Evening star., 1947-09-01
Women Astronomers
Drop Household Cares
To Make TELESCOPES

Several women who would rather
design and make telescopes than
discuss routine household affairs
are leading members of the Ma
I'tional Capital Astronomers. which
celebrated its 10th anniversary this
week.
7 At meeting of the amateur
groups telescope class in
Central High School, the conversa-
ton was studded with such astro-
nomical terms as. nebulae, galaxies,
novae, comets, clusters, double and
variable stars. There was not even
a mention of the current sale of
cretonne curtains in local depart
ment store.
The society's 80 members includes
about 30 women. There also are
several boys. Miss Margaret Clock.
2701 Fourteenth street NV, who
joined last year and is one of about
20 members making telescopes.
voiced an important reason why
the telescope making class is so
popular.
Wants Stars Close.
II like astronomy" she said. I'm
not just satisfied to see the stars.
1 want to bring them close to me-
I can do that with a telescope
That's just about the way 1 feel
about it," added Miss Irene War;
then, 626 Silver Spring avenue, Sill
yer Spring, Md. I've been inter-
ested in astronomy since I was a
child. It's terrible for pretty thing
like Saturn's rings to be in the sky
and not to be able to see it with the
eye. There's the advantage of hav-
ing a telescope"
Miss Warthen already has COM
Ipleted a 6-inch telescope and now
is working on 4-incher. With the
others in the class she is instructed
by Robert M. Mcclellan, who has
20 years experience in precision
machine work. From 1884 to 1941
he was a tool and instrument maker
in the Naval Gun Factory.
Grinding Involves Work.
He gave a brief outline of the
many steps necessary in making a
telescope. The mirror. he said, is
made from pyrex glass cut in circu-
lar blanks. Then comes a short
period of real elbow" work, for
there is plenty of grinding to be
done on the mirror.
This is accomplished by using an
other piece of circular glass, amply
'sprinkled" with abrasive, as the
grinding instrument.
Next step is the design of the
mounting and the machining of the
aluminium castings for this equip
ment. The mirror then is coated
with aluminium to give it reflect
! ing surface. This is a compare
lively modern development and an
improvement over the old silvering
method.
The society was founded August
n, 1887, when a group of strangers
with an interest in astronomy met
in the Naval Observatory after read
ing newspaper announcement that
meeting would be held there. The
National Capital Astronomers held
its first lecture meeting in the Ma
tional Museum on October /, 1887,
and ever since there has been q
monthly lecture meeting with a pro-
fessional speaker during all but two
summer months of each year.
Junior Contingent Added.
In addition to the telescope max
ing class, weekly sessions are held
in various sections of the city for
telescope observation and constella-
tion study. Several meetings are
held annually in cooperation with
the National Park Service to which
the public is invited. Members
bring their own telescopes and pro-
vide instruction in constellation
study, all under guidance of U. Sher-
man Lyons. an astronomer at the
Naval Observatory. There also are
discussion groups.
Since January, 1916, the society
has had Junior contingent. 1t also
has its own five-inch telescope,
which often is used in another
activity-meteor- counting in selected
portions of the sky. These counts
then are correlated with the radar
meteor counting program of the
National Bureau of Standards.
At forthcoming lecture, to be
held at 8 pm. September 6 in the
National Museum, the speaker will
be DR.. Irvine c. Gardner, chief,
Optical Instruments Section of the
Bureau of Standards. His subject
will be "The Development of Astro-