New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-12

ASTRONOMICAL LECTURES or PsoF. Mrroa
ELL.-Prof D. Ri. MITCHELL Of the Cincinnati
Observatory, delivered the first OF 5sues Of
eight Lectures, at the solicitation of the BrooAIyR
Astronomical Society, at the Female Academy
last evening to large and highly Intelligent an
ditory
DR.. Cox introduced the Professor in few chm
acteristic remarks, in which he alluded to the pro
posed Observatory which is destined to crowa
Of the nights which are found in Brooklyn
The Lecturer commenced by referring to hu
former lectures, and his satisfaction at the Ell.
dence afforded by the size Of the audience that
be had not exhausted the patience Of his Brook
Ign friends, He had been invited to deliver eight
lectures. Eish. times eight would hardly afford
opportunity for commenting upon the subject
which he to investigate. He had therefore,
determined to contne his attention to few points
Some Of the phenomena TO be observed in our
own system would be dwelt upon the varioas
interesting facts to be observed in regard to the
moon; some of the motions of the sun He had
also been requested to speak upon the relation OF
Astronomical research and Divine revelation and
also upon the advantages and details of an Obser-
vatory establishment.
The time was said Prof w. when the sun and
six planets were supposed to constitute the whole
solar system. Telescope investigation had
shown new planets OF difference IN size, with
systems of satellites surrounding them. and
comets wheeling in all directions and with orbits
of very various extent, all exertins an influence
on each other, and together forming maze
which it seemed beyond the power OF man to IN
rave But all these bodies had been weighed,
their distances measured, their paths dehneated
and their periodic return predicted. What then
remained! In the first place sll the dimensions
and distances were only approximately deter
mined and though we could tell within twenty
seconds Of time the period OF planets return, 1t
was important to be able to tell it within twenty
hundrcdths OF second The lecturer illustrated
this point quite fully. Then much was still to
be learned of the secondary systems which all
exert their influence upon the motions OF the
other members Of the solar system
If we pass beyond the immediate system we
see innumerable bodies far beyond the most DIS
tant of its members filling the regions OF space
beyond the power of the unassisted eye to pene'
trate Each Of these fixed stars is supposed 20
be the center Of system o.. planets ike our own;
Each of these in its degree affects the other anu
before the astronomers work IS accomplished
they must also be weighed and their distances
measured. This has been done in few cases
Another field for investigation IS the course Oh our
own sun through the armies OF ceestia! oodies.
The speaker alluded to the unremitting care
and prolonged observation required Of the Astron
omer and the length Of years necessary to estao-
lish satisfactory results This labor had been re.
Gently greatly reduced by the introduction to the the
observatory Of the electro magnet by which the
clock recorded in a thousandth of a second what
the observer had heretofore marked IN tenths 40
that one wear now produces the results of ten OF
" The I'fI above is bat meager outline of an intro
ductory lecture occupying nearly an hour in the
doliveiy, which was filled up by passages OF the
highest eloqucnce. and was listened to with most
uninterrupted interest The next lecture is to be
delivered on Thursday evening, and tho course
will be continued or each Monday and Thursday
evening until i is completed