ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1929, Page 7

ECLIPSE OF THE SUN

PLANS FOR OBSERVATION NEXT YEAR. TRANSPORT DIFFICULTIES. WELLINGTON. Dec. 2. During the annual meeting of the Astronomical Society of New Zealand on Friday night the coming eclipse of the sun in October, IflA.f), came in for considerable discussion. This eclipse, which takes place on October 22 next year, will be observed from the island of Ninafou in the Pacific. Dr Adams stated that all the initial calculations had been made regarding tin* eclipse by t-ho computing section of tbe society. Thanks to the assistance of H.M.S. Veronica-, the exact position of a suitable site for observation bad been selected. It was interesting to note that these new observations place the island some one and a-half miles from its present position in the charts, which was based on a,n old observation made in 1875. The position from which the eclin.se will be observed, lies some 600 yards from tbe landing-place, and is marked by a broad arrow on a blackflat rock. Tbe exact position of tho site is lodeg. 32min. 4sec. south latitude. 1 Todecr. 37min. 54sco. west longitude. So far as the- ('elipse expedition was concerned Niuafon had moved one and a-half miles nearer tho centre of totality, giving an additional three seconds in which to make important observations and take tlie necessary photographs of the corona. It is understood that after careful consideration the New Zealand Government recently accepted the offer of the Astronomer Royal, Greenwich, for tho loan of necessary instruments. The fundamental instruments, a coronagraph and a coclostat, will lie packed forthwith and transported to New Zealand on the next available vessel.

STRENGTH OF OBSERVER PARTY A staff of at least eight will he required to assist Dr Adams, Government Astronomer, in the observations during the eclipse. A long discussion arose as to the best method of reaching this somewhat inaccessible island. The norma 1 steamer programme would make it necessary for the party to leave Auckland on September 6 to observe the eclipse on October 22, and leave again for New Zealand on November 15. 'Phe round trip under these conditions would fake over two months and would cost for fares alone £45 a head. A letter from Mr 0. S. Ramsay, of Niuafou, giving weather conditions for the month of October this year showed that landing conditions are for the most part somewhat difficult. However, between the hours of 8 a.m. and mid-day something like 23 days out of the 31 are fine and clear. Furthermore, he offered to find accommodation for the party. It whs thought that an interval of two months for the round trip was far too long. It was obviously impossible to settle details regarding the party to bo selected or the programme to ho undertaken until if was known how the transport problem was to be effected. USE OF WARSHIP,

After a lengthy discussion it was decided to approach the Government to see if it would not be possible for a warship ,to fit in its 1930 programme so as to Ibe. able to transport tlia party to and from the island. This would not only save considerable time, but would save the delicate and expensive instruments, for which the New Zealand Government have made themselves responsible, from risk of breakage in transhipiment at Fiji. Several members pointed out ■ that there were numerous precedents for such a method, starting, in fact, with Oantain Cook himself in his first expedition to these parts.