ECLIPSE OF SUNAT HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19677, 1 July 1927, Page 11

ECLIPSE OF SUNAT HOME.

SEEN AT GIGGLESWICK.

UTTER FAILURE ELSEWHERE,

GOOD PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright A. and N.Z. LONDON, Jane 29.

The solar eclipse this morning was perfectly seen in a cloudless sky at Giggleswick, Yorkshire. Tho corona made a most brilliant' spectacle. There were heavy clcuds and rain in London and most of the other parts of the country and hundreds of thousands of dreached sightseers saw nothing. The township of Giggleswick definitely goes down to history as the only spot in the totality belt, 30 miles wide across England, where the conditions were perfect.

Two minutes before the eclipse, when tho astronomers had given up hope, the clouds parted and the observers were given a practically perfect view. The Astronomer Royal. Sir Frank Dyson, and his party obtained splendid photographs with a 45ft. focus camera.

Sir Frank says the tota! eclipse lasted exactly the period predicted, but the actual beginning was three seconds late. Elsewhere, including London, it was a ghastly failure. Rain fell iu sheet-s nt many of the favoured observation posts,. Certainly England had not had such sin amazing event for years. It seemed a» though everybody had gathered on every available op«n space, trusting to luck, which deserted them. Giggleswick showed the whole country how to do things. It will now retire into its accustomed seclusion. WONDERFUL SIGHT. BRILLIANCY OF CORONA, ASTRONOMER ROYAL'S VIEW.

<British Official Wireless.) A. and. N.Z. EUGBY. Juna 'J3. The Astronomer Royal, Sir £ rank Dyson, who observed the solar eclipse from Giggleswick, states thai although it was short it equalled any he has seen. The corona was very bright and ha was able to see flames and the chromosphere, which is not generally visible. The photographs taken are said t-o be excellent, and some important recording was effected. The next eclipse is due to taka place in. North Siam in 1529.; The Astronomer Royal says he will send a party tc observe it. This; is the first total eclipse of the sun visible in the British Isles for over 200 years. In Newton's lifetime there were two rather near together—in 1715 and L 724. The eclipses of 1851 and 1858 were nearly total, but they wanted that "little more" which in this connection is not merely much bnt everything. If an eclipse of the tiiin is total, the wonderful c<irona can be seen—a sight never to be forgotten: if not quite total, it cannot. The next total eclipse visible in the Bri' «b Isles will not occur until 1999.