THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1951.
SEEKING NEW WEATHER SECRETS FROM THE SUN
„Page 3
DRIVING MECHANISM and spar mounting for a new. coronagraph is set up at Climux observ- atory by (from left) Assistunt Superintndent J. Evans, W. Tikanen, R. Cooper, W. Hawleys,,
A Group of Scientists on a Lofty Mountain Top in Colorado Make Their Own Eclipses to Study Solar Influences on Our Climate
This "prominence," 200,000 miles high, is one of largest caught by the Climax camera. A prominence is shining cloud of gas in sun's atmosphere..
INSTEAD of the usual down-to-earth up- proach to the study of weather employed by forecasters, scientists of the High Altitude Ob- servatory at Cilmax, Colo., have inaugurated a novel up-to-the-sun technique. After years of watching the heavens, astronomers Walter Orr Roberts and Willis L. Estlow, with the aid of their
man-made solar eclipse coronagraph machine, condrm that
iremendous explosions are constantly taking place on the sun and that these play on
way of life.
In the observations the scientists are making, same of their findings are withheld from the public.
From ila establishment in 1940 under Har- vard and the University of Colorado, the High Alitude Observatory has studied and photo- graphed in motion pictures solar eruptions shoot- ng as high as 250,000 miles above the sun's surface at 500 miles per second. These explo- slons have a stormy effect upon the earth, Dr increasingly upon our daily lives, his work may help to adjust ug more practically to our environment.
our complex casing, role of importance in Roberts is convinced that since they do react
Our earthly weather, its long and short term aspects, is conditioned, if not controlled, by varying solar activity. Interruption of radio communications and interference follow the outbursts on the sun, Dr Roberts finds. Since national security in certain phases is involved
One goal of the Climax astronomers in to forecast several months ahead on the basis of solar activity whether the season in a particular area will be wammer or colder, drier or wetter.
THE HIGH ALTITUDE OBSERVATORY, at 11,500 feet, is astride the Conti- and into the Pacific on the other side. Roof is peaked to shed the heavy nental Divide, Rain and snow falling on one side flow to the Atlantic snows of Rockies and opens for 'coronagraph to photograph prominences.
INSIDE THE
IMAK-DOME this specialized telescope, guidéd, by photo sun prominente but for permanent recped hy uitschep
"an artinciál dolár ellipse, Dr. Robelts examines n-camera- which catches all-gingos. of solar eruptions “in Vidient:
molign
Seweigh millians of tons,"defy gravisation, have temperature of,,50,000
· Natural sclipses of sun lust about 6 minutes but coronograph crentes perpetual eclipse like this.