FRENCH SOCIETY GIVES GOLD MEDAL TO SHAPLEY

Dr. Harlow Shapley, Paine Professor of Practical Astronomy, has just received by way of the French embassy the Prix Janssen, the gold medal of the Societe Astronomique de France, which was awarded to him this summer. The Prix Janssen was named for a distinguished French astronomer of the nineteenth century whose outstanding discovery was that of the method of observing solar prominences without total solar eclipses, a contribution of great importance in respect to studies of the sun.

Two years ago this prize was awarded to Einstein, and five years ago to Eddington. The present reward was made in recognition of Dr. Shapley's general researches in astronomy, probably mainly because of his cosmogony contributions, galactic measurements, and studies of Cepheid variables, subjects in which the French themselves have taken considerable interest.