THE CAWTHRON OBSERVATORY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 4

THE CAWTHRON OBSERVATORY.

Sir,—When it was first announced that Mr. Cawthron had offered to establish a solar physics observatory near Nolson, one of your correspondents, Mr. Coleridgo Farr, of Christchurch, stated that Kelson was not at all a suitable placo for such a purpose, as it was in too high a latitude and had not sufficiently high mountains to afford a satisfactory site for an observatory. Mr. Farr urged that to be of any great use a solar observatory must be placed at a high elevation, and either in. or near the tropics. He suggested that before any further steps were taken, an opinion should be obtained from some recognised expert. I accordingly wrote to Mr. John Evershed, the director of _ tho Solar Physics Observatory at Kodai Kanal, giving a full description of the suggested sites, and asking his advico in the following words:—

"A gentleman who claims to be an authority on tlio subject has stated that it is not worth while to erect a solar observatory at Nelson, because we aro too far away from the equator, and have not high enough mountains. I should bo much obliged if you would your candid opinion on this subject." . I have just received Mr. Evershed'e reply, which .runs as follows, and completely disposes of Mr. Parr's objections: "In selecting a suitable site for a solar observatory, the main question to consider is the number of hours of bright sunshine you are likely to get, and how they are distributed in the year. If, as I undorsland, Nelson gets 2500 hours annually, then there can be no question as to its suitability in this respect. Tropical regions are not in general desirable, because of prolonged, disturbances duo to monsoon winds, and in very arid regions thero is much trouble from dust and heat."—l am, etc., , F. Ct. GIBBS, Nelson, July 25, 1913.