ECLIPSE PARTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18673, 30 September 1922, Page 17

ECLIPSE PARTIES

PILGRIMAGE TO WALLAL. ' TRANS-AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL. AN INTERESTING JOURNEY. No. I. Written for the Otago Daily Times. By Dr C. E. Adams. Government Astronomer. WALLAL, September 5. '■ The total solar eclipse of September 21, 1922, is an event of very considerable importance, so much 'so that extensive ar-rangcme-nts have been made by the British Government and other authorities for observing it. along the path of totality. The path crosses the Maidive and Christmas Islands -in ihe Indian Ocean, enters Australia near Wallal, on the north-west coast, and leaves Australia near Ballina, south of Brisbane. The eclipse ends near Norfolk Island, so that no part of the total phase will be visible in New Zealand. Some of the partial phase will, however, be visible near sunset in New Zealand. There are certain parts of the sun and of its immediate surroundings that, can only be studied during a total solar eclipse, when the moon comes directly between the sun and the earth, and in this way acts as a screen to cut off the direct light of the sun. At this eclipse special attention is to bo given to the Einstein problem, to test whether the sun exerts any influence on the rays of light from, the] stars to the earth. Usually the track of the shadow (about 130 miles wide at this eclipse) does not pass over the fixed observatories, so that it thus becomes necessary to establish temporary observatories on the shadow track in the best positions. A large responsibility rests with the directors of the expeditions in tho selection of the sites for observation. It is desirable to he, as near to the centre of tho shadow track as possible, so that the duration of tho total phase may be a maximum. But, above all, good weather, with a clear skv, is necessary. In this eclipse the British astronomers have selected Christmas Island, and for some months Mr and Mrs Spencer Jones and Mr Melotle, from tho Royal Observatory, Greenwich, have been established there, with an astrographic telescope and other equipment. OBSERVATIONS IN AUSTRALIA. The next expedition along the track is at Wallal (19deg 46min S. and 120 deg 41min E.); then comes, one from the Adelaide Observatory at Cordillo Downs, in South Australia, while the ' Melbourne and Sydney Observatories will have expeditions in Queensland. In addition to the official expeditions, many amateur astronomers will also observe the eclipse. The Wallal expedition comprises a number of separate parties: The Lick Observatory, the Toronto University, the Kodaikanal Observatory (India), and two amateur astronomers from England; and some three miles away the Perth Observatory party is established. Dr W. W. Campbell, the director of the Lick Observatory, University of California, is the leader of. the expedition:. With him are Mrs W. W. Campbell, Dr J. 11. Moore, astronomer, and D. R Trurnpler, associate astronomer of the Lick Observatory; Dr 0. E. Adams, (Government Astronomer of New Zealand; Mr Martin Kellogg, Fellow of the Lick Observatory; Mrs C. E. Adams; Professor A. D. Ross, of the Perth Observatory; and Mr Hosking,, from the Melbourne Observatorv. The Toronto party comprises Professor C. A. Chant, Mrs and Miss Chant, and Dr R. K, Young, of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory at Victoria,. B.C. The Kodaikanal party comprises Mr and Mrs J. Evershod. It will be. remembered that Mr and Mrs Evershed visited Nelson in 1913 to report to the late Mr Cawthron on the suitability of Nelson as the site of a solar observatory. Although <he, report was favourable, Mr Cawthron died before signing the trust deed to establish the observatory. The English amateurs (Mr Hargreaves and Mr Maxwell) are located at the main camp, while the Perth Observatory has a party of five some three miles distant. The transport and camp arrangements are in the hands of Lieutenant-commander H. L. Quick and, men of the Royal Australian Navy. The expedition is accompanied by two kinomatographers. 1 GREAT RAILWAY JOURNEY. To the Now Zealanders in the Tarty, the train journey from Sydney to Perth was full of interest. Tho trans-Australian train runs three times a iyeek between Brisbane and Perth. The journey from Brisbane to Port Augusta, in South Australia, is made on tho Queensland, New South Wales, Victorian, and South Australian State railways. The trans-Australian railway joins up tho State railways from Port Augusta to Kalgoorlio in Western Australia. This part of the railway system was constructed by and is owned and operated by the commonwealth of Australia. The gauge is 4ft B|in. It is 1051 miles in length, and nowhere does Tl cross a single permanent stream of water. The country, is practically level and the ruling gradient is one in 100. The railway crosses the Nullarbor Plain, and runs without a curve for 300 miles, which is probably a world’s record for a straight run. The traveller from New Zealand leaves Sydney on Sunday evening on the State railway of 4ft Biih gauge, and reaches Albany for breakfast next morning. Here a change into tho Victorian train of sft 3in is necessary. A good breakfast is obtainable at the railway station for, 2s. Melbourne is reached at noon. The country is gently undulating, and at this time of the year (August) >vas well watered, and appeared to carry a good quality of stock. The" train for Adelaide leaves Melbourne in the afternoon, and arrives at Adelaide on Tuesday morning. Here it is necessary to change trains and to leave almost immediately for Terowie, which is reached on Tuesday afternoon. This is the end of the Victorian and South Australian railways of sft 3in gauge. A change of'trains is made, and the journey continued on tho narrow gauge, 3ft 6in (this is the New Zealand gauge). About 10 p.m. Port Augusta is readied, and a further change into tho trans-Australian train is made, and the journey across the desert begins. The country gradually changes,, and becomes flatter and drier, and the green grass is replaced by desert grasses somewhat like the New Zealand tussock when seen from the train. The train runs very smoothly, and the two-berth sleeping compartments are of fair size and comfortable. The train is electrically lighted, and has a dining car, and a lounge and smoking car, _ and a shower bath. For the fust 400\ miles the country is similar to the South Australian neighbouring parts, then, a licit of sandhills is crossed for 60 miles, and suddenly the character of the plains completely changes as tho limestone country is entered. This extends for 450 miles, and joins the granite plateau, which resembles the goldfields country of Western Australia. The sandhill country at tho Port Augusta end is more varied in its surface than the other j sections. It is usually well timbered with black oak and myall, with some euoalypts, and is well grassed AN UNPARALLELED FEATURED Although no permanent streams of water are crossed, good water has been obtained along tho line. At Oolcloa, about 430 miles from Port Augusta, where the east-bound trairt passed, there is a soak about three j miles off the line. Here a permanent I supply of good water is found a few feet i below the surface. On other parts of the | line some of the water is salt. The Nul- ! larbor limestone plain has no known paral--1 lei on earth. The scanty and stunted vegetation on the sandstone plain disappears altogether along a sharply marked line, and there is not a tree, and only at long intervals a bush, throe or four feet high. The plain is not quite level, but slopes about one foot in a mile towards the east. The plants of this region are tho blue bush and the saltbush, which is the best of all native fodder plants. Grass conies in the spring, but is withered by the heat of summer. A few aborigines were seen at Ooldoa, and at some of the other stations. They were very dirty and squalid looking, fond lived on the scraps from the dining cars. They are becoming sufficiently civilised to demand payment from photographers who wish to take them. As Kalgoorlio is approached the vegetation gradually improves until quite largo trees are seen Much of the desert sahd is red, and the landscape takes its colour from it. Kalgporlie is the centre of an important mining district. It was reached on Thursday. Here the trnns-Australian train finishes its run, and after a. wait of some hours in Kalgoorlio the journey is continued in another train of sft 6in gauge. The contrast between tho trains is very marked, as the last train is very cramped. Perth is reached on Friday morning. Perth is pleasantly situated on the Swan River, and tho approach by railway is over undulating hills, thus somewhat resembling the approach to Adelaide.