SUN AND MOON.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 139, 14 June 1932, Page 3

SUN AND MOON.

PROFESSOR SEGAR'S LECTURE. DISTANCES BEYOND CONCEPTION". * A stimulating Iccturc by Professor H. W. Segar, professor of mathematics at the Auckland University, o-n elementary astronomy, "The Sun and the Moon —a Contrast," was listened to with close attention last night. He spoke of universes greater than the one of which even eminent scientists have a conception, and of distances—years of light—which made the brain stagger. It is impossible to be of narrow vision and be at the same time an astronomer. Every phase of the lecture was illustrated by lantern slides. The sun, as the source of the energy used in countless ways on the earth, was indispensable, but the moon we could do without. It was once used for certain scientific measurements, but more modern methods, for example, electricity, had taken its place. "For sentimental reasons," Professor Segar added, "it would be a great loss." The moon was a mere 253,000 miles away. It would take a motor car going at a steady 42 miles an hour, six hours a day, 1000 years to get to the sun, which was 293 million miles distant. To give an idea of the respective sizes, he saTd that if a tennis ball represented the moon, then a Soccer ball would represent the earth, and a sphere with a diameter the length of the University College Hall would be a little smaller than the sun. The moon lacked atmosphere, and it was cokl beyond belief. He showed a number of slides illustrating the surface of the moon. A feature of them was the absolute clarity of the shadows cast by the sun. That was on account of the lack of atmosphere. The mountains of the moon were no fable. There were also 30,000 craters, which, on the slide, looked exactly like the boiling mud at Kotorua. The height of the mountains and the depth of the craters were measured by the shadows cast. Professor Segar wenj. on to describe the various eclipses in their different phases, and to show how they came about. Professor A. P. W. Thomas proposed the vote of thanks,