Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30

q systematic, all-nielat, all-yeaF watch
on the skies. so that accurate statistics
OF meteor frequencies, meteor orbits,
meteor speeds may be gathered. Part
OF the new research funcs viii be de-
voted to this. and an important project
Of the new program begins In Septem-
Der with meteor expedition to ATi-
zona.
Equipment Shipped.
The expedition win be manned by six
observers and will establish headquar~
tiers near tine Lowell Observatory. It
will remain In the field a full year for
an important purpose Of the expedition
Is to determine the SEASONAL distFibu-
ton Of nleteors. The Observers viii "ob-
serve HtersIly--fe., tl1ey must depeHa
OH their naked eyeSigft. for telescopes
ana Photographic apparatus are Of 1T
tie assistance here
However. two kinds Of equipment have
been devised and adopted as useful for
TIE arizona expedition. One is spe-
cially planned hut OF house In which
the two observers SIT back to back, one
facing north, the other south, and
watch the skies through broad open
windows. The WINDOWS are Fetieuled
With strips OF metal to represent parallels
Of latitude and lines Of longitude Thus.
when meteor flashes across sis field
the observer can readily fx IT'S position
anE direction
Two Of these nuts have been shipped
to Arizona. One win be stationed at
Flagstaff. The other. also with two
watchers, viii be stationed % miles
away.
The second item Of equipment IL q
device Of doubse-Focking mirrors. The
reciprocal action OF the mirrors gives
star images eiFcuIar motion In the re-
fected field, and when a swiftly NOV
ing object Ike meteor crosses the field
its path is shown rs q curved line.
Many Questions Unanswered.
1T is the most serious and thoroueh-
going study of n8eteoFs ever under
taken" explained DR.. shapIev. and /
am hopeful that II win help US to ND
favei some Of the problems that We
cannot fSthoHn by dependence on our
otter messenger from outer space
namely. starlight"
The starlight studies cover = vast
field Of INQUIRIES, Tsnaing from 4 new
attack on the suns mysteries TO an at
tempt 20 plot the most distant salaries
and outline the dim edge Of organized
systems which Dr.. Shapley CLASHES as
the MetaeSlaxg. Some Of the problems
are suggested By the following ques-
tions.
Is the sun 4 regular member Of the
Milky way or an eTratie and wander
ing star without associates?
Does the Milky Way rotate as a unit?
Is X great spiral n6bula or is it an
extended fiat system Of irregular star
cl0uss?
Is our system, which seems 10 be q
continent universe among numerous
ISLANDS, in IN early stage OF a late stage
in the development Of whole cloud
of eSlaxies?
Does our Milky way. with the An
dToEeda nebula and other relatively
nearby systems. form q super -oTasniza-
ton Of gslazies such as we find hi dis
tant parts OF space?
Is the Milky Way reeeding from the
center of the universe AZ an seceleTst-
ing velocity, IS some OF the distant
galaxies appear to be?
Through analysis Of fragile starlight
b. following the strange shifts Of spec
trsl lines and from studies Cf the m
applicable variations IN the light Of
certain giant stars Dr. Sl1apley and bis
associates hope to get. perl4ars. another
clue or two to some Of these unSoIved
mysteries.