THE SOME ECLIPSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18207, 28 September 1922, Page 9

THE SOME ECLIPSE.

A SUPERB SPECTACLE. AUSTRALIAN OBSERVATION. SCIENTISTS' SUCCESSFUL WORK. [FBOM our own cohhespondxnt.] SYDNEY. Sept. 22. Yesterday the most majestic pageant of nature was presented, and the numerous parties of scientific observers were fortunate enoueh to witness the solar eclipse under ideal conditions. All Australia saw the eclipse, but the path of totality was only 100 miles wide; and those within that area, who beheld th© spectacle, describe it as one of incomparable and impressive grandeur. It is doubtful, many observers have stated, if the effect will ever quite pass away from their minds, so startling was the nearness to the gigantic forces of nature.

A good account of the total eclipse was telegraphed from Stanthorpe, Queensland, '.o the Sydnev Morning Herald. The eclipse, it statei;, was viewed by the Stanthorpe expedition under the most perfect conditions possible, the clear sky and brilliant lighting reported earlier being maintained. Throughout the whole sequence of wonderful phenomena was watched by astronomers and private observers alike with breathless, almost reverent, interest. The first contact was announced at 3.7.40, a few seconds later than the predicted time, which may be accounted for by the lack of larger optical instruments. Just afterwards the little indentation made by the moon was plainly seen with darkened glasses. The moon appeared to be biting into the base of the sun's disc a little to the left-hand side. All eyes were then for a space fixed to the curious spectacle of the darkened orb of the moon as it cut out a beautifully and gradually increasing segment of the circle. At 3.20, after tbe first contact, the advancing black edge of the moon had nearly reached the sun spot, and gave the appearance of & perfectly chiselled oval cut out of a yellow ball. Then, watched through a 4in. telescope, the little notch on the edge of the moon, really one of the lunar ranges, seemed to swallow at a gulp {be lone sun spot. That occurred at 3.24, and then no diminution in the light was noticeable. The fitfulness of the breeze was still apparent. A little later when half of the sun's disc was blotted out there was noticed the first reduction in the light, and shadows, appearing like images of the half-covered sun, were seen in the light filtered through branches of trees upon the ground. It was curious to watch the changing shape of the illuminated image on the ground glass of the cameras, ft was then, as the light perceptibly faded, that someone called attention to the crowing of cocks in the backyards of Stanthorpe. A Weird Sensation.

The information was greeted with incredulous laughter, but a few minuteii later the regular chorus that arose from all points made it cltar that the feathered tribe was alive to the gathering gloom. The sky still remained clear, with total absence of clouds, except for one or two little wisps low down on the western horizon. At 10 minutes to four the brilliant lighting on the far hills began to fade, and faces about one took on rather a ghastly shade. Five minutes later the diminution of light seemed to be accelerated, and objects about the hill appeared in a pale, unnatural light quite different to any illumination that one remembered, The weird sensation oi the paling of the light on the face of the earth reacted on the nerves and made one curiously rustless and uneasy. The air, too, at this time, a few minutes before totality, became strangely chill. The iron roofs of houses of Stanthorpe in the immediate foreground had long lost their brilliance, and were now of a dull orange tinge. When four o'clock arrived the landscape was fast losing its illumination, and from crag to crag of the granite hills there was the same strange yellowish light and near-by shadows were of an unearthly hue. At three minutes past four the big gong Bounded the warning to observers that only 10 minutes remained before the second contact or totality. The onward march of the moon had already eaten a bigger 1 slice out of the brilliant disc, until■ now a few minutes before totality the great orb assumed the shape of a beautiful crescent, resting on its pointed horns. While it lasted it presented a very beautitul appearance, and glorious Venus shone brilliantly high in the sky. The darkness now, although not blotting out the landscape, and ample for moving about and adjusting cameras, was of a most, peculiar quality. With four minutes to go before totality the hill and surrounding country seemed to be wrapped in moonlight, and «s minutes were beaten on the gong, the western landscape was overwhelmed by the ominous darkness, although looking eastward the hills were silhouetted fairly sharply against a comparatively bright sky. The wind rose sharply near the instant of totality, but never blew with the velocity of an hour or two earlier. Then the great moment arrived, and all was hushed in expectation. The great shadow of the moon seemed for an instant to be suspended below the western sky and then swept instantaneously outwards, enveloping the earth in its dark wings. The curious shadow bands were seen by sharp observers passing rapidly on the light coloured rocks and white sheets spread for the purpose. They were described as resembling telephone wires running along the surface and disappearing as quickly as they came. At the moment of totality there appeared to be ai flash which denoted the changing of the black absorption lines of the spectrum into the bright colours at the edge of the sun's disc. This is called the flash spectrum, and cameras were snapped on the instant. Superb Corona.

Then the most superb spectacle—the culmination of the whole tremendous celestial pageant —flashed out. The streamers of the corona rushed outward in all their glory from the upper and lower edtres of the dark disc, and their pearly radiance made an impression of magnificence on the grandest scale imaginableThe streamers appeared to radiate to a distance of nearly twice the diameter of the sun, but -*-cre not observable to either side which would represent the polesThis is the usual observed disposition of the corona at such an eclipse. There were no prominences seen, although some curious formations not unlike Baily's Beads, were reported by several observers. The great flaming corona made a huge torch in the western sky, but above were plainly visible the planets Jupiter and Mercury, and the star Spica. Through all was deathlike silence, although on the hill's summit photographers worked at hich speed, exposing their plates to the luminous streamers on the le f t hand side of the coronal streamers. Flashing out from the top of the darkened sun was one of great length and bent outwards like the curved petal of a flower. The flaming corona would probably represent hundreds of thousands of miles in height. The brilliance of the spectacle was maintained in its maximum grandeur until the end. The only regret one had was that the fleetinsr seconds rung out by the hammer of _ the swinging gong passed all too quickly. When one stood amazed at the gorgeous pyrotechnic display provided by the good offices of our satellite in harmony with the sun and waited for more, suddenly a wonderfully brilliant sheet of lisht cut throueh the darkened edge of the moon. Then one heard, as in a dream, a voice alongside exclaim, "It's all over." It was true enough; the radiance of the corona was no more, and instead the first streak of sunlight flashed from under the moon.