MAKING A MAP

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 29, 3 August 1933, Page 9

MAKING A MAP

OF 13,8C3,000 STARS

The • preparation of tho Great ■ Star Map must take a leading position in any list of vast undertakings (states the, "Melbourne Argus"). Work was begun 40 years ago; 18 observatories in different parts of the world have been engaged on it ever since; and years must still elapse before it will bo completed. Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth observatories are three of those participating. The work has come into!prominence again just now because recently the Sydney Observatory published two more of the 50 volumes which will record its share of the observations. The aim was to produce a complete list of all stars down to the 14th magnitude in brightness —the 6tli magnitudeis the faintest visible to the average human eye with details of the comparative brightness and the exact position iv the heavens of each one. It was proposed also, by piecing together many thousands of telescopic photographs of small sections of the heavens to prepare a complete photographic map of the sky. The list of stars is being completed slowly, as funds and other duties permit, but it is unlikely that the photographic chart will ever be published; nevertheless the project is still known conveniently as "Tho Great Star Map." Tho cost of making the chart alone is estimated at £10,000 for each participating observatory. : Faint stars arc much more numerous than brilliant ones. - There were ten limes'as many spectators atthe Carlton v. Richmond football match on n recent Saturday as the stars one may sco in tho sky on the most perfect night without the aid of a glass. Tho number of stars brighter than the 14th magnitude is believed to be about I?. 300,000. The most powerful telescopes reveal about 1,000,000 stars down to the 20th magnitude, but there is reason to believe that that is merely a small fraction of the total number of ■stars. In the tiny section of sky covered by the latest Sydney volumes 37,455 separate stars are listed, out of Sydney's total share of about 936,000. Melbourne 5s responsible for about 900,000 others. Tho astronomers have practically completed their stupendous task of photographing, measuring, and calculating, but yoars must elapse before sufficient money will be available to publish all the volutnes.

Mr Walter J. Dodge, of Portland, Oregon, and his brother, Mr. George S. Dodge, of Jlontebello, Califovnia, have been playIng ench other at chess by post for more than 10 years*. The first game lasted fontyears. Ear* has won a game anrl they we now playing the third and finul game o£ the seriesi