A RARE PHENOMENON.

Otaki Mail, 16 January 1922, Page 4

A RARE PHENOMENON.

j TOTAL ECLIPSE OF- THE SUN. : Sydney, December 14. i The first total eclipse of the sun j visible in Australia since the earliest ' settlement in the continent will take place on September 21, 1923. ~ j South Australian Government 1 Astronomer (Mr Dodwell) points to the important field for investigations, i and the beauty and rarity of' the j phenomenon. The total eclipse gives a possibility for testing Einstein's genj eral theory of relativity, which has ' revolutionised the ideas of scientific men, regarding the nature of space i and time. One aspect deals with tih* action of gravity on a beam ol light, and shows that rays of light, are at- ' tracted in common with material bodies towards a heavy gravitating body, and, that to a definite degree which may be predicted. This prediction can be tested during the total eclipse of the sun, and then only. Mr Dodwell points out that Wallal, on the Western Australian coast, has the clearest skies and lowest rainfall, as well as the longest duration of totality, but the possibility of a thin veil of cirrus cloud, which not infrequently, occurs, must not be overlooked. This would prevent photo-, graphic observations of stars near the Bun at the time of the eclipse. Christmas Island has been provisionally selected by the British Expedition for observation purposes, but it has only a short duration of totality, and a heavy and variable rainfall. A map k prepared by Mr Dodwell shows the line of totality passing through Cor- , liddo Downs, in South Australia, and the Lord Mayor of Adelaide has urged, in view of the weather conditions in the Far North, that an effort should be made to induce the British expedij tion to visit the South Australian sta- ' tion, instead of Christmas Island.