Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
SUN SPOTS GROW
AS. 1928 NEARS
Naval Observatory Expert
Says Period of Greatest
IN >, -.
Activity Is on Way.

+ Photograp hing the sun daily at
noon and observing it's phenomena for
over a. quarter of a century has been
the task Of Prof George Henry Pc
tiers. solar expert at the Naval OBJ
servatory. Thursday nights he may
be seen lecturing to a public group
around the big 12-inch telescope.
preaching the gospel of astronomy"
In a popular way, and explaining the
vagaries of the heavenly bodies as
only man who has devoted a life
time of study to the subject can dis
course on Il.
Sun spots are a special phase Of
Prof. Peters work, and he looks for
Old Sol to have the measles" in good
shape by the latter part of next year.
The spots approach their maximum
in 11-year cycles, and late in 1928 the
king of the heavens is due to be all
spotted up. leopard-like. although
Prof. Peters says it is possible this
may run over into 1929. These spots
have a direct bearing on terrestrial
magnetic storms, he explains, adding
that science believes there is link be-
tween the spots and radio disturb
ance. but this must be studied more
extensively before accurate conclu-
Sions can be arrived at.
No Big Groups Now.
Just now, Prof. Peters says, there
are no enormous groups of spots on
the sun. The minimum was reached
in August, 1923. and this solar sys-
tenn issnow swinging toward the pc
riod OF greatest activity. Beginning
this Fall this solar student anticipates
that there will be pronounced aurora
borealis playing in the heavens. Dur
jrc Ioh i,,f,, CIV oh
days on which no spots are visible on
the sun. but each day now there are
spots discernible.
In addition to his work in his office
perched in the Observatory woodland,
well above the downtown level of the
city, Prof. Peters has been on several
solar eclipse expeditions. Back in
1900 he was in Georgia. observing the
wonders of a total eclipse. In 1901
he was in the island of Sumatra,
in the Dutch East Indies He visited
Spain in 1905 to observe a total eclipse
north Of Valencia. III 1918 duty sent |
him to Oregon to get a "shot" at the |
sun while the moon blotted it OUT
Although he had never been up in |
the air before, at the age of 60. Prof |
Peters went aboard the naval dirigible |
Los Angeles in January, 1925, and OBJ.
the eastern part of the United States. |
Went to Sumatra Again.
In the Winter of 1886 he again t
went to Sumatra with the eclipse ex-
petition. The natives were more ac-
customed to the scientific instruments,
but some of the younger ones who had |
not witnessed their visit some % years
before thought the American scientists
made the eclipse, as their elders had
believed on the previous occasion.
Prof. Peters has himself made,
ground and polished several lenses for
use in his work, among them two 10
inch lenses with 113 inches focal
length.
He became interested in astronomy
when but a boy in high school and
achieved distinction by lecturing in
churches and schools for the fun of
it." OF an old New England family
that traces its stay in America from
Pilgrim days. the was born at Hart.
ford, Conn. November %, 1863. lie
has specialized in the study of astron. +
omy. physics and optics. He first came
on duty at the Naval Observatory in
1898.
For years each Thursday night he
has lectured to the public on the won.
ders of the heavens and asserts that
he delights in this work particularly.
The Summer finds the public anxious
TO look through the observatorys big
telescope and have new worlds opened
up to them. There is usually a large
waiting list, as application must be
made beforehand to the superintendent /
and special card is sent to each visi-
tor Sixty Is the usual number of a
night party.
Expert on Malay Language.
Prof. Peters excels in quite another
sphere from astronomy. He is one of
the few men in Washington who can
speak the Malay language. He thinks
this tongue is one of the most sono-
rous of them all and terms it the uni
versal language Of the eastern coun-
tries he has visited. Before his first Wis
it to Sumatra he studied the language !
from a book himself, but during his
two visits to the island he was en-.
abled to learn the pronunciation fluent.
ly. He also speaks French and Span.
ish.
For photographing the sun on each
clear day that he Is in Washington,
Prof. Peters uses a photoheliograph
with five inches aperture and 40 feet
focal length. The image of the sun is
snapped" on plate four and one-half
inches in diameter. the light being