The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-12-04
ASTRONOMICAL
OBSERVATORY
Continued From Page One.)

is not only of great interest from the |
consideration of mathematics, astro- |
nomy and physics, but also historical |
ly. 1t has probably been instrumental
in more wars, panics and religious
movements than any other one cause.
Through it's agency much advance
ment has been made in astro-physics.
mathematics and astronomy and its
return will have a large educational
value. People will be much interest
ed in tracing it's course both on it's
journey to and from the sun and will
therefore desire to know me various
consultations through which it pass
es, and especially it's motion in rela-
ton to that of the earth. In view of
these facts, the establishment of an
observatory by means of which the in
terested public of Honolulu and the
islands at large will be given an OPP
portunity to observe the comet and
other phenomena connected with it,
will afford a rare opportunity.
The College of Hawaii now possesses
a six inch telescope, with timing de-
vice and other appurtenances, also a
three inch equatorial transit and
several other instruments. It does
not however, have the funds with
which to erect the necessary building
and mountings for these instruments.
If such building could be provided,
the College will be in position to pro-
perly mount these instruments and
provide other suitable instruments in
Guiding a sidereal clock, chronometer
and the like to the end that equipment
for educational purposes may be pro-
vided. With this equipment it would
be the intention to organize courses
in popular astronomy for those who
may be interested and also to offer an
opportunity for the people at large to
see the comet and other stellar bodies
through the telescope. The obser-
vatory would be almost exclusively
educational in its nature as an institu-
ton for the advancement of the science
of astronomy and would require much
elaborate apparatus and much greater
| time than at the present is available.
In searching the envIrons of Homo
lulu for a suitable site 1t has been
thought that some portion of the Wal
alae ridge of Kaimuki affords the best
location. This location seems most
suitable for three reasons. First 1t
affords a sweep of about $50 degrees
Of tho bori1on from, aoOt througb tho
south to the west except low portion
of the southern horizon cut out by D.a-
mond Head. Second. The atmos-
phere of this locality is clearer than
most of the locations around Homo
lulu and it is much more free from
the presence of clouds at night. Third.
1t is quite as accessible to the public
as any of the other localities and when
accessibility is combined with other
reasons, the Waialae district seems to
afford the best location.
In order to have the observatory
ready by the time the comet will be-
come visible that is, in the latter part
of January, it will be necessary to
construct a building about IA by 30
feet with a wing on each end and a
dome in the center. If this building
is built of wood and with the neces-
sary concrete foundations, the cost
will be a minimum of $1,000. If on the
i'other hand, it is desired to build a
concrete structure, the cost viii be
considerably greater, perhaps in the