ASTRONOMERS CONVENE TO REVEAL DISCOVERIES

The Harvard College Observatory is to be the host of the forty-third meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is to last from Monday, December 30 to Thursday, January 2. About 100 out-of-town visitors are expected, including astronomers from all parts of the United States and Canada. The purpose of the meeting is to make known the latest discoveries, to expose the newest theories to criticism, and to exchange ideas on the cosmic riddles. Papers on these subjects are to be discussed in several sessions throughout the period.

A council meeting in the Continental Hotel is to start the session on Monday. On Tuesday morning there will be reading of papers by various members of the society, followed by a trip to Wellesley and a tea in the Whitin Observatory residence. In the evening, the Harvard Observatory is to be open to visitors from 7.30 to 9 o'clock, after which Mr. and Mrs. Harlowe Shapley will hold a New Year's Eve party. Wednesday is to be devoted mainly to the reading of more papers. On Thursday, the General Electric plant in West Lynn is to be visited, specially to see the work on fused quartz mirrors.

Among the papers which are expected to be of special interest is one by J. E. Willis on the crossed-vertical transit which is a new instrument of fundamental astronomy. Frederick Slocum is to give a preliminary report on the probability of clear sky for the 1932 total eclipse of the sun.