OF CURRENT INTEREST

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1934, Page 1 (Supplement)

OF CURRENT INTEREST

NUMERICAL CURIOSITIES

(By the Rev.

B. Dudley, F.R.A.S.)

A well-known astronomical society in the west of Scotland recently dealt with the question of numerical curiosities, the subject being introduced by John J. Ross. Attention was drawn to the fact that the moon’s apparent diameter is 31 min. ssec. of arc, and that this number (31ft. sin.), reduced to seconds, equals 1865. It was in the year 1865 that Sir George Airy, Astronomer Royal, announced the determination of the lunar diameter at Greenwich Observatory. This coincidence was mentioned by Richard A. Proctor in his book, "The Moon.’ Mr. Ross, following up Proctor’s line of investigation, looked for other similai relations. He took, for example, the Sun’s mean apparent diameter; namely, 31min. 59sec., which, reduced to seconds, equals 1919; and it was in 1919 that Einstein’s prediction that the sun would be found to deflect a ray of light passing through its (the sun’s) field of gravity was verified. He also noticed that the mean distance of the planet Uranus from the Sun is 1781 million miles, and that it was in the yeai 1781 that Uranus was discovered. Mr. Ross also obtained a curious relation between the first figures (after 1); namely, 2,3, 4, 5 and the obliquity of the ecliptic. He then tried the succeeding figures, 6,7, 8 and 9; and the following turned up (to quote his own words): “The moon’s lineal diameter is somewhere near 2160 miles. Various 'determinations have ranged between about 2158 and 2163 miles; and 2161 seems a very fair figure to take as mean diameter. Multiplying 2161 by 3.14159, we find that the moon’s circumference is 6789 miles.” As any amateur in arithmetic knows, 3.14159, or 3 1-7, is the multiplier by which a diameter is turned into a circumference. The human mind is a most wonderful magician. Out of the millions of facts upon which it may draw it can find many curious-looking relations. Some of us remember the war-time coincidence drawn up thus— JOF F R E F R E N C H a “proof” that from all eternity it had been ordained that these generals, Joffre and French, should appear upon the scene of history together. What the Pyramids, the Book of Daniel, the Apocalypse, and certain other parts of the Bible have suffered at the hands of ingenious relationmongers and v uld-be prophets of coming wonders will not bear thinking about. “The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings,” when we once set out to find c/idence (?) of our fate in numbers. The 46th Psalm was written by Shakespear in his 46th year; it must have been, seeing that the 46th word from the beginning is “shake” and the 46th word from the bottom is “spear” and that his two-syllabled Christian name William can be made up out of the second verse from the beginning and the second' verse from the end; thus, “Will” and “I am.” His very birthplace is found by re-arranging the letters in the first line of the Psalm. In tins way both “Stratford” and “Avon” are obtained. Thus one might go on for ever. The astronomical society named, not being a coterie of astrologers, must have been more amused than edified. And, of course, it was by way of diversion that the subject was raised. - Signalling to Mars.

In a recently published American scientific journal something was suggested as to the possibility of signalling visually to the planet Mars, with the hope of catching the attention of its inhabitants, should there be any. Writers on this subject seem to overlook the fact that the night sides of the two planets are never turned toward each other. Supposing the Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun. fhen it is day on that side of the Mai tian world turned toward us. When, on the other hand, the two planets are on the same side of the Sun, it is day on Mars when it is night on the Earth. How, then, could the Martians see our signals ? Nor is there any good reason for thinking that the “Martians” are like ourselves. And if so, it is next to impossible for us to imagine what they are like. Visual signals therefore are out of the question. As Simon Newcomb put the case in his Side-Lights on Astronomy, if Mars is inhabited, and if people on that planet have equal powers with ourselves, the problem of merely producing an illumination which could be seen in our greatest telescopes would be beyond all the ordinary efforts of an entire nation. “An unbroken square mile of flame,” he states, “would be invisible in our telescopes, but 100 square miles might be seen: we cannot, therefore, expect to sec any signs of the works of inhabitants even on Mars.” Many - years, ago Alfred Russell Wallace argued that the development of life required the presence of such a rare combination of conditions that we have no reason to suppose that it prevailed anywhere except on our earth. That may be going to an extreme; -but certainly we have no proof either for oi' against life in other worlds. It is an open question, for . the present at all events. Pleiades and High Prices!

A book published by Nis Petersen, London, “The Street of the Sandalmakers,” and translated from the Danish by Elizabeth Sprigge and Claude Napier contains the following: “It was the evening of the eleventh of November. According to ancient custom, the clothiers’ guild assembled on that evening to observe the motion of the Pleiades, so as to determine whether to raise the price of rain-cloaks or of other articles of clothing.” No wonder a girl from Kashmir was puzzled as to the significance of this, and has applied to the British Astronomical Association for information I New Zealand Astronomical Society. This organisation exists for the purpose of encouraging the study of astronomy. Observers arc by its means associated in this branch of science. It has been in existence 14 years, being founded in 1920. As occasion requires bulletins are issued dealing with research work; and in this respect the society has quite a worthy record. The members are invited to join one of the sections devoted to observational work or any other form of activity in astronomical advance. The directors of these sections are resident in all parts of the Dominion, such as Wellington (headquarters), Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth and Otago.