SPYING ON THE SUN

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 10

SPYING ON THE SUN

“All I Need Is Money” A Christchurch school* teacher’s plan to spy on the sun early every morning during the International Year of the Quiet Sun. (1.Q.5.Y.) has been warmly approved by the world's leading authority on solar-radio emission. The international authority is Dr. A. D. Fokker, of Utrecht University, now the world data centre for solar radio emissions, Dr. Fokker thinks there is every reason for the New Zealand national I.Q.S.Y. committee to consider awarding the teacher financial support to enable him to make regular series of observations during the I.Q.S.Y. The schoolteacher is Mr T. F. Mackrell, a science teacher at the Christchurch Technical College Mr Mackrell wrote to the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s radio physics division about his plan to observe the sun by radio telescope for the two hours each morning when it is above the horizon here but not above the horizon of the Australia radio telescopes. The C.5.1.R.0. suggested to Mr Mackrell that he tell Dr Fokker about it. Dr. Fokker’s reply congratulated Mr Mackrell on an earlier survey he made of Milky Way radiation from a radio telescope he built out of chicken wire at the Coromandel District High School. He said Mr Mackrell’s participation in the programme was most welcome and suggested methods and equipment to him. “What I need now is money.” said Mr Mackrell last evening. He wants to build his telescope near his home at Southbridge, away from radio and electrical interference.