By MAZOE WESSELS

‘The last total. -solar_
é eclipse’ of this century
*.° for’ North Americans |
will: occur at 8:25 a.m.
“On. Februarf. 26. There...
will’ be. ‘none. ‘over: this
continent © after
until April 2024 A. D.

Depending on- "weather
conditions in Vancouver, we:
may be treated to viewing a
97.2% total eclipse. It will
begin at dawn in the North .
Pacific and énd at sunset
over’ Greenland. First
contact, the time when the
moon ‘lakes. “its - first. ob-.

Which marks . the’
start of totality, occurs at

3:13. a.m. and’ ends two

minutes and 15- seconds .

.- later. The final “bite” occurs
at 9: 23 a.m: :

An impressive preliminary
is the visible approach of the
moon’s shadow, which

. appears like a dense storm

cloud advancing from the
west. During the half hour
before: totality, birds go to
roost, flowers close: their
blooms and because of ‘the
lower temperatures, dew or
frost may form. A few.
minutes before totality,
_ghostly shadow bands ap-
‘., pear to ripple across white
_ ‘surfaces. The sky darkens
.. and the stars become visible.

In reality, the sun is some
: ‘times larger than the
“. moon in diameter, but it is
“ also 400 times farther away.
In times of direct line-up the. .
‘ moon will precisely block”
out the light ‘of the sun for a
total eclipse. The sun's outer
atmosphere: or
becomes visible as a halo of

pearly light around the black |
. disc of the moon. It is often a

| Chess
tourney
for young
and old

From now until May 26
residents. of the North Shore. ,
will ave an opportunity to
polis! mp their chess game

fo a_ pring tou-nament at

Noth Vancolver City.

rors iry. Wery Saturday

200 to 5:00, Gwen

trol A a skilled organizer,

guides chess players of all

‘ages. Beginners are
welcome.

The library will crown
three champions on May 26:
one from an adult category,
one from junior (born after
Sept. 29), and one from the
under-12 category. The only
prerequisite is that players
must attend 70% of the
Saturday sessions intil the
play-offs.

Weiman insists that one
does not have to be Il or 12
to be capable of learning the
game. She says she has seen
children at six pick it up with
no formal chess lessons.
Weiman said she will hel
you find a partner, whether
you are six or over sixty,
neat Saturday at North
Vancouver City Library. For
more information call 906-

(92 after 6:00 p.m.

that ©

corona .

latch out for eclipse

twisted into fantastic shapes

by raging magnetic storms
beneath. the sun's surface. .

There :is: extreme’ danger

“of eye damage during total ~

and partial solar eclipses.

eons

”

AA ar nmi Rite AE pe RF EF GENS STi Maar maT:

eyes no matter how thin the

crescent of sunlight may be.. .

‘Staring at the sun as.the
moon begins to. Sross its
surface can-. cause

a "retinopathy. in’ jess. than a
~ minute without any pain.

‘DETAILS OF THE Sun’ 's corona a during total eclipse -
billed as the greatest light show left this century.

It is possible to view the
eclipse, but do not loox
directly at the sun, not even
‘through smoked glass,
several layers of exposed
film, sunglasses or welder’s

' filters. You will damage your -

fe
i

684-4137

Canada’s largest
formal wear
specialists.

** This offer
valid only at the
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The injury occurs because
the eye’s lens acts as a
magnifying glass con-
centrating the sun’s rays,
burning the retina and
causing partial or total loss
of sight. Damage is per-
manent in most cases. -

‘to put

the event.
designed to be held in the
_ hand, is constructed of
‘cardboard and _ contains

’ Skreen”~
_ Viewers may be purchased
- for $1 through the gift shop
». at the Planetarium. .- Bulk

___ Brown,

It _ possible to

“photograph the ‘eclipse, but” '

it requires 2 sheets of mylar —
over the
(Alumipized mylar is-a filter-
‘that cuts out harmful
radiation and will not blur
the image). Only then is it
safe to look through the lens..

More: specific information is
available, from the H.R.
-MaeMillan Planetarium.

Society of Canada has
produced a safe, simple
eclipse viewer~' to assist
persons who wish to watch
The viewer,

“Solar
These

sheets of’
material.

three -

orders for schools. are

available.

You can safely construct

“your own pinhole solar

viewer with a shoebox as
illustrated. But the best box
of all, according to Dr. Roy

‘Canadian - ‘Association | of

- Optometrists, is the one in
the living room: “I'd strongly .

recommend that all young
children or unsupervised
ones, as well as adults who
are not sure about ' safe
viewing, simply watch the
eclipse on TV.”

In rainy Vancouver, we
may have no choice!

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your wedding apparel order is for at least 3 persons, we'll give
you 60% off the groom's rental charge. And if your wedding
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Why 60%? Because 1979 marks our 60th anniversary in busi-
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Stop in at Classy and choose from our Collection of the very
* — latest‘in formal fashions.
Place your order along with
a small deposit. Then pick
up your formal one day
before the wedding, anytime
this year. But hurry. In order
to qualify for this fantastic
offer, your order must be
in by March 10, 1979.

‘lens, |

The Vancouver Centre of
the Royal Astronomical :

.president,_of the © |

Tare A PIECE: ~OF ALUM)
Foi TO CoVER THe
Pur - A PIN HOLE = THROU ‘

TAKE AN ORDINARY SH¥ SHoE |
ROX. (OR BUILD

Bex Ce ONE METRE tue)
PUNCH . A HOLE .- ;

> THRE ‘OR Gui A WH

To view SUN .. POINT PINdoLe TOWRA:
Sun AND LooK INSIDE “THE Box, TH
PINHOLE WILL FORM AN IMAGE -6)
The Sun wHICH CAN BE viewed Winio
DANGER “TO Your Gye sie
be NOT TRY Lookin
gttRoucn “HE Pinole ff
OF

PERMANENTLY BLINDING
. MYOouRSEF,.

1e THE IMAGE tS."TOO SMALL.

N&ED A LONGER Box. IF THE

. IMAGE 1S TOO “FAINT, MAKe THE HOLE

WITH A NAIL. KeeP Hove Round. OR IMAGE Gers