ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1920, Page 4

ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.

OPENING OF OBSERVATORY. The official opening of the Astronomical Society's observatory ia to be held on Thursday afternoon at 2.30. His Worship the Mayor will preside, and the borough councillors, heads of educating institutions, and all members and friends of the Society are" invited to attend. In the event of bad weather, the opening will be postponed to Saturday afternoon. The Society's president,' Mr. S. Percy Smith, F.R.G.S., will formally open the observatory, and the director, Rev. Oscar Blundell, will explain the working of the dome and the six-inch equatorial telescope. ActiVe member? of the Society have recently tested the instrument upon various celestial objects with highly satisfactory results. Very beautiful views of the star clusters, the moon and other bodies have Men- obtained, and it is hoped, if the evening be fine on Thursday, to afford a« many as attend at least a peep at the wonders, which, on a good night, the floe instrument reveals. An opportunity will be given to those who desire to assist the Society by contributing to its fund), to do so. No charge is to be made to visitors at the observatory, but a contribution box will be found at the door with a statement setting forth various improvements and accessories which funds are needed to acquire. The Society possesses a very fine 12inch speculum mirror which it ia hoped can be mounted and housed very soon. This instrument will be of great power having a light-grasp equivalent to torn times that given by the sis-inch reflector. It is spoken of by Dr. Coleridge Farr, who has used it in Sydney, (U a most delightful instrument to employ. It is hoped on Thursday to enable visitors to obtain a view of the summit of Mt. Egmont as it appears in the telescopo.