SOLAR ECLIPSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22775, 8 July 1937, Page 13

SOLAR ECLIPSE

DOMINION EXPEDITION

WORK ON CANTON ISLAND SUCCESSFUL OBSERVATIONS Exceptional success attended the efforts of the New Zealand solar eclipse expedition to Canton Island, according to .Mi - . C. B. Michie, of Kaitaia, leader of the party, who arrived at Auckland from Wellington yesterday 011 his way hack to the North. Mr. Michie said it would probably be some months before all the scientific results of the investigations were available, but the work of the expedition had been carried out without a hitch.

In addition to Mr. Michie, the party comprised Mr. 1. L. Thomson, of Wellington, Major G. W. Buddie, of Auckland, Mr. M. Geddes, of Southland, Mr. F. Gawith, of Kltham, and Messrs. W. F. Berry, W. Hose and K. P. Alton, of Kaitaia. They left Auckland for Suva in May and travelled from Suva to Canton Island, in the Phoenix Group, in the Imperial sloop Wellington. commanded by Commander G. X. Loriston-Clarke. The party spent 12 days ashore on Canton Island, while the Wellington stood by, and finally the sloop conveyed the scientists to Apia, where they joined the Government motor-vessel Maui Pomaro 011 their return to New Zealand. Early Preparations

As soon as the party landed on Canton Island, Mr. Michie said, its members were busily engaged in pitching camp. "It seems almost flattery to call the place an island," he continued. "It is merely a fringe of coral reef, encircling a large lagoon. Apart from a few coconut palms, there is not a vestige of shade and we had to live under canvas."

Once the camp was pitched, Mr. Michie said, members of the party were kept busy for days preparing the concrete foundations and timber standards to support the various scientific instruments. Driving clocks had to be regulated and cameras focussed, and there was only just sufficient time to get everything in order before .Tune 8, the date of the eclipse. At the same time, a party of eight American scientists, with about 14 assistants, were also engaged on their preparations. Useful Guide for Future The total phase of the eclipse occurred a few minutes before eight o'clock on the morning of June 8, Mr. Michie continued. The weather was perfect and there was general agreement that the corona was one of the most magnificent observed during recent years. Numerous photographs were taken and in addition visual measurements of the corona streamers were made by means of a long tubular device, tho use of which was considered an entirely new development. An excellent sketch of the eclipse, made by Major Buddie, had proved most valuable for purposes of comparison. "The expedition has returned with a varied and valuable set of solar eclipse records," Mr. Michie added. "The work, of course, is more academic than practical in its results, but this year's records should be a useful guide for future observations." Firewood From Wreck

Mr. Michie mentioned that Major Buddie had collected a wide variety of specimens of bird life for museums in the Dominion.

"While we were on the island we lived mainly on tinned food," Mr Michie said, "and water was supplied to us from the Wellington. We had no difficulty about firing as we were able to obtain wood from the wreck of an old ship, the Howard de Troop, which wont ashore on the island about •10 years ago."

Mr. Michie paid a tribute to the assistance which the expedition had received from Commander LoristonClarke and the officers and men of H.M.S. Wellington.