THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18927, 27 January 1925, Page 9

THE SOLAR ECLIPSE.

OBSERVERS IN ENGLAND. GREAT INTEREST CREATED. FEATURES Or PHENOMENON. By Telecraph—Press Association—Copyright;. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Jan. 25. The eclipse of the sun yesterday created great interest throughout the country. It was preceded in Southern England by a brilliant, sunny morning. The eclipse began at 3 p.m., and had not 'been completed when the sun set. The progress of the eclipse was easily observed by means of smoked glass, and was witnessed by large crowd;", in all the public parks. After the ei,rly stages light clouds rendered viewing apparatus unnecessary. At later stages the light was similar to that of early dawn. Birds accepted the eclipse as normal twilight and went to their nests. The cattle lay down in the fields. One observer says that Hertfordshire villagers regarded the appearance of thunder clouds on the horizon as being due to the eclipse. Australian blacks had exactly the same idea when the last eclipse was studied in Western Australia. At Greenwich Observatory it was impossible to make any observation of the eclipse which might have been of scientific value, owing to obscuring clouds. The English Broadcasting Company sent out a programme of music before, during, and after the eclipse, in order to test the effects of light and darkness upon wireless waves. Mr. J. Partridge, an amateur, who carried out tests at Wimbledon, says that immediately after the eclipse he heard Mosul and 3BA, Melbourne. The latter announced that it had maintained touch with both America and England simultaneously. Another amateur also heard Mosul and Melbourne. This is the first time either of these stations has been heard in England prior to 7 p.m..