Mount Weather Observatory 



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a research meteorological observatory 

 at Mount Weather, Bluemont, Virginia, 

 about 65 miles northwest of Washing- 

 ton. The site contains 85 acres of land, 

 located on the crest of the Blue Ridge 

 Mountains, 1,800 feet above sea-level, 

 and overlooking the Piedmont and the 

 Shenandoah valleys. It is far enough 

 away from any probable trolley line, such 

 as one through the Snicker's Gap, to 

 escape the electric currents which might 

 injure the magnetic observations. The 

 rocks are non-magnetic to a remarkable 

 degree, and the magnetic field is uni- 

 form, so that the place is a good one 

 for the observatory. We have a large 

 building for administration and com- 

 mon meteorology already completed, a 

 fine balloon and kite plant in process 

 of construction, and operations have 

 been begun on a first-class variation and 

 absolute observatory for atmospheric 

 magnetism. Plans are being studied 

 for an excellent physical laboratory to 

 accommodate experiments in meteoro- 

 logical physics, in the improvement of 

 instruments, in atmospheric electricity, 

 ionization and radioactivity of the air 

 and of soils, and other research investi- 

 gations. We are working out a com- 

 prehensive scheme for a solar physics 

 observatory for studying the visible 

 signs in the sunspots, prominences, fac- 

 ulae, and photosphere by a photographic 

 telescope, a horizontal spectro-helio- 

 graph, and a spectrum analyzer ; also, 

 it will contain a high-grade bolometer 

 if the site proves sufficiently favorable 

 for this line of radiation observations. 

 There are numerous small pieces of 



auxiliary apparatus which will be de- 

 veloped and added as time and experi- 

 ence suggest. 



To coordinate and organize so large a 

 scientific plant will require time and 

 money, but it is felt that we can in no 

 other way suitably serve the American 

 public in this branch of science. While 

 there is similar work of the kind going 

 on in different parts of the world, it is 

 not possible for us to make use of it in 

 practical forecasting. Except for some 

 preliminary notices of results to be found 

 in current scientific journals, the pub- 

 lished reports are usually delayed two or 

 three years behind the date of the obser- 

 vations. Furthermore, coming from so 

 many sources, different countries, and 

 different observers, the data are not ho- 

 mogeneous. It takes so much time and 

 labor to work over and render compara- 

 ble this miscellaneous material that it is 

 better to bring all the necessary lines of 

 study under one management and make 

 the observations and computations ho- 

 mogeneous from the beginning, so as to 

 keep the data inform for immediate de- 

 ductions regarding the trend of the gen- 

 eral meteorological conditions in the 

 United States. We are looking to the 

 future needs of a rapidly developing and 

 intensely interesting branch of science, 

 and are trying to build the very best ob- 

 servatory possible. We shall seek to 

 equip it with the most satisfactory in- 

 struments which are available. There 

 will be no haste in order to reach sensa- 

 tional forecasts, and it is believed that 

 the public will indorse the strictly scien- 

 tific method here outlined. 



