ON THE UNCERTAINTY OF CONCLUSIONS. 
9 
which we are now quite familiar. Because one astronomer 
declares that the temperature of the Sun is 20,000° F., and 
another, equally honest and capable, says it is not less than 
20,000,000° F., it must not be inferred and it never is, except 
by the superficial, that the whole science of solar energy is a 
tissue of falsehoods, and that those engaged in its development 
are deliberately planning an imposition upon the general 
public. Even such widely varying results as these may be 
based on observations that are entirely correct and experi¬ 
ments that are beyond criticism. The discussion of the re¬ 
sults obtained by observation and experiment may follow, in 
both cases, the very best models and yet the conclusions may 
be erroneous and contradictory, owing to the insufficiency of 
data in the beginning. 
Unfortunately • the omission of one or more important 
quantities from the equations of condition is not always 
known or suspected. The older, more exact astronomy is 
occasionally caught tripping in this way. An interesting 
example of recent occurrence is to be found in certain ob¬ 
servations for stellar parallax made a few years ago by 
members of our own Society. The observations were long 
continued, the instruments used were of a high character, and 
the observers were skillful. These conditions unquestionably 
promise success. It was something of a surprise, therefore, 
when a reduction of the observations gave for the parallax 
a negative result. As such a result could in no way be pos¬ 
sible, except, perhaps, through the assistance and interven¬ 
tion of a curvature in space (in virtue of which if a man’s 
vision was not limited he would, by looking straight for¬ 
ward, see the back of his own head), it was assumed that the 
work was not as well done as it seemed to be, or that some 
imperfection in the instrumental appliances had been over¬ 
looked. It now appears, however, that this record may be 
reopened, and that the results may prove to be of as great 
value as originally anticipated. Researches carried on dur¬ 
ing the past year or two have with little doubt established 
the fact that the latitude of a point on the earth’s surface is 
2—Bull. Phil. Soc., Wash., Vol. 12. 
