FRANK P. BRACKETT '87 WRITES ECLIPSE EXPERIENCES

In the Pomona College Quarterly Magazine for October, 1923, appeared an article entitled "The Story of the Eclipse Expedition to the Isthmus on Santa Catalina Island," in which Professor Frank P. Brackett, Dartmouth '87, recounted the experiences of his party of observers who witnessed the total eclipse of the sun, September 10. "The Brackett family was well represented," says the writer, ".'Father Brackett,' teacher of science in St. Johnsbury Academy for twenty-five years, at the age of eighty-five, went over to observe his first eclipse, equipped with a spectroscope containing one of the original Rutherford gratings; Parkhurst, besides operating the quartz-lens telescopic camera, served as stock-keeper; and Mrs. Brackett was both color artist for the eclipse and matron of the camp. Frederick would also have been in the party but for his duties to his classes at Berkeley.

''Though too busy with the instruments to really see the eclipse properly, I remember distinctly glimpses of the crescent of the sun just before totality, which gave me a chance to find and focus it in the equatorial. For a few seconds the thin edge of the sun appeared through a rift in the clouds, and then it was gone. This was the second contact. Suddenly the chromosphere and a part of the corona stood out around the' jet black disc of the moon. Bright prominences were seen breaking the irregular outline of the corona. But thin clouds of a lower layer were continually flitting across the picture and cutting down the usual streamers, probably dimming to a large extent also the delicate coloring sometimes seen. The darkness, of night was all about us and a chill was in the air. Others saw the dark blue outline of the island silhouetted against a golden glow, where a gleam of light crept in from outside the shadow cone. Then of a sudden the dazzling bright edge of the sun flashed out from behind the other limb of the moon, as 'third contact' occurred."

Editorially the Quarterly Magazine says of the expedition headed by Professor Brackett, "Those who were privileged to have even a small part in the expedition will never forget the spirit in which Professor Brackett met every disappointment and discouragement. When financial support failed almost at the time of leaving for the Isthmus he went ahead. . . . This faith and courage was rewarded by a set of photographs as good as any obtained in the United States. This success was due to the victory of a courageous spirit over great obstacles."