YALE TELESCOPE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18999, 23 October 1923, Page 10

YALE TELESCOPE.

HISTORY OF NEGOTIATIONS. REVIEWED BY AUCKLAND’S MAYOR. (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, October 19. The action taken by the City Council to have the largo Yale telescope located in this city was reviewed last evening by the Mayor, Mr J. H. Gunson, in a report to the council, in which he detailed the tiegotiations between the council and the authorities of the Yale University. Mr Gunson said the question first came under the notice of the council of the Auckland Institute and the museum in April last, when that body referred the matter to the City Council for consideration. The City Council considered an offer from the Yale Gbser\atory datefi February 5, and decided to accept it. The negotiations were subsequently concluded and were bow subject only to confirmation following the completion of the observation tests of the Auckland sites. In a letter from the director of the observatory it was stated that the X ale authorities were desirous of putting a large photographic refractor in the Southern Hemisphere, and on a site where not only the astronomical conditions were favourable, but also where the observers would find congenial surroundings. On these accounts the choice seemed to have narrowed down to New , Zealand or South Africa. A proposal had been made to the New' Zealand Government about tw r o years ago, and while the Government had expressed itself as being favourably inclined to enter into cooperation. it had been learned from several sources that the prospects for reasonably prompt action were not very good and could not bo expected to improve in the near future in view of the financial conditicn of the Government. The letter stated that the telescope would be of 25 T .n or 26m aperture and of long focal length. Only such a telescope was capable of attacking efficiently certain problems that depended for their solution on the accurate measurements of the star places. Most important w’as the determination of the distances of the stars and next the determination of the motions of faint stars. There was no telescope in the Southern Hemisphere, or. indeed. outside of the north temperate zone capable of undertaking such researches, so that the telescope contemplated would occupy the field by itself. In certain important respects it would be one of the most useful telescopes at the disposal of astronomy. Yale intended to spend at least £9OOO on this undertaking, which would include the complete telescope and the auxiliary apparatus necessary for the work. In view of the definite programme in the Southern Hemisphere Yale would require Ihe use of approximately only half of the time of the telescope, and it was thought it Would be advantageous from every point of view if some plan of co-operation could be carried out that would enable the telescope to be used whenever the sky was clear. Two observers would be sent, and the proposal was that the co-operating party should erect a suitable buildinn- in which to house the telescope, and should have the use of the instrument for half the time. “It will therefore be seen,” said Mr Gupson, “that Auckland was in receipt of a proposal from Yale following the failure of the other authorities to accept the offer which had been submitted earlier to them. Various cablegrams passed between Yale and Auckland, and also communications by mail, which culminated ip a contract being definitely concluded subject to sufficiently satisfactory atmospheric tests. The contract will be for 10 or 20 years at the option of the Yale authorities. Full equipment for an experimental telescope forwarded by the Yale authorities iipoh completion of the negotiations has come to hand, and the necessary work of observing for a report upon the conditions at Auckland will be carried out during the next four months hy members of the Auckland Astronomical Society. Tim choice of site rests with the Yale authorities, but. probably the Auckland Domain or Mount Hobson will be selected.”