Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-22
TALKING PICTURES
HELP ASTRONOMY
Development of Art Con-
tributes to Improvement
in instruments.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, October 22.-Countless
thousands who daily visit the corner
movie house for relaxation in the latest
talking picture may be surprised to
learn that part of their admission fees
are. in the last analysis. responsible for
some of the recent and valuable dis
coverieS in astronomy.
Truly it is wide bridge that connects
the talking picture with the mysteries
of the universe, but it actually exists.
When one of the Nations foremost as
tronomers admits that his best instru-
ment has gained efficiency because OF
the advent of talking pictures to the
extent that five years ago he would
have had to have an instrument twice
as big to do the same work, one can see
the effects of this industry on aStron-
omy.
Science Is Helped.
Talking pictures to the pleasure
seeker has meant that the silent, fleet
ing images on the screen have found
their speech. But to the astronomer
they mean that he can now greatly in
crease the usefulness of his instru-
ment without changing the design and
size of his telescope. The change is
directly attributed to the arrival of
sound accompaniment for silent pic
lures.
In the "pre-talkie" days illumina-
ton for all interior scenes was supplied
by high-poWer arcs whose light was
rich in the region for which photo
graphic film was the most sensitive
the ultraviolet or actinic wave lengths
The. sputter and roar of these lights
caused no great problem for the silent
movies, since experienced actors soon
became accustomed to the distraction
of the production studio
Sound films, however, presented a
new problem, for the hum Of the arc
lights was recorded by the microphones
and the tense moments Of the dramatic
scene were often ruined.
Electric Lights Used.
The immediate result was the substi-
tuition Of electric lamps for the arc
lights. While they achieved the neces-
Sity of being silent they unfortunately
did not radiate light of as short wave
length, and hence did not have an equal
effect on the Photographic film.
This effect of wave length on the
Photographic plates is, of course, well
known. The main question was then.
not SO much the amount of light, but
its wave length. The problem might
have been solved by using quartz bulbs
for the lamps which have a high trans
mission for the short wave light rays.
glass bulbs fell down. for they absorbed
the waves of the ultraviolet region.
This method, although possible So
luton, could not be considered from
the economic standpoint for the rela-
tive cost of fused quartz and glass are
about 100 to /.
The only solution left was to increase
the senstivity of the film used, and
this is the link that binds the astrono-
mer and the talking pictures. The as
tronomer has always wanted more SEN
live Photographic plate for he could
then catch the light from the faintest
stars without taking exposures that re-
CURED days or even weeks.
Research Started.
Here for the first time was an indus
try that had a problem akin to that
which has always faced astronomers.
Unlike the astronomers, however, they
had almost and comparatively limitless
capital to invest in the necessary re-
search. No astronomer or university
has the money that the industry SYM
bclized by Hollywood was able to throw
into the project.
With this backing the best minds and
laboratories were set to work on the
question and results were soon forth |
coming. A comparison of the first
1aint, lighted sound pictures of a few
Years ago and the splendid success of |
the present ones will show how well |
the work has been done.