ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

Evening Star, Issue 23377, 21 September 1939, Page 6

ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Astronomical Section of the Otago branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand was held at the Museum on Tuesday evening. Mr W. D. Anderson presided. Moving the adoption of the annual report, Mr Anderson said that the season was one of steady progress and continued interest in the study of astronomy. The opposition of the planet Mars, lie said, was the chief event of the year. It attained its closest approach to the earth on. July 23, and the red planet at that time outshone everything else in the evening sky except Venus and the moon. Good attendances were attracted to the. Observatory at this time. There was no doubt that the society was filling a useful place and performing a valuable service in the life of the community, for its work was of a distinctly instructive and educational character. The Treasurer x-eported that the finances were in a sound condition,■ the bank balance standing in credit at £55, as compared with £53 at the beginning of the year. _ , The election of officers resulted:— Chairman, Mr J. C. Begg; acting chairman, Mr W. 1). Anderson; hon. secretary and director of the Observatory, Mr W. H. B. Hobbs; hon. treasurer, Mr W. D. Anderson; committee —Dr C M. Focken, Messrs E. G. M‘George, W. A. H. Drew, W. Gardner, G. Couling, and G. S. Smith. , , . At the conclusion of the formal business two addresses were delivered—*The Sidereal Clock, 1 by Mr G. M‘George, and ‘The World’s Greatest Eye,’ by Mr W. D. Anderson. Both addresses were illustrated by numerous projections from the epidiascope and wei'e followed by Questions and discusSum. . ■ , r T T> On the motion of Mr J. O. Begg, a vote of thanks was accorded both P Jt was announced by the chairman that, although the public nights at the Observatory were now practically at an end for the year, the director would continue to be in attendance at_ the Observatory ,011 Saturday evenings, when conditions were suitable, ana visitors would still be welcome there.