SOLAR ECLIPSE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 159, 7 June 1937, Page 7

SOLAR ECLIPSE

OBSERVERS NEARLY READY. WORK FOR WEDNESDAY. PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS. (United Press Association—By ElectricTelegraph.—Copyright.) Received June 7,- 9.20 a.m. SYDNEY, June 7. A radio message received on Sunday from members of the solar eclipse expedition at Canton Island states: — Eclipse drill was held again to-day and both parties are all preparing for eclipse day, Wednesday, June 9. All the American instruments are completed and the New Zealand coronagraph is ready; the 78-inch camera will be completed on Monday. Our observations indicate that two days in three are ideal for eclipse observations. To-day Messrs Buddie, Rose and Alton landed on the far side of the lagoon to study the birds, 'flic American Geographic Society’s photographer (Mr Stewart) has taken a complete record for the expedition l of the birds in movie and still photographs, and an artist (Air Bettinger) has recorded them on canvas. 'l’he New Zealanders dined with the Americans, when they took tho opportunity to compare progress and discuss problems of observations of the eclipse. Facing the Ingoou is the largest assembly of instruments ever erected to observe an* eclipse by the Americans. Mr Bettinger is painting the coronij and Mr Sanders is taking a movie of the whole eclipse. Navy teclmicians are making ionosphere investigations. Two radio stations three miles apart have been making observations and studying signals since the landing. PERIOD OF TOTALITY. PART OF THE ECLIPSE. The solar eclipse which will occur on Wednesday next is creating exceptional interest among scientific observers, as affording a possible opportunity for inspecting the sun’s nimbus or corona at considerable length. Totality lasts usually from a few seconds up to about seven minutes and a half, it cannot possibly last longer than this. The outstanding feature of the eclipse this week will be its ex- j, ceptioual length—seven minutes, four, seconds. It is 12 centuries since the occurrence of an eclipse which occupied that length of time in total phase. Needless to say, therefore, astronomers see in the event a rare opportunity for testing previous findings and 'perhaps making discoveries. Although the path of totality extends through the Pacific Ocean for 8800 miles, there are no land areas within it which can be used to advantage. Full totality can be seen only in mid-ocean, 1500 miles from land. The line of totality, however, strikes Enderbury and Canton Islands, in the Phoenix Group. On one of these are located two expedition parties, one from tho United Slates and the other from New Zealand. The members of the New Zealand party are Messrs C. B. Michie (Kaitaia), the leader, 1. L. Thomsen \ Wellington), M. Geddes (Winton), P. Alton (Kaitaia), W. Rose (Kaitaia), F. Gawith (Eltham), W. F. Berry (Kaitaia), and G. A. Buddie (Auckland).