The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-24

osut4S Of oSeseotiou 20 70 opo8B, W0tou o9u
thing, (ths nsdir point which IL in lus With this
ssntrs may be rendered visible; only rsnsus to b
detect Its minute changes. Permit me to explain
BY turning the telescope down upon q basin OF OF
placed in the seIsr focus Of the obj-c glass of the
telescope may be seen as though it were an OBJ
ject at an hfnite distance Recording to this optical
artrc. by which the most atteuuatsd line Is placed In
the nadr and directly in lne with the centrs OF CRAWL
aton and taking advantage of the peculiar aud extra
ordinary celmstiny powers OF this instrument IL will
bs impossible for any devotion of the pammet amount
ing the surface of heeSrth the breadth
ct the hnsst gossameT from its normal sats to escape
observation Permit me to illustrate by example:
suppose the moon TO be the meridian ut its lower
and that the spider Ii o in the focus Of tbs
telescope be made occult its age basin
OF mercury and as in the nsdir shall thsn have
the most perfect pammet that be dropped. The
position of the telescope is then noted AMI in this
position IT remains suppose after the rises
AMI reaches that altitude in the east which her
Disturbance of the plummst il maximum. that the
telescope is san examined aud the spider sad and
its Image found TO bo Longer in occultsion This
sumDg stab lily in all other respects b. psrfscs will
be- owing TO the fact that the centre attraction ha,
chsnged it's position aud passed aso to the of the
consequence the mercury in tbs has it,
set 10 this centre and therefore, changed its in
| cnstion, by an amount equal to the detection that
| would be produced upon chs plumnst The m xmum
effect OF this change ing seea by reflection, is appa-
| rently doubled
| When the moon reaches like altitude west,
| the same takes p!acs. But, in this instance, the
| image appesrs to the west instead Of the east OF
che zeal thread and the effect is again doubled bat
on the side opposite the frsS Thus the maximum devs
tioa will be multiplied four times, aud multiplied
will be brought unisr ths hghes ynifyng powers of
| the instrument for detection aad observation.
The facility with which the instrument s reversed
and tho in which it is supported on It's pier
will impart to its results degree of confidence to
curaoy OF that but few instruments have
it would b. altogethe, out of place and prsms.
ture to discuss its powers here to antcpsts results
therefore, pass on TO the other subjects upon which
According the British Association for the advance
tnent OF sciencs, the vast sums of money which have
been spent BY astronomers in dong overagaiu what has
bean better done elsewhere in determining astronomical
data might have almost created new sciences of obser-
walton
aplan has been adopted for its labors which while the
plan seeks to avoid doing over again what has already
been we'll DONE aims ct results both useful to the world
and credtabe to the country. This general outlines of
this plan are to keep regular and systematic series
OF observations upon the moon and planets and GER
tain funda mental stars with the view of procuring data
for this American Nautical Almanac But the
and instrune ats pable OF many observntio
than these aud with the view of fully occupying the
time OF each at an early day proposed regularly aud
scope every point in the visible heavens with
the view OF ASSIGNING position and magnitude and Of
catalogung every star cluster, nebuae object that
should pass through the field OF view.
Leave was sought aud readily granted to carry
this plan into effect the labor Of near two years
has already been expended upon it catalogue of
about 200 stars, most of them unknown to existing
field - WAC N''' S'A- "''A ~ 'A''
The plan originally contemplated and designed is to
sweep over the same belt twice, but not the
posing the conditions of atmosphere, instrument and
eye to be the all the stars and more which
observed during the first sweep should be observed du
ring the second The work in this case is complete
But suppose, and this is generally the that stars
are observed in which not observed in the
other Equatorial then turned upon the belt to
reconcile discrepancies that star be entered
the catalogue without having been subject OBJ
servatioa at least twice. and each time different co.
casion by different instrument and observer In addi
tion to this the plan as originally designed, csntsm
plates measures of distance aud angle of position upon
all double or multiple stars, accurate drawings and de-
| scriptions of oil clusters and nebulae.
No astronomical work on sucn exteneive scale has
| ever been executed attempted. The value and i'm.
portance of it manifold, but difficult of full estima
ton.
The intention is to make a contribution to astronomy
worthy Of the nation and the and to execute the
undertaking. that future ASTRONOMERS in all time NAV
of it, such star not visible in the heavens ut
the date Of the Washington Catalogue because is not
there, and such star that is now missing wa, in the
heavens because 1t is in that work.
Such st least, is the point aimed at How far shall
rail- short OF remains for results to show These
The principal subjects of observations There many
others but to recount them would make my letter tedi
Gus; therefore pas them by.
Great undertakings such as il this catalogue, whose
value and Importance are ccntnet to no country and
limited to beyond the power Of astronomers
worA single. handed They require large force and
aburdant facilities, such individuals cannot afford
and therefore fail peculiarly within the province aud du.
ries of government 1t is TO be contribution to sci
euce worthy Of great nation 1t is to extend beyond
the age in which we i've and reach stery with last
ing benefits. IT, therefore, grand catalogue be un-
iertakeu at ALL labor should be- spared for giving t
weight and authority in ali time to come; all facilities,
means snd appliances should be afforded the Ohservato
ry, which cacuatei to give useful establishment to
such work to mpart interest," add to its value To
make it complete researches in the higher departments
OF physical astronomy ars wanted These cannot be
condlc manner the most satisfactory to the
world aud crsditsble the naton without the aid Of
more powerful telescope than a0y which the oservato
| ~ now has
There is q strong and commendabe feeling of national
pride am ug the people Of the United States What.
ever the couary underakes to d. they desire To
we'll done have to believe that this feeling ob
ans az strongly with regard to tho Ob.rvatory now
4 4 QGi pu4 tn a nv
suhsc whatever refer wi. pride to this trait 10 the
character Of The American people for it them to
countries
Accordingly, have consulted the most celebrated
lists Of Europe the aud of the Re-
tracing Telescope eqnasoraliy mounted that be
made The largest telescope Of the kind III the world
bic to construct has object glass of but eighteen
| inches in diamster That OF this observatory has
object glass of only inches and there two others
tue country nearly quite double the sizs OF this
The celebrated opticians and principal makers Of re-
ftacting Telescopes Msrz of the Fraunhofer
taoisnTnep VINO nave ssen consulted on toe .uoject
willing to risk their character and reputation the
most renowned makers 10 the world upon object glass
| of "a inches clear aperture They have made the IL
oers offer OF such ips rumeut for $40 OOO And it
will require four or Ave years to complete it. hazard
description, madS With the usual ssiiI and sue.
Of these celebrated makers would slrpsss 9TH
ers in it's astronomical PERFORMANCES It would b. re-
gsrded by practical and those engaged in
the researches of physical astronomy the superb
instrument in the world. And what would bs the cost
| of such an instrument to the people Of the United
| states Only IL half of a cent per head
They enlightened, Free aud intelligent; and would
they think you. when they reminded Of the prsc-
teal importance and value oil astronomy In the daily
affairs of life, whether as between and man,
| ton and nation grudse appropriation for such q
| purpose
There Is no department OF sciences which s more init
mately connected than astronomy with the interests
whsther of government or people by astronomy the
length of year established rising and setting
Of the sun are calculated aud tins Itself ell its rela
tons |. measured, fixed or determined The man Of
Ia Mt w fnh for th.h hans 10
much indebted to astronomy for the ability pupctusliy
10 fulfil bis ents, The farmer he consus
| his almanac for the places OF the moon
When boundary line is to be established bet ween
this country and rsighborng nation between State
and State OF the conederacy 1t is done by astronomy
The atitudes and ongitudes of lines points the
Garth. determaed by the Iositions the stars