READING THE HEAVENS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 245, 4 July 1918, Page 4

READING THE HEAVENS

HOW MR. HUDSON FOUND NOVA AQUILAE.

To what, giddy heights in knowledgo of the heavenly bodies an amateur astronomical observer may attain was rather humorously illustrated at the meeting of tho astronomical section of the Wellington Philosophical Society last evening. Mr. Ernest Bell suggested that, as they had discovered (as far as Wellington was concerned) of. Nova AquiLae, it would be interesting to learn how lie (Mr. Cr. V. Hudson) found the new star. Jn explanation, Mr. Hudson suid it was his custom 'to take certain exercises nightly before going to bed. He went out of the back of the house, and was looking casually at the stars, when he iliou-ht he saw Altair, yet, on thinking, he kiievr it was not that late, as ho knew where Altair should be. Then he looked for the two little strrs on either side of Altair, and. not finding them, became concerned. He concluded it was a new star. He told his wife he had found a new star of the first magnitude, and she would not believe him until sho saw it— and she know all the stars of the first magnitude. He then got'his telescope, and took the star's position roughly, and then ran? up Dr. Adams. It was just by chance' ho had found it. Professor Samervillc, who was in (he chair, said it showed that Mr. Hudson had a pretty good knowledge of the heavens to be al.lo to recognise a new star when he saw it.