PHENOMENA of the Sky. What is called an annular or ring, like an eclipse of the sun, will occur on the morning of the 30th of July. It will commence at two minutes past eleven. Nearly 94 per cent of the sun’s disc will be covered by the dark body of the moon.
To persons living on a slightly curved line extending down from the head of Spencer Gulf in South Australia down through the neighbourhood of Hopetoun and Colac in Victoria, crossing Bass Strait, near the Eastern end of King Island to Davenport and Hobart in Tasmania, it should be a splendid sight if the day is clear.
To persons living a little east and west of this line it will appear as a partial eclipse. Had the moon been a little closer the earth, we would have had a total solar eclipse, one of the grandest and most impressive sights to be seen in nature. At the time of the eclipse the moon will be about 251,300 miles from the earth, which is very nearly her maximum distance.
Owing to this the moon’s shadow will not reach the earth, but will fall short of its centre by approximately 16,300 miles. Accurate measurements have shown that the diameter of the moon is 2,170 miles, the diameter of the earth being 7,912 miles, and it follows that the earth is as large as 49 moons.
It has been determined by careful watching that the moon travels at about three-fifths of a mile each second and is kept in her orbit by the attraction of the earth, just as the earth is held in its orbit by the attraction of the sun. The earth travels round the sun at a velocity of 181 miles a second. Were this centrifugal force to be destroyed, she would begin to fall towards the earth and in four days twenty-one hours she would crash into the earth when travelling at about seven miles a second.
It is thought by some that the moon originally became detached from the earth from where the Pacific Ocean now is. No traces of air or water have been discovered on her surface, which has a very rugged and broken appearance. Huge craters can be distinctly seen through a telescope, also mountains and plains. No traces of animal or vegetable life have been detected, and it is believed that not withstanding her beauty, she travels through space a dead world.
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THE many friends of Mr John E. Jones, Shire Secretary, will regret to hear that he is still confined to his room with a severe attack of influenza.
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A MEETING of committee and stall holders of the Mechanics Institute Allies’ Fair will be held on Tuesday next, 18th inst, at 3 p,m., at the Institute. Stall holders and assistants are specially requested to be present.
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THE annual meeting of the Frankston Branch of the Red Cross will be held in the Mechanics Institute on Wednesday evening next, July 19th, at 8 p.m., when the election of officers for the ensuing year will take place. A good attendance is requested.
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THE monthly meeting of the Somerville Fruitgrowers’ Horticultural and Agricultural Association will be held on Monday next, July 17th, at the Mechanics’ Institute, at 8 p.m., when the report of the Port Fairy conference ; cooperative movement by Mr Gregory and other business will be dealt with.
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A GRAND football match will be played on the local ground, on Saturday, 22nd July, between teams selected from the Brunswick A.N.A., and Naval Base and Langwarrin Camp combined. To make the day a success, a dance will probably be held in the evening, of which particulars will be given next issue.
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THE following is the balance sheet of the “ Wattles “ Club dance held on June 17, 1916, in aid of the Langwarrin Recreation Hall :—Receipts, Sale of tickets, £3, cash taken at door, £3 0s 6d; total. £6 0s 6d. Expenditure, rent of hall, £1 ; printing, 9s ; donation to Langwarrin Recreation Hall, £4 11s; postage, 6d ; total, £6 Os 6d.
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WELCOME to Soldiers. Frankston still retains its reputation for entertaining soldiers. On Saturday last about 200 sick and convalescent soldiers were entertained at the Mechanics’ Hall. This being the hundredth trip of the kind it was made a special occasion.
Lady Stanley, accompanied by Capt. Connant, A. D. C. Dr Edith Barratt, Dr Bird and Miss Robinson were among the party. The hall was crowded to its utmost capacity and the reading room, which had been arranged as a lounge had to he brought into requisition.
Everything was a huge success from beginning to end and the soldiers and those who accompanied them did not stint their compliments and the remark was passed in more places than one, that it was the best time they had had since leaving England.
The Wattles Club certainly know how to entertain soldiers and as plenty of time had been at their disposal to make arrangements, nothing was left undone that should have been done to make the afternoon the profound success it was. The day was not all that could be desired as far as weather was concerned, but was not wet enough to damp the ardour of the Wattles Club, who spent Friday evening and Saturday morning in preparing the hall etc.
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UNVEILING of the portrait of the late Mrs Hall – Dr Plowman in performing this ceremony at the State School on Arbor Day, said that it was peculiarly appropriate that the portrait was unveiled and presented to the Hastings State School on that day. A few friends of the late Mrs Hall thought that the best way of keeping the memory of Mrs Hall green amongst them was by the presentation of her portrait to the school, and by hanging it upon the school wall.
The late Mrs Hall had in the past been most active in promoting any movement having for its object the promotion of the good and welfare of Hastings. It might be remembered by only a few present but it was a fact, that many years ago Mrs Hall took a leading part in securing the establishment of a State School at Hastings, and in 1872 laid the foundation stone of a building which still constitutes a part of the existing school. Furthermore, Mrs. Watt, her daughter, had taught for years in the school, and was the present correspondent. Speaking of the personal qualities of the deceased, Dr Plowman said that he had had the privilege of having known her intimately for 20 years and the more he had seen of her the more he had admired her character, which was, in the fullest acceptation of the term, of a good and God fearing woman. She always possessed and preserved to the end the inestimable gift of charity. She never used an ungracious expression concerning anyone, and always strove to find extenuating circumstances for the most grievous offences. Her advanced years precluded of late any active part in local affairs, but the older members of those present would remember her good works.
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From the pages of the Mornington Standard, 15 July, 1916