ASTRONOMICAL WORK

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 182, 1 May 1931, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL WORK

Society’s Successful Year Speaking from the chair at the annual general meeting of the New Zealand Astronomical Society, the president, the Hon. Sir Thomas K. Sidey, expressed great pleasure at the amount of work which had been covered by the various observing stations, and said he looked forward to the day when New Zealand would have a large telescope and wellequipped observatory which would form an important link in world-wide investigations. In his report, the secretary, Dr. C. E. Adams, F.R.A.S., Dominion Astronomer, described the increased activity of the society during the past year. He referred also to the death of the Hight Hon. Sir Robert Stout, a past president. Reports of observational work carried out by members of the various sections were read by the directors. Work on the sun, meteors, variable stars, planets, and in other astronomical fields was detailed. A report on the Solar Eclipse Expedition of October 22, 1930, was read by Dr. Adams, and slides were shown of the photographs which were secured by the expedition. Sir Thomas Sidey congratulated Dr. Adams on this work, and mentioned the difficulties that had beset the expedition before its departure. He was sure that the society had really accomplished something worth while, and the right action had been taken in appealing to New Zealanders for support. One of the most interesting events of the evening was the nomination of Dr. L. J. Comrie, superintendent of his Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office, as an honorary member of the society. This is one of the highest awards which the society can give to eminent astronomers overseas, and at present there are only two other honorary members, the Astronomer Royal, Sir Frank Dyson, and Sir Arthur S. Eddington. Dr. Comrie is an ex-Ncw Zealander. It. was also resolved to congratulate Lord Rutherford, of Nelson, upon his elevation to the peerage.