The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1920-10-18

There arc those who have found
the mesa above the city a most ro-
mantle and advantageous spot for
star gazing. They recommend It
highly. Never before the present
time however. has the Vicinity OF Al
buquerquc been considered seriously
az n possible location for an as
Economical observatory.
Nlght stroilers on the mesa have
discovered two learned gentlemen
from the Carnegie institute at WASH
ington. d. C.. pecring diligently
through n telescope and taking pic
lures OF the heavens AZ large. These
are Dr. Benjamin Boss and his assist
ant. II. T.. Wilson, who are touring
the southwest testing atmospheric
conditions for site for a great OBJ
scrvation station to be erected some
where In the Ufited States by the
Carnegie Institute.
Plan $500. 900 building.
Dk. Boss is the director Of the de-
partmoSt OF meridian astronomy of
the Carnegie institute, and is located
at Albany. ". v, where the depart
mcnt works Yin connection with the
Dudley observatory. At his recon-
mendation. after two years OF thor
ough Investigation the institute will
erect and equip ak observatory for
further study OF this department.
Tho builung ana lnstruments will
cost about 100000 and the station
will employ about fifteen, men.
Many points have to be, taken into
consideration In locating this OBJ
servatory. according to DR.. Boss. The
fact that Albuquerque II nctsrcr the
stars than some other cities is not
necessarily a virtue. for observations
made through the southwest At an
altitude OF six ana seven thousand
feet have proved no clearer than
some taken in the southeastern part
OF the United States at points only
five and six hundred feet above sea-
level.
Again. any tendancy which this
neighborhood may have to 'sand
storms. the particles OF which might
clog ana inJurc the finely adjusted
gears OF tnc OuH'INluE ilai hlHNhN9' -
considered q drawback. DR.. Boss was
assured that the wind here hurls
stones OF gravel size and not the fine
dust which he fears ~ other parts OF
New Mexico.
Clear Weather q Point.
clear weather practically every day
in the yenr Is big drawing card.
however. The party made obscrva .
tionH IN Southern California, ana
found that nothing could be done
along the coast on ucco:nt OF the fog
and rains Arizona closely resembles
New Mexica and the tests made In
these two states are similar. the as.
tronomer says DR.. Boss Will spend
n week here and win visit santa Fc
and possibly Roswell MS other posi-
bile sites for the observatory IN this
state.
The tests being made here consist
of photographs of stnr trails exposed
for seven minutes. The variations In
the path of the star. which II known
to be stationary across the photo
graphic plate as the earth revoives on
its axis, Is an Indication OF the at
mospheric conditions OF the point
where the photograph is made. II
the line Is comparatively straight, the
conditions are good. The topography
of the surrounding country often AT
fecta tho air currents OF the location
resulting IN very irregular trail.
When Dr. Iloss has located tive
possible points In the southwest he
will Visit each OF them four times q
year 10 ascertain the seasonal varia'
tions. The present preliminary sur
vey is being made to compare tht
southwest and southeast which the
nstronomers visited ut this time las
year. The observatory Will not b'
built for two years.