A SOLAR OBSERVATORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 8 January 1914, Page 5

A SOLAR OBSERVATORY.

ESTAIILISHMKNT AT NELSON. VISITING EXPICKT INTERVIEWED. liy Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night." Professor Evershed, Director of the Kodaihaual Observatory, Southern India, who arrived by the steamer Mauiieanui on a' visit to New /."aland connected willi the establishment of the Cawthorn Observatory at Nelson, was met by Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice), Miss Mary Proctor, J)r. Hector, and Mr K. P. Powles. To a pie-smaii to-day, Professor Evershed said that it was of the utmost importance that the site selected for a solar observatory should he the best possible so far as longitude was concerned. The suggested site at Nelson was a good one, because it will lill the gan which at present exists between. India - and California in the chain of observatories around the world. There were, however, other imnoriant considerations in fixing the site of a solar observatory, such as the amount of sunshine in the year, the clearness and steadiness of the atmosphere, particularly in the early morning, and clear skies.

Professor Kver-hed -aid that (lie most pressing question with regard to solar physic* is the study of sun-spots. "We do not know," lus said, "what tiny are or what is the nature of connection with terrestrial phenomena. VVc knew that they are connected, hut not what that connection Is. Astronomers all over the world are studying the connection between solar phenomena am! meteorological changes, in India particularly, .because the monsoon in India, is an important factor in the prosperity of the country, and the fiovernnient always wants to know what sort of a monsoon it is going to be. so as to enable it to providi; against had times."

Professor Kvershed added that he had come here in the interests of pure science and the advancement of any scientific question was bound evciilnallv (0 have a practical bearing, because tlie sciences were all intimately connected. "If you advance one." he continued, "you assist in advancing all." The Xelson institution would '») equipped, said .Mr Kvershuil, with up Cdaie instrument-'. One of these would he the spectral heliograph, bv which photographs of the sun would he obtained. The instrument was -losed on the principle of fir«t throwing a -pc'.,trum of the sun's rats on a screen, and for various lines in the spectrum being photographed. Tn that wav it. was possible to obtain miniature photographs of the various (dements in the sun. t'o deal with the efl'i cts and nature of each element there would have to he .1 dltector and an as-isfant director, as the stall' of the oh-ervntorv. for the work it would be carcvilig out would prove useless unless it were continuous. The director must be a man who had studied physic*, and preferably one who had ha I experience in the solar physics- laboratories in other parts of the world.