"A PLEASANT NIGHT AT THE WANGANUI OBSERVATORY."

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11973, 17 September 1906, Page 6

" A PLEASANT NIGHT AT THE WANGANUI OBSERVATORY."

Lecture by Sir Robert Stout.

A fairly large and appreciative audience turned up at St. Paul's Hall on Friday evening to liaten to the lecture delivered by Sir Robert Stout on bohalf of the Wanganui Astronomical Society. Commenting on the beauties and advantages of the principal towns in the colony, the lecturer remarked that Wanganui was distinguished above all the others, inasmuch as it him the only telescope of any bize in New Zealand, coupled with an Astronomical Society devoted to the fostering of a knowledge of astronomy. It w.is Ins purpose to take them to the Society \ Ob>?rvatory that evening and point out to them some of the wonders and beauties of the Universe revealed' by the telescope. The lecturer took his hearer.-, through the Universe and introduced them to the stars,, their vast distances and sizes: the nebulae, of enormous bulk and amazing potentialities; the great cluster-, thos<> flowers of the starry vault, filled wiih stain of great variability and magnitude. The beautiful clusters of coloured -.tars were described so eloquently as to make I hose well acquainted with them feel they possessed greater beauties than they had ever i-ealised ia> them before. Many apt illustrations were given to enable the audience to realise the magnitudes and distances, a.-, well as the enormous bulk or volume of these objects, with the result that the listener foil tho solid mass of earth shrink to a grain of sand beneath him by comparison with the infinite aby3se->, reaching out on all sides, and fillrd with objects of inconceivable magnitude. The beauties of Saturn, the other planets, and the moon were touched upon, and all were advised to take advantage of the presence of the large telescope in our midst to see them in reality. Many most interesting objects were thrown on the screen by tho lantern during the course* of the lecture, objects photographed in the great telescopes of the world. The lecturer deolt with his subject in a tone of lolty thought and fine philosophy cal insieht, as well as scientific exactness, a. combination not often united in efforts of this nature. His summing up was inspiringly speculative, the potentialities of radium and its possibilties in changing many of our conclusions as to the destiny *of the Universe being alluded to. Altogether a literary and scientific treat, was the general opinion of the audience. Mr Henry Sarjeant, president of the Society, introduced the lecturer in a few remarks, and a hearty vote of thank*, moved by<Mr J. T. Stewart, was carried by acclamation at the conclusion. The lantern was manipulaUd by Mr D. Ilutton, assisted by_ Mr J. T. Stewart.