44 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Transatctions. 



ACADEAIY OF SCIENCES. 



March ii, 1902. 



The regular monthly meeting was held this evening at 724 South Broad- 

 way. 



Nine applications for membership were received and referred to the 

 Board of Directors. 



The report of the committee on "Modernized English" as read by Mr. 

 G. Major Taber was adopted. 



The following resolution was introduced by Mr. G. Major Taber: 



Rhsolvp;d: That the subject of a paper read before the Academy by 

 Mr. A. L. Bancroft, entitled "Modernized English from a Standpoint of 

 Usefulness," be referred to a committee of five to consider the advisability 

 of issuing a circular letter to be mailed to the scientific bodies and educa- 

 tional institutions throughout the United States and other English speaking 

 countries requesting them to unite with this Academy in the inauguration 

 of a general movement in favor of a phonetic system. 



The resolution was unanimously adopted. 



The President then introduced Prof. W. W. Campbell, Director of the 

 Lick Observatory, who delivered a lecture on "The Translation of the Sun 

 Through Space." 



The lecture was illustrated with numerous lantern slides from spectro- 

 graphic views taken with the Crossley reflector at the Lick Observatory. 

 Some interesting views of Novo Perseus, the Nebula in Orion, the Pleiades 

 were also shown on the screen. 



Prof. Campbell gave a comprehensive review of the Astro-Physical work 

 carried on at the Lick Observatory, explaining all the instruments used and 

 the methods adopted for the pursuit of desired ends. An outline was given 

 of the results so far obtained in the line of sight observations of the stars 

 and a statement made of the purposes for which the branch of the Lick Ob- 

 servatory was at present being established in South America, The net 

 result of the lecture may be expressed in the following statements: 



1. The sun is moving through space with a velocity of 12% miles per 

 second. 



2. The direction of the solar motion points to the neighborhood of 

 Alpha Lyra. 



3. The distance of the average star is about 3000 light years. 



4. The type of our solar system is comparatively rare in the universe. 



5. The latest investigations would seem to prove the universe to be 

 limited. 



The lecture was highly appreciated by the large audience present. 

 A discussion followed at the close, after which the meeting stood ad- 

 journed. B. R. BaumgardT, Secretary. 



ASTRONOMICAL SECTION. 



March 4th, 1902. 

 The Astronomical Section met at the usual hour this evening, and was 

 called to order by Chairman Baumgardt. The minutes of the last meeting 

 were read and approved. 



