Arizona republican., 1920-09-09
SOLAR OBSERVATORY
 NEAR WENDEN ID BE
 IN USE WITHIN WEEK

The observatory building erected for the Smithsonian Institute on the Har- qua Halla Peak, near Wenden, Ariz., is completed and observations of solar radiation will begin about September 15 under the direction of Prof. c. G. Abbot of the Smithsonian Institute. This word was brought in a letter from Prof Abbot to James H. Gordon of the local weather bureau office.
 More than year ago request was made that the weather bureau here investigate possible sites for such an observatory in southwestern Arizona, southeastern California and southern Nevada. F.. H. Fletcher. then con nected with the Phoenix office spent six weeks on this work. Factors to be considered were accessibility, water supply, freedom from cloudiness and the effects of desert dust storms and haze. As a result of MT. Fletcher's $ findings three sites were chosen for further study, Bagdad and Gina in California and Wenden in Arizona. Beginning last December five obser- vations a day have been taken al these places of amount and kind of cloud, wind direction and force and clearness of the air. At the end of six months a study of these observations convinced the officials of the Smithsonian Insti- tute that in connection with other ad- vantages, the site in the Harqualla Halla mountains was best suited to their purpose and work was imne- diately started on the observatory building. This is now completed and ready for occupancy.
 The observatory is 5,700 feet above sea level. about the same IS the famous Mount Wilson observatory near Los Angeles and considerably higher than Lick Observatory near San Jose. By road it is about IS miles from Wen den, the last six miles being only a trail used in packing ore. An abun- dant supply of water is to be found about mile from the summit of the peak.
 The letter received from Prof Ab- bolt outlines the work that will be done at the Harqua Halla Observatory and it's relation to other work being carried on by the Smithsonian InSti- tute in other parts of the world. It is quoted in part IS follows:
 For about 15 years our observa- tions have gone on at Mount Wilson, with expeditions to Mount Whitney, Calf. Algeria and Chili. At present the Smithsonian Institute maintains a mountain observatory near Calama. Chilli. There the observers determine almost daily the intensity of the sum- s radiation not only at the earth's sur face. but as it would be outside the atmosphere. In accordance with find ings from earlier observations they find the solar. output variable. Many Independent checks confirm this. One of the most interesting features is parallel variations in the brightness of Saturn lately observed by Dr. Guth- nick.
 The Argentine weather bureau has compared our records of solar varia- bility with meteorological records there and such well marked correlations have appeared that they have for near ly two years paid for daily tele- graphic report from our Calama sta- tion in Chili as a forecasting element. I understand that the telegram is re- peated from Buenos Aires to Rio Ja- neiro for use in Brazil.
 Tt is with the hope of strengthen ing our solar observations in Chili by observing independently 1000 miles away in the most favorable sky condi- tions of the United States that we have established the station on liar qua Halla. Observations will be made there daily. as far as possible and may be continued indefinitely if they prove of value.
 The solar variations appear to range through an extreme limit of 10 per cent and often change three per cent in week. Possibly observations of these changes may be of value in weather forecasting. It is our business to observe them accurately enough to determine this"
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