ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21966, 15 December 1936, Page 12

ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

Observation In Christchurch CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE Visible in Christchurch as a partial eclipse, the annular eclipse of the sun yesterday was observed under favourable conditions. Previous annular eclipses were observed in New Zealand in 1925 and 1927, but only from the northern extremity of the North Island, under unfavourable conditions. Yesterday morning the sun was chining from a cloudless sky when, at 9.22 a.m. the moon began to creep across the surface of the sun. The eclipse was not at any stage total; but to the naked eye the effect could be seen in a dimunition of the intensity of light, and there was a noticeable absence of the increase in warmth generally felt . k?f wcen ,, " o’clock and noon. The middle of tne eclipse occurred at 10.54 a.m.. the sun having completely emerged from tne rnoon's shadow at 22.35 p.m. Tne annular form of the eclipse was Visible yesterday along a belt ex-

The photograph on the left was taken at 10 a.m. and that on the right at 10.55 a.m., Avhen the partial eclipse was seen in Christchurch at the greatest degree. tending from Broome, on the north coast of Western Australia, across the continent and the Tasman Sea, to the North Island of New Zealand, and thence out into the Pacific Ocean. Over a very large area of the southern hemisphere, however, to the nprthand south of this belt, a partial eclipse •was visible. The amount of eclipse seen in New Zealand varied according to the distance from the annular 2one. In Christchurch, approximately a quarter of the sun’s surface was observed in the middle of the eclipse, whereas in the annular zone, more than three-quarters of the sun’s area •was covered by the moon. One of the most remarkable features of the eclipse in Christchurch was the effect on the sunlight during the morning. As the eclipse proceeded there were progressive changes in the “colour” of the sun’s rays. At first the sunlight had a watery appearance, but as the eclipse reached its greatest extent, a faint greenish tinge was easily discernible. The temperature fell 3 degrees during the eclipse, and there was a gradual increase from 11.30 a.m. OBSERVATIONS MADE AT PUKEKOHE PREPARATIONS FOR PHOENIX ISLAND EXPEDITION (PAK3S ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, December 14. With intense interest, the annular eclipse of the sun was observed from the top of Roosevelt Park Hill, Pukekohe, by a party of New Zealand scientists, led by Mr C. B. Michie, Kaitaia, with the primary object of testing instruments and gaining experience for an expedition to Phoenix Island to observe the total eclipse next June. The instruments, which were lent bv the Greenwich Observatory, will be taken, in a warship to Phcemx Island. , . , Several exposures taken to-day will be worked up at the Wellington Observatory by Mr I. L. Thomson, Act-ing-Government Astronomer. invisual work was carried out by Mr M. Geddes, who discovered Geddes s Comet from Otago in 1932. The party took up its position at 8.30. The first contact was seen at 915 when a minute fragment was chipped off the edge of the sun’s disc. Conditions were ideal for the observation; the sky was almost cloudless and there was bright sunshine. The clouds later increased, and there was some difficulty in taking exposures before the annular phase, but during the ring phase the party was able to make several exposures with both instruments. The disc of the sun became complete again about 1 oclock. The party was highly satisfied with the observations. , Thousands of people at Auckland observed the eclipse under conditions which were ideal to the mid-point ot the phenomenon. Thereafter clouds drifted across the sky, and there were stages when watchers could gaze at the sun without smoked glasses. . The Auckland Astronomical Society carried out observations from the roof of the “Auckland Star” building with a reflecting telescope. Images of the sun and the moon were thrown on a screen. A noticeable feature of the eclipse was a drop in the temperature, the maximum in the shade this morning being 67.5 degrees, and the minimum 6 9 degrees. In a trial cricket match at Eden Park the light was so poor that play was stopped for 20 minutes. FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS IN WELLINGTON (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, December 14. A %lear blue sky gave Wellington observers the most favourable possible opportunity for viewing the eclipse. A hoi, summer morning was tempered tb- a pleasant coolness, and the city lay under the dulled light which cast a distinct blue tinge over everything it covered. ERROR IN PREDICTIONS AT WANGANUI (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WANGANUI, December 14. The eclipse was viewed at Wanganui in splendid conditions. The eclipse, however, kept the observatory waiting four minutes. _ Astronomical predictions gave i)hr 16mm 53sec as the time for the first contact as seen, from Wanganui, but for some inexplicable reason the moon's shadow was late, the actual time of the start being 9h 20min 15sec. The time it moved off was 12hr 44min Isec and the predicted time was 12hr 43mm_38sec. THE ACE TAKES IT. Aviators take all sorts of risks, but when thev intend to loop the loop they take care to place their refreshing “PRICE'S” Fruit Extract, flavoured Grape-Fruit, Orange, Lemon, Raspberry, Limes, where it won’t drop out . ."every drop is delicious, except one like that. A 1/- bottle makes 3 gallons, and all grocers sell it. Insist on "PRICE’S.”