ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 27 January 1923, Page 12

ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

CHRISTMAS ISLAND.

With a view to obtaining some information regarding work 1 which the German expedition had done on Christmas Island, a representative of the "Times of Ceylon", interviewed the leader of the party, Professor' Frcundlicha. He said trfct bad weather spoiled the object of tne expedition. ■ "We . were .able," the Professor said in reply to a question, "to obtain a few plates of the first seconds of the eclipse, but as the sun was only to be seen a few seconds and as clouds prevented any stars from being photographed, the expedition has not been the success.we wanted it to be. -As you are aware, we. were to get star images near the sun during the eclipse because we wanted to prove whether light ia propagated near the sun independent of the gravitation of the sun. We were able to prove the new method which we wanted to use during the eclipse and we were fortunate in obtaining a series of good plates of stars on a couple of nights prior to the eclipsej but during the eclipse itself heavy clouds prevented as from further work.'' In answer to a further question the Professor declared that he had been tackling the problem since 1914, but with no definite 'results. "In 1914 I went to South Eussia to observe the eclipse on 24th August, but I was taken prisoner of war by the Russians. We hope for better luck, on our next expedition, which is to take place in 1926. This time we shall go to Sumatra."

Kegardin.g instruments used on Christmas "Island, the Processor said "thaji the camera'they had waa the biggest used" by any expedition.