SECRET OF THE ATOM

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1929, Page 5

SECRET OF THE ATOM

STUDY OF SUN’S ECLIPSE. LONDON, November 10. Will the secret of the atom be revealed in the Justnesses of the jungle- 1 11 the liojies ol four British aslronom ers, who are now preparing an expedition to the -Malay Peninsula-, to study the total eclipse ol the sun on May D, are fulfilled, a clue at least may he obtained, lor while living the life of huslilueu the astronomers intend to attempt to measure the temperatures and pres slices of the gases around the sun, which cannot be reproduced in any laboratory. The four scientists, who have been appointed bv the joint permanent committee of the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society, are Dr J. Jackson, and Mr P. J. M,clot to, of Greenwich and Colonel F. J. M. Stratton and Dr Carroll, of Cambridge. 'Hie belt of totality—the band of earth along which the full eclipse is visible will stretch across the north of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, the soul hern portion of Inilo-Cliina and the Philippine Islands to end in the Pacific. Dr Jackson and Dr Carroll (of the Solar Physics Laboratory, Cambridge) will make their headquarters at Alor Star, in the Malay State, of Kedah, on the western side of the peninsula. Colonel Stratton and Mr Melotte will camp near Patani in Siam. At the eclipse in 1927 in England the astronomers worked in mackintoshes. This time sun-helmets and shorts will he the order of the day. They only had twenty-four seconds in which to make their observations. This time they will have close on fivo minutes. It is probable that the King oil Siam will visit tin* astronomers. Dr. Carroll and Colonel Stratton will carry out the spectroscopic observations which it is hoped may assist scientists to understand something of the constitution of the atom. Dr. Jackson and Mr. Melotte will attempt to reaffirm Einstein’s theory of relativity by what is known as the astronmical test.

“ Einstein,” explains Mr. Melotte, “ formulated three tests by which human beings could affirm his theory of a fourth dimension. The first test was to prove that a ray of light would be diverted from''its course if it passed close to the sun. According to this theory we do not see the • stars —wo see only the light from them. Therefore, while the eclipse is in progress we shall take a photograph of the field of stars behind the sun, and immediately afterwards take another exposure on the same plate of a field of stars some distance away. This will give us a scale to work by.

“ Three months later, when the sun is out oT the way, we shall take two more exposures. A comparison of tho two plates will prove to us the exact position of the stars in relation to light which appears to he the stars.” The photographs will bo taken on 15inch plates by Dr Jackson with his 21foot telescope, which lias an aperture of seven inches.