Pegram, of 

 Columbia University, and at the various mag- 

 netic observatories. At the Cheltenham Mag- 



netic Observatory both special magnetic and 

 electric observations were made under the 

 direction of the observer-in-charge, Mr. W. F. 

 Wallis. 



At all of these stations the assigned pro- 

 gram of work as published in Science was 

 successfully carried out. 



These stations in addition to those by other 

 countries will afford a unique and most val- 

 uable collection of data covering the entire 

 belt of totality. The hearty cooperation se- 

 cured from foreign countries has been very 

 gratifying, some of them going to considerable 

 expense and pains. To cite but one instance, 

 Russia in order to complete the distribution 

 of stations along the belt of totality, sent 

 under the auspices of the St, Petersburg 

 Academy of Sciences, an expedition specially 

 equipped for magnetic work and placed it 

 under the direction of one of its most ex- 

 perienced magneticians, M. Dubinsky, in 

 charge of the Pawlovsk Magnetic Observatory. 

 Other European countries were no less zealous 

 and likewise either sent special expeditions 

 equipped for magnetic and electric work under 

 the direction of able and experienced observers 

 or made special arrangements for careful and 

 comprehensive observations at their home 

 stations. 



According to the reports already received 

 from observers in the United States and 

 Canada, the eclipse interval was a rather dis- 

 turbed one, due to a cosmic magnetic storm, 

 the magnetic disturbances having in fact be- 

 gun several days before the day of the eclipse. 

 During the night of August 29 and 30, bril- 

 liant polar lights were visible at the northern 

 stations. 



At the writer's station (Missinabi, Canada, 

 48° 28'.6 N. and Z'^ 33.9™ west of Greenwich) 

 in addition to the disturbances already re- 

 ferred to, there was a smaller fluctuation about 

 the time of maximum obscuration of the sun 

 of the character and amount to be expected 

 as the eclipse effect — as judged by previous 

 eclipses. However, whether this particular 

 fluctuation is really to be referred to the 

 eclipse can not be stated definitely until the 

 records have come in from other stations. If 

 it is found that the characteristic features of 



