Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-25

not seen until they strike the earth s
atmosphere, but if at one particular
point in the sky you can see three in
an hour what must the number be in
the whole sky. Most of them burr,
right up the moment they strike the
earth's atmosphere"
What other heavenly bodies have you
dscovered?'
81 have studied the movements OF
some 80 small planets, asteroids, between
Mars and Jupiter. In all there are about
400 Of these small planets and they ar,
Merry interesting and are being studied
Very carefully by astronomers. One OF
these small planets makes with the sur
and Jupiter a perfect equilatcral triangle
showing that it is subject to exactly the
same gravity force as Jupiter. 1t offers
n problem in astronomy that has never
been worked out | have also discovered
a number of variable stars"
when did you take up the study OF
astronomy
when ! was about II years old. 1t has
been my relaxation very largely from my
other studies"
been studying astronomy for SO years. and
atlng studies in the world. But it hasn't
apparently interfered with his other stud
les for there is little in the field of mod
ern scientific knowledge with which he
is not more or less familiar, and he is as
ready to discuss the philosophy of Berg
son or the theology OF Jonathan Edwards
as he is astronomy. He is in the broadcst
sense a student. and he also has an UNI
doubted genius for mechanics.
OBSERVATORY BESIDE HOUSE.
He has an observatory beside his house
in Winchester which does not look in the
least like the ordinary observatory. II
looks like a little portable. wooden house
built like "A tent. But after you enter
this little house he pulls a rope and-half
the roof rolls back Then he pulls an
other rope and the other half rolls back,
giving free play to the double telescope
that is mounted on the center of the floor.
The whole arrangement shows the prac-
teal astronomer. The tubes of the two
telescopes lie one on top of the other SO
that both are operated by the same mech
anism The under one is a seven-inC
Clark refractor and the upper one a T.
inch sdered Photographic telescope. The
latter / strument Mr. Metcaf mad,
himself and with it he and his two boys
have made hundreds of photographs OF
the night sky and on many of these are
his own particular discoveries. Every
clear night the two boys are engaged in
this work, over which they are almost as
enthusiastic as their father
In photographng the stars the move
ment of the earth on its axis must hc
| taken into consideration. ihis 1.
regulated by means of a clock mech
anism regulated by weights. so that ono,
the Photographic telescope Is pointed "A
star and the mechanism started it /.
not necessary to bother further exCep
TO shut off the exposure at the prop"l
| time. 1t is delicate work and work tina
requires experience and fine judgmon
| In the matter of light and the sensitive
ness Of Photographic plates.
PHOTOGRAPHING THE HEAVENS.
1t should be known that the princpa
obScrVatorieS of. the world have beer
engaged for years I'm photographing tn,
heavens, each covering an allotted space
and that more than 100000 stars from tn,
first to the tenth magnitude have beer
thus examined, definitely located ant
Icatalogued, and that this catalogue vii
be Jointly printed and published in
short time. This achievement of modern
astronomical science, aided by photo
graphy, would amaze the earlier
astronomers, such as Calico, Huygens
HALEY, Newton or Herschel
As has been said, astronomy is and ha,
been very largely matter of recreatlo,
with the Rev. John f. Netcalf for he Il
n seriously busy man with his ministerial
work and duties and he is very deepl,
interested and concerned in the socjo
logical and the spiritual problems whic,
confront the world to-day In point q
fact about the only time he dcvotes II
astronomy is his vacation period and
was during this period that he made hi
latest discovery His boys have becom
so interested in astronomy that the
carry forward the Photographic wor
i"lth little assistance from him
Yet to show how highly regarded he
AS an astronomer It is only necessar
TO point out that he is chairman of tn
Visiting committee OF the Harvard oh
servatory and that he has been awarde
i've medals for astronomical discoveries
Including one few years ago from tn
member of the Astronomical society O
\ America That gives a fair Idea of tn
astronomical side Of this man.
He also has a fine record of achieve
ment as divinity student and minister
He was born at Meadvlle, Pa, Januar
:. 1866, and was graduated from tn
MeadNlle Theological school in 1890 RI
attended the Harvard Divinity schoc
that same year He got degree of pr
II. from Allegheny College in 1892 an
studied at the Manchester College in tn
University of oxford In 1903, He was OF
dained in 1890, and was pastor of
, church in Burlington. Vt, from 1898
1903. He then accepted a coll to Taunto
whore he remained until 1910 when h
, came to the Unitarian Church at Wiz
$ chester whore he has been pastor sine