The Solar Eclipse of June 29Source: The Scientific Monthly, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jul., 1927), pp. 87-88Published by: American Association for the Advancement of ScienceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/7851 .

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THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE EDITED BY DR,. EDWIN E. SLOSSON

Director of Science Service

THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF JUNE 29

PEOPLE in England and Norway now have the opportunity o-f seeing the same rare phenomenon that was afforded to residents of the northeastern United States in January, 1925. Early on the morning of June 29, the shadow of the moon will sweep across England, the North Sea and the Scandinavian Penin- sula, and people in this narrow strip will see the sun's disc obscured, while around it will shine the magnificent corona. That is, they will see it if the weather is clear, for there is only one chance in three that it will not be cloudy in En- g] and at the time.

P,ut despite the probably poor weather conditions in England, no recent astro- nomical event has attracted so much popular interest. The last chances that Britishers had to observe eclipses were on May 2, 1715, and May 22, 1724. Both of these were observed by the great astronomer IHalley, who is known to us as the discoverer of the periodic char- acter of Halley's comet. Evidently there was some fear that the people of England would be unduly alarmed over the eclipse, for in a public announce- ment about it Halley said: " The like Eclipse having not for many ages been seen in the Southern Parts of Great Britain, I thought it not improper to give the Publik an account thereof, that the sudden darkness, wherein the Stars will be visible about the Sun, may give no surprize to the People, who would, if unadvertized, be apt to look upon it as ominous, and to interpret it as por- 1endiiL evill to our Sovereign Lord King

George and his Government, which God preserve. "

That eclipse of 1715 was visible from London and fortunately clear weather enabled Halley to observe it. Evidently he was very much impressed with the strangeness, of the occasion, for he wrote afterw\Nards of the "chill and damp with which the darkness of the Eclipse was attended, of which most Spectators, were sensible and equally Judges, " and the "Concern that appear'd in all Sorts of Animals, Birds, Beasts and Fishes upon the Extinction of the Sun, since our- selves could not behold it without some sense of Horror."

The eclipse of 1724 was also observed by Halley, but since then England has not been favored with an eclipse until this year. If clouds prevent observa- tions this month, British astronomers will have a long wait ahead of them for the next eclipse, because it occurs on August 11, 1999. Then it will just touch the southwestern tip of Cornwall.

Norway seems about the best location, and that is where many of the astrono- mers who want to observe it are locating their instruments. Of course the En- glish astronomers are making every preparation to watch it, in the hope that it will be clear, but Professor Samuel A. Mitchell, of the Universily of Virginia, who will head the only American expedition, has gone to Fag- ernes, in Norway. With him is Dr. Ilarlan T. Stetsoni, of Harvard Uni- versitv.

87

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88 THE SCIENTIFIC MONTHLY

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ERWIN F. SMITH OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, IN WHOSE DEATE AMERICA HAS LOST ITS

MOST DISTINGUISHED PL.SNT PATHOLOGIST

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