"OTHER WORLDS."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1771, 9 June 1913, Page 2

"OTHER WORLDS."

LECTURE BY MISS PROCTOR, A highly-instructive and interesting lecture on "Othor Worlds Than Ours" was delivered by Miss M. Proctor at tha Wellington College on Saturday night. Mr. J. P. Firth, presided, and explained how Miss Proctor had generously decided to give up the evening to lecture in aid of the Wellington College Observatory. Hiss Proctor's lecture was given in, an entertaining manner, and was illustrated with striking lantern slides. Sho prefaced her remarks by stating that no ono had been to the other worlds, which sho firmly believed to be in space, so students of tlio subject had to use their imagination and go upon the knowledge of certain facts whicli scienco had revealod. Our world was only a speck in space, and was so far away from the sun that a train travelling night and day, at a mile a minute, would take 175 years to cover the distance. It was necessary, went on Miss Proctor, that the sun should be observed, and for this purpose photographs wore taken in, different observatories on every day it was possiblo to get a view of the sun. Observatories in the Northern Hemisphere were hampered by weather conditions, and it was for that reason that an observatory was necessary in Australasia. The Oawthron Observatory would fill the gap which existed between the observatory in India and Mount Wilson, California. Miss Proctor referred to the gift of the Cawthron Solar Observatory, and explained how the offer was made. Mr. Cftwthron had boon unable to attend her locture at Nelson, so she went to see him, taking with her the lantern slides to bs used at her lectures. After showing these to Mr. Cawthron, he asked how much was needed for-an observatory in New Zealand, and very generously ofieretl to donate the cost. ViewH of a total eclipse of the sun were thrown on the screen, .and a lucid explanation given of the. cause of an eclipse. Sun spots were explained, and their bearing on magnetic disturbances on earth touched on, while interesting photographs were shown, of the Mount Wilson Observatory and the methods by which the sua was photographed. At the conclusion of the lecture Miss Proctor was accorded a hearty vote ol thanks by those present, and three cheers were given for her by Wellington College boys. . Mr. A. A. Whitelaw generously gave his services at tho lantern. [