Evening star., 1926-03-28
OBSERVATORY SITE
CHOSEN IN AFRICA
DR.. Abbot of Smithsonian
Decides on,BrukkaroS for
Weather Station.

Tie Smithsonian Institution S
series of solar weather obServatorieS
has been completed for the present at
least with announcement that Bruk-
karos, i'll southwest Africa. has been
definitely selected as the site of the
Old Hemisphere observatory. This
makes the third such station, the
others being located in the United
States and South America.
Dr. Charles CT. Abbot, secretary of
the Smithsonian Institution and di-
rector of it's astrophysical observa-
tory, has been searching for months
for a suitable location in the Old Hem
isphere for the third solar obserVa-
tory. 1t was believed the choice would
fail to Baluchistan. but DR.. Abbot
has cabled that Brukkaros had been
selected instead.
There, over Il period of four years,
scientists will study the fluctuations
OF the suns radiation of heat. To-
gether with similar observations at
the other stations it is hoped the re-
suits will make it possible to foretell
weeks or even months, in advance
what the weather will be on this
planet over a given space of time.
Old World Secured.
This latest station was made pos
Slblp through lH6 dSSIStdliN6 VI ttiS
National Geographic Society, which
completely financed the expedition
that went in search of the most suit
able site. headed by DIR. Abbot. Asia
and even the Malay Archipelago were
secured before the scientists were sat
isfied that they had found the. most
ideal spot after carefully considering
all possibilities.
Thus one of the most delicate series
OF astronomical observations yet at
tempted viii be carried ON in one of
the most primitive lands in all the
vorld--the land of the IIottentots
tions Influenced DIR. Abbot in his
choice One is the clear, cool. climate
OF the plateau of southwest Africa;
the other is the peaceful conditions
now existing there since England
took over the administration of the
colony since the World War.
The work of solar observation has
been carried on by DR.. Abbot and his
associates at the Smithsonian Astro-
physical observatory since 1902. At
first observations were made for a
part of each year at Mount Wilson,
calf. In 1918 a station was estab-
ljshed in the nitrate desert OF Chile.
and two years later a station was set
up on Mount HarQua Hala. in Ari-
Zona, which took over the work pre-.
viously done - Mount Wilson.
Underlying Principle.
The principle underlying the inves-
legations is that the sun sheds its
life giving heat equally on every
square inch OF the outer surface of
our planet exposed TO it--ony the
oCter surface in this case is the sur
face of the ocean OF air in which we
I've. and not the surface of the earth
on which we move.
The solar geographer's task would
be easy if men, like fish, could arise
10 the surface of their air ocean.
Since man cannot do that, he must
devise ways to overcome the inter
ference of vapors and dust particles
that affect sunbeam the instant it
strikes the outer rim Of our air
envelope.
1t is to discount this interference
that DIR. Abbot has spent decades
in devising unique instruments, which
the expedition will use, and in per-
fectinS others which the late Samuel
Pierpont Langley invented.