The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-04-21
SUNRISE IS NOT SEEN
High Buildings Block Range Of
Vision at South Kensington.
Not More Than so Per Cent Of Sky
Ever Visible at Observatory
Scientist Urges Removal to
Less Obscured Spot.

Less OpSCured Spot.
London.-An observatory for the
study of solar phenomena. whence
the sun can seldom be seen and sun
set or sunrise never, appears strange
anomaly.
Such is the position of the govern
ment solar physics laboratory and OBJ
servatory in South Kensington, arount
which since ii was first constructed
high buildings and trees have grown
to obscure the heavens from view
More than this. Only one-half o.
the sky is al any time within its
range of vision, and that half is more
often than not obscured by LondoI
smoke.
A scientific correspondent, who
went there recently for information
pointed out more glazing anomalies In
the situation OF this important OBJ
servatory.
So badly placed is it," he explain
ed, that though the new daylight
comet has twice been visible in cen
trail London to all, yet this state de
partment, especially formed for the
study OF such things, has not, owing
to its unfavorable position and sur.
roundings, been able even to see it.
Anybody going there can see,
moreover, that the observers are
never able to see the sun rise or set
because they are surrounded by tall
buildings on either side. Yet their
principal work, as the word solar
shows, is concerned with the sun.
Since the observatory was estab-
lished, over rs years ago, buildings
and trees have grown up all round it,
shutting out the horizon.
Not more than so per cent. of the
sky, | estimated, Is visible; absolute
ly the whole of the horizon is blocked
out, and of the sky that is left only
that Immediately overhead is blue, be.
cause the London smoke renders the
air SO hazy.
ITO revert to the comet. 1t is still
riddle whether II is composed of
sodium or OF helium. This the instru-
ments would have solved in a few
minutes had it been possible to EN-.
ploy them, but most of the time 1t was
visible in London it was behind the
two tower-like chimncys Of the Natur-
al History museum.
For the short time 1t was not so
obscured the north wind swept the
smoke of the town across the other.
wise cloudless skies, and prevented
any observations being made
Every one outside London saw
what a magnificent object the comet
was. and yet at the Solar Physics lab.
oratory, maintained for such purposes,
nothing could be seen.
IF on such evenings the comet,
then fairly high up in the sky, could
not be viewed, it follows that the OBJ,
servers cannot get any star. however
important. which Is low down in the
sky, SO that, from an observational
point of view, the scientists are con.
sary work
THE Solar Physics laboratory--it liz
not even on the telephone, as a search
in the book reveals--is housed, as any
one can see, in two galvanized iron
sheds, and the telescopes and other
valuable instruments, Photographic ap
paratus. ETC., are actually In wooden
shanties.
"One, at least, Of these ! noticed
was covered with tarred felting on the
roof, as inflammable a material as can
be found.
I'm the house of commons, indeed,
as scientific men know only too well
the Solar Physics observatory is con.
temptuously referred to as the hen
run
1.-THE Importance of the work done
thwe--the pioneer observatory of so
lar physicists easily demonstrable
For example, 1t has been discovered
that sunspots, which indicate ire
mendous solar activity, occur In
definite cycles of about / years, and
that the worlds weather is vitality
concerned with them.
How essential Is the work arising
from this knowledge becomes plain
when the disastrous effects OF drought
In India, Africa and Australia are re.
membered.
AN this information has been
CLEANED from the sun and yet, at the
best time to view him, the early morn
ing, no observation can be made, and
the foreign scientists, who laugh at
the English governments tradesman'
like stinginess. are able, In their am.
ply state-aided up-to-date observator.
les, built on the plans laid down at
Kensington, to do far more work.
There Is rumor that there has
long been a project on foot to move
the laboratory to Fosterdown--a now
disused mobilization center on the
top Of the Hogs Back. near Caterham.
Nothing has been done, however,
because, suppose, 1t would cost a
few thousand pounds, though were
the observatory established there II
would be twice as efficient at the very
least
The real trouble is that science Ia