POLAR PHOTOGRAPHY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 959, 28 October 1910, Page 6

POLAR PHOTOGRAPHY.

A ■ WONDERFUL EQUIPMENT.

Christchurch, October 27.,

Mr. H. G. Ponting, JT-8.G.5., photograph export of Captain Scott's Antarctic, Expedition, arrived here to-day. ' During the course of an interview he stated that it was Captain Scott's.hope to bring, back from the Far South the most complete photographs of Antarctic scenery ever taken. Captain'• Scott was the_ first explorer to include photography department in the work of a Bolar expedition,: and, that it was his. intention to mako it a valuable and interesting department, was shown by the fact that the equipment that he (Mr. Ponting) had with him was the most perfect equipment.of photographic apparatus ever devised. It had all been specially made, and had taken over a year to complete. It was. hoped that it would bo possiblo to obtain a complete kinematograph record of the most interesting features of tho work of the expedition, and, to attain this end, the equipment included the latest pat-' tern of kinematograph apparatus. In. addition, there were wonderfully- constructed cameras £or securing long-dis-tance telephotographs, and, to go to the other extreme, there, was' a complete, equipment for taking photomicrographs.. It was also hoped tlfat it will be pos.siblo to bring back photographic reproductions of Hie rich and vivid colouring of the Aurora. Austratis, and, for this, special plates to take tho various spectroscopip lines h-ad- been made in tffe hope that some of them would prove sensitive to, the spectrum of the aurora. Mr. Ponting said tbat he hoped, in conjunction with Dr. Simpson, chief physicist of the expedition, to obtain stereoscopic records of the A"urora which will record the height at which these displays take place. Synchronous exposures by two cameras' at a distance of five miles apart, aud connected by telephone, will give a base for triumulation, and will make it possible to determine and secure records of displays more than 500 miles high. Mr. Ponting added that he was looking forward to doing some interesting work with Dr. Edward Wilson amongst penguins, and he hoped to get some good kinematograph films of those interesting denizens of the ice. In addition, he hoped to obtain interesting photographs of the ice barrier. He felt sure that, his equipment was perfect, and that his photographs nnd films of the ice world about the southern Polar regions should be not only of immense scientific interest, but also of popular interest should the main object of the expedition provo successful. Mr. Ponling expects to return to New Zealand in 1912.