THE ECLIPSE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 239, 22 September 1922, Page 4

THE ECLIPSE.

IN PERFECT’ WEATHER. SCIENTISTS’ SUCCESSFUL OBSERVATION. Wellington, Sept. 22. Mr. Hislop. Under-ecretary of Internal Affairs, has received a cablegram from Wallal that the eclipse was observed in perfect weather by Professor Adams. Government astronomer. OBSERVED LN SYDNEY. Sydney, Sept. 21. The eclipse was witnessed in Sydney in almost perfectly clear weather. A few minutes after four o’clock, when the greatest phase occurred, only 14 per cent, of the sun’s disc being visible, the effect was as of the sun being obscured by heavy clouds. It became necessary to use lights in many business places but the darkness quickly lifted. For over an hour crowds thronged the parks and streets, gazing at the sky through various devices, the vendors of which did a thriving trade, and the roofs of the city buildings were covered with people similarly engaged. Late advices from the totality zone and northern centres stated that there was every indication that the eclipse would be viewed in cloudless and windy weather. Great crowds were arriving by special trains from all parts of the State. CLEAR SKIES GENERAL IN NEW ZEALAND. Wellington, Sept. 21. The solar eclipse was distinctly visible here to-day. The first sign was about 4.40 p.m. The shadow passed diagonally across the lower rim of the sun west to east. The greatest phase was at 5.15 p.m., when about two-fifths of the surface of the sun was obscured. Little change was noticeable for 17 minutes, but after 5.34 the shadow* passed rapidly away. The eclipse was also observed under very favourable conditions at Wanganui. Many people took advantage of the big telescope at the Observatory. Mr. J. T. Ward, the director, had calculated the time at which the shadow would cross a sun spot and was less than half a minute out. NAPIER AND HASTINGS UNFORTUNATE. SETTING SUN OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. While a bank of clouds low down on the western horizon obscured the view of the eclipse from would-be observers in Napier and Hastings, the residents of the hills at Havelock were more fortunate in being able to observe it above the clouds.