OTHER WORLDS THAN OURS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15174, 13 December 1912, Page 8

OTHER WORLDS THAN OURS.

NECESSITY FOR SOLAR

OBSERVATION.

An Interesting illustrated lecture, entitled n Other Worlds Than Ours," was given in the Auckland Town Hall last evening by Miss Mary Proctor, a daughter of the Lite Mr. Richard A. Proctor, the wellknown astronomer. • The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) presided.

Miss Proctor, who delivered her lecture in a simple conversational manner, commenced by dealing with the old beliefs that the world was flat. Later she de- | tailed the . latest results achieved by scientific observation of the sun, dwelling more particularly on those of Professor hale at tho "Wilson Observatory, California. A number of , photos of , the sun, taken at the Observatoiy, were screened, " arid; clearly supported tlw assertion of an atmosphere surrounding the body.. A couple of large sun spots were also very apparent. Miss Proctor explained .. the relationship between such spots , and local atmospheric disturbances. ■ She urged the necessity for the immediate establishment of a Solar Observatory in this part of the world, so as to enable a proper forecast of the weather conditions being made, by means of a thorough and systematic study of the sun. As matters now were, there was no such observatoiy between the Western American coast and India. New Zealand occupied a position midway between them, and would, in her opinion, be a -most suitable locality for such an observatory. Tho Royal Meteorological Society was considering the matter, but was undecided between Australia and New Zealand. One feature which made the observatory necessary was to enable the severe winter conditions of the Northern Hemisphere, which practically prevented observations being made, being got over by the favourable local conditions at that tun© of th© year. - Miss Proctor detailed her experiences at three eclipses she had witnessed, ilhis- I tratmg the corona of one seen on the western coast of Norway by some of her own paintings, which were greatly appreciated by the audience. Miss Proctor next dealt with th various planets, her descriptions and illustrations being full of interest.