TOTAL ECLIPSE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 145, 20 June 1936, Page 9

TOTAL ECLIPSE

OBSERVATIONS OF SUN MEDITERRANEAN TO JAPAN } EXCELLENT RESULTS United Tress Association—By Elcctrie Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, June 19. In a chain of stations from the Mediterranean to Japan, scientists and exj plorers, equipped with giant telescopes, j aeroplanes, and the latest scientific ina struments, watched the total eclipse of the sun. Reports from Russia dea scribe the spectacle as magnificent, 3 clouds dispersing at the last minute. Professor Carroll, leader of the Bri- ] tish expedition at Omsk, reports exe cellent results, although transparent i clouds obscured the view intermittenti ly. •, The eclipse lasted 2 minutes 16 sec--3 onds. As daylight faded grass and leaves lost their colour under a sun i which looked like a thin siqkle. Then t the last ray was extinguished, thick darkness and heavy shadows rushing 3 over the earth and enveloping the scientists, whose eyes were close to ; the telescopes and instruments. After / tense minutes light broke out from the r edge of the sun, the shadow and gloom were rapidly dispersed, and daylight returned. t ALMOST PERFECT CONDITIONS. ' Professor Carroll, broadcasting, said: 1 "The conditions could hardly have been ' bettered. We hope the photographic J plates will show all we expect." The Harvard University expedition at Akbulak had good conditions. As 1 the sun became obscured the sky ; became a very deep blue and stars : and planets were visible close to the sun. j Members of the Harvard expedition state that the corona was very clear, , silver white in colour, and in the shape of a five-pointed star. The , corona appeared to be . twice the ; diameter of the sun. j Some of the Soviet expeditions reI port interference by clouds. It is esti- „ mated that a shadow 82 miles wide , crossed 4471 miles of Soviet territory in 2 hours 13 minutes. Forty expeditions from many nations were in the path, some using aeroplanes four miles up in the clearer atmosphere and sending up balloons for six miles. DEATH OF SUPERSTITION. At Istanbul, for the first time on re l cord, there was no shooting by the superstitious populace at the eclipse.! Previously there has been a widespread belief that an eclipse is due to a dragon devouring the sun and it has been customary to shoot in order to frighten the monster. Although the I superstition has died, anxiety was still the lower classes fearing a sinister portent. The eclipse lasted 1 hour 53 minutes, and the totality for 80 seconds. Early workers in London saw the partial eclipse in perfect conditions, one-quarter of the sun being obscured. DISAPPOINTMENT IN JAPAN. Half a minute before the eclipse clouds marred the British expedition's observations at Kamishari, North Hokkaido, their disappointment being shared by the Australian, Indian, and American parties located in this small village, where six weeks had been spent in mounting twelve tons of instruments. It is estimated that 160 other scientists elsewhere on the island had perfect observations, some using aeroplanes. The totality 'lasted for 1 minute 53 seconds. A commentary from Hokkaido was broadcast throughout Japan. At Athens a thousand people went to the countryside to watch the eclipse in beautiful weather. British, Greek, Polish, and Italian scientists had splendid results.