Evening star., 1952-12-29
CIock-Watchinc
Done Expert|y
AT Observatory
Novy's Scientists
ForeteII Answers
Of Next Century
By Huqh Humphrey

BY Hugh Humphrey
There's one spot in Washington
where clock watching has become
a time -honored profession and
where Government experts make
q career Of staring into space.
High-leyel conferences always
revolve around astronomical fig
ures except when money enters
the orbit. The budget for this
group Of star-gazers is among the
smallest in Government-less than
a million dollars a year. Renova-
tion and remodeling Of buildings
is no problem-they haven't
changed in more than a half
century. The guiding brains have
been too busy looking forward a
thousand years.
The Naval Observatory. atop a
hill south of Massachusetts avenue
at Thirty-fourth street NV. is a
place where no one is in a hurry
Unlike most Federal agencies.
work projects are laid out in terms
of years and decades. rather than
in hours and weeks.
There's almost no turnover Of
personnel among the 120 civil
service employees. but the four
Naval officers who direct the ad-
ministrative activities are rotated
every four years.
Pace Set in 1880.
This leisurely pace was started
in 1880 when Navy men became
fed up with the helter-Skelter
method of storing valuable navi-
gational charts and instruments
taken from decommissioned ships.
A Depot of Charts and Instru-
ments was organized and, accord
ing to old records, was located
somewhere near the middle Of
the present Union Station Plaza
Since navigation. astronomy and
time are all part of the same
parcel, it didn't take Navy men
long to recognize the need for an
observatory. Today's traffic prob
lens at the Plaza certainly weren't t
anticipated then, but some far
sighted person decided to move the
setup to q hill at what is now
Twenty-third street and Consti-
tuition avenue NV.
The first superintendent of the
Naval Observatory was Comdr
Matthew Fontaine Maury. who
served from it's establishment in
1914 until he Joined the Confed-
crate forces In 1861. Long known
as a rather priced plum in naval
assignments. the post now is held
by Capt. Frederic A. Graf. a vet
era1a Of the Pacific war.
Outstanding Astronomers.
Capt. Graf directs the Observ-
atory in two main functions. the
establishment of a time standard
for the Nation and the preparation
of uavigational charts for sea and
air travel. On his staff of civilian
scientists are some of the worlds
foremost astronomers. including
G. M. Clemence. director Of the
Nautical Almanac Office. who lives
at 1882 Hall place NV.
Mr.. Clemence, who sits at a
desk once used by predecessor,
Prof. Simon Newcomb in 1877. is
q veteran of % years with the OBJ
servatory. in 1941. he directed
the preparation of the first Air
Almanac, complex mass of navi-
cation figures. Since that time,
the almanac has been published
three time each year and so far
without a single mistake.
Everybody at the observatory
knows something about everything
and everything about some things.
Some day-it may be years from
now-Dr. j. S. Hall. another out
standing astronomer. is going to
tell the world why the stars twin
kle. He's been working on this
project for some time and like all
scientists, he wants to be sure be-
fore he makes his announcement.
While the observatory isn't con-
cerned with the earth's weather
as a practical operation. Dr., Hall
expects his findings on twinkling
stars to provide a lot Of help in
weather forecasting.
Moons Topography Charted.
In one section, experts are work.
ing with a machine that charts
the mountains and valleys around
the rim of the moon. It has a
practical value, too. since extreme
ly accurate calculations Of land
mass movement can be made by
using the lunar planet and stars.
A veteran of the working force.
DR.. Paul Sollenberger, director Of
the Time Service Division, is plan
ming to retire soon-after 38 years
service. DR.. Sollenberger. who lives
at 1909 Thirty-seventh street
NV, is a rare combination Of
theoretical astronomer and a prac-
tical nuts and bolts" man. He
builds his own clocks and with
some pride points to their accuracy
-1/1000 of a second. The Bureau
of Standards sets its timepieceS
from DR.. Sollenberger's master
clock.
Clocks Must Not Fail.
When the Observatory moved tc
its existing site in 1894, the buSi-
ness of astronomy really got into
high gear. Basing his calculation!
on minute data gathered since
then. Mr.. Clemence has just com.
piled a weighty volume which may
not make the best-seller list. bu
which certainly will be invaluable
to navigators. It's a 2-inch-thic
book on the five outer planets o,
the solar system. In its pages. i
you like figures, can be found tht
exact position of each of thes'
planets at every second Of the da!
from the year 1853 until 2060.
This major project has extrem'
value. If the operations of th'
Observatory were to break down
eki