Scientists Gathering In Greece To Watch Eclipse

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 12

Scientists Gathering In Greece To Watch Eclipse

(N.Z.P.A.Reutev) ATHENS. Greek and foreign scientists are making preparations to observe the annular eclipse of the sun which will be visable from Greece this Friday.

The eclipse, in which the black disc of the moon wall be seen as a blot on the bright disc of the sun, leaving a thin rim of light allround it, is one of the most spectacular celestial events of 1966. The phase of maximum eclipse will last for three hours.

The last total eclipse was seen in Greece on June 19, 1936, and the next and last this century will take place on April 29, 1976. The visibility path of this year's annular eclipse crosses Greece from the south-east in the southern Peloponnese, to the north-east, on the island of Lesbos. Astronomers stationed along the path on Friday will be able to observe solar phenomena not visible at other times, or in countries with less favourable climates than Greece. Solar activity in May this year will also be low, making it possible to observe the eclipse without disturbance. The time at which the eclipse will occur, between 0759 and 1100 G.M.T., too, is ideal because the lower ionosphere will already have formed when the eclipse begins. According to Mr C. Macris, assistant professor at the Athens University and programme organiser for the eclipse, foreign missions from Italy, France, Holland and West Germany, totalling about

100 optical astronomers are coming to Greece for the eclipse. One American and one Italian mission of radio astronomers, as well as hundreds of amateur astronomers, will also be in Greece. Professor M. Anastassiades, of the physics department of Athens University, said that the Greek Government has made a grant of about £71,400 to the Athens Observatory mission towards its expenses in connexion with the eclipse. The funds have been used to set up two vertical ionospheric sounders, three satellite tracking centres and to complete the observatory's meteorological network. An electronic computer has also been bought to process the data obtained from the eclipse. Given Telescope The Greek mission has obtained one of the world's best solar telescopes. Built in New Jersey at a cost of £30,350, it has been offered to Greece by the United States Air Force Cambridge research laboratory, of Massachusetts, which paid £25,000 towards the cost, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation which put up the other £5350. After the eclipse, which it will follow from Lagonissi, 30 miles south-east of Athens, the telescope will be permanently installed at the Athens Observatory.

Using this powerful telescope, the Athens observatory’s own' telescope, and a variety of radio equipment set up at 15 points along the path of the eclipse, astronomers hope to be able to study the dimensions of the small and fine structures of the sun’s chromosphere. Measuring the sun’s chromosphere, the middle layer of solar atmosphere between the photosphere and the corona, helps among other things the study of the sun’s explosions, commonly known as flares. These flares have geophysical effects such as telecommunications disturbances.

According to Professor D. Illias, of the lonospheric Institute, the Goddart Flight Centre of Space Administration is erecting concrete pads at Koroni, on the western prong of the Southern Peloponnese. From these seven American-made “Arkas” rockets will be fired on Friday. The rockets are designed to reach a height of 72 miles, to study X-ray and ultra violet solar radiation. These two rays of the sun are destroyed

by ozone when they enter the earth's atmosphere. Ozone is a form of oxygen which covers the earth's surface and acts as a protective cloak against those of the sun's rays which can destroy living tissues. Outside Karystos, at the southern tip of the Euboean Peninsula, engineers of the European Space Research Organisation are preparing to launch nine French-made “Centaur” space rockets to probe the lower ionosphere, the least known of the atmospheric layers. These rockets have a thrust of 88 miles. All these rockets will fall in the Aegean Sea and will not be recovered after they have completed their mission.