GIANT TELESCOPE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18904, 20 January 1927, Page 5

GIANT TELESCOPE.

ERECTION IN SOUTH AFRICA MEASURING DOUBLE STARS. Professor E. A. Eossitcr, who has arrived in Cape Town to take charge of the American scheme which involves the erection of a giant telescope at Bloemfontein for the observation of double stars, explained the objects of the expedition. "We received a "great blow," said the Professor, "when Professor Hussey, our leader, died suddenly in London. His end was most unexpected, as the Professor was a very healthy and active man for his 64 years, and was rather proud of the fact that he had nevor required the attentions of medical men until a short time ago, when he had a severe attack of pleurisy., However, he appeared to bo in his. usual health in London, and had gone out to dine with a friend on the night before sailing for Cape Town. He had just finished spup, when he suddenly fell back in his chair and expired. MWe expected that Professor Hussey's death would mean the recalling of the expedition, particularly as Mr E. P. Lamoiit, the American millionaire', who is privately financing this expedition, does not take even an amateurish interest in nstronom}', but fathered the schemo purely out of a warm personal friendship, which dates back to school .days, with Professor Hussey. However, Mr Lamont cabled us to continue with the work, and it is possible that ho will now regard the scheme in the nature of a memorial to his old friend." Tho telescope which will ho erected at Bloemfontein, and which is now at East London, is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The whole apparatus will weigh about 15 tons, mid the total cost of the scheme will bo in the nature of £60,000. It is hoped that the magnification of the telescope will be such as to make the moon, which is, roughly, about 238,000 miles distant, appear to be about 120 miles from the earth. "Our observations," says Professor Eossiter, "will be confined to the measurement of all known doublo stars and to search for as many new ones as possible. Our programme will take from six to ten years, and when we are fully established a staff of four will be permanently employed, two of them taking turn about of studying tho heavens overy night. At the completion of this special work, the data of which will be collated for tho benefit of the astronomical experts at Michigan, the apparatus will then be' handed over to the control of the Michigan University,'and it is probable that the authorities will decide then that it is necessary to have a, permanent observation station in the Southern Hemisphere. "It iS hoped, in fact, that a fullfledged observatory will then be maintained permanently 'at Bloemfontein, which has been found the most suitable place for the study of stars in the Southern Hemisphere."