Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-20

ynon rur rmLADrLrHIA IsoUInrs.l

the London Morning Chronicle devotes more than a
column to the subject. The building was commenced
about four months since and consists Of plain central
tower Of brick the walls of which about eighteen
inches in thickness the height sxtyfour feet and the
diameter fifteen feet 1t is erected upon solid bed of
concrete and weighs two hundred and twenty This
the very perfection Of construction to pre-
vent the slightest vibration and this be still further
provided against necessary, by loading the different
floors, by which the most complete steadness is
secured By the side of this tower hangs the gigantic
telescope the immense tube Of which, measurng eighty
hve rect IN iength shaped something like cigar At
end is the eye pece az the height Of about five feet
from tho grosnd and at the ether the dew-csp or cover
ing the object Of which is prevent the absorption and
condensation q moisture which takes place during the
night when the instrument is use The exterior
s OF bright metal and the interior painted black to Alb
sorb the divergent rays Of light The instrument has
focal distance which varies from seventy to eighty FIVE
widest portion Of the tube being about feet
from the objectgass and the Of this point
was the result Of repeated experiments made with great
care The instrument has object-gass of two feet
aperture and has already given evidence Of its marvel
lous power One Of lenses is of flint and the other of
plate glass The two placed in contact are
used in combination and constitute the achromatc glass
The tube when mounted weighs between three and four
TONS 1t has already been ascertaned that neasur
ing instrument for penetrating space the powers of
this new contrvance very extraordinary 1t sepa
rates minute points of light distinctly that its quaf
cations discovering telescope must be extremely vau
able 1t resolves the 'mky-wn simply into beau
tiful and brilliant stardsst the language Of
nomers but subdivdes this dust into regular consela
tions showing counepars of the Orion, the Great Bear
and the other brilliant gaaxies Of our system adorned
in addition with the most varied and gorgeous colors
The lenses perfectly achromato that the planet
Saturn appears of milkke whiteness and, regards
this planet good deal of scientific interest been
Gently attached to it in consequence Of the distinguished
American astronomer Bond Of the Cambridge Observa-
tory Massachusetts, having stated he believed he
third ring or belt round the planet Prof Chas brought
No
it, but failed in discovering it, Lord Rosse's gigantic
telescope also employed upon it in vain; and it be-
matter of great interest the astronomical world
to ascertain whether there third ring not and
this question has been solved by the Craig telescope the
third ring of clear brilliant gray color having been dis
ncty This is owing to the great quantity of light
which the Wandsworh telescope brings to the eye Of the
observer from this planet giving bright appearance to
what in an instrument OF less power would have been
completely invisible.
lSome idea of powers may be formed from the fact
that il magnfes the light Of the moon 900 times, and
in coarse objects like the outlines of the lunar
ans and the crates the whole Of these rays may be al
lowed to pass to the focal point they do not
in such objects confuse it in any apprecabe degree In
the Craig telescope the is most magnificent OBJ
ject and perfectly colorless enabling the beh0lder to
trace the outlines of the various mountain ranges with
such vivid distnctness to make long for fine clear
weather in order to bring the whole powers Of this
yeous instrument to Bear upon satellite 1t is posi-
lively asserted that favorable evening, If there
building object Of the size Of Westminster Abbey in
the the whole of its parts and proportions would
be distinctly revealed As an illustration Of its space
powers and the in which it grasps
in the light is stated that soon after il erected it
directed to est-obect minute speck Of light in
Of the consultations which is not to be at all
times by the most excellent Instruments though guided
by rstrate observers, and in profound darkness The
Craig telescope at discovered that this testobect
not minute speck of light but brilliant double
star As it is finally adjusted, Mr.. Craig pro-
poses direct the instrument the planet Venus
mi m mite in he hat bp ms ~
settle the question of whether she has satellite not
"But, Continues the ACCOUNT wonderful the
effects Of this telescope perfect and has been
found that of Of the lenses fat about
the fve-thousandth part of an inch To many il may
appear incredible that the vehousandth part Of inch
be estimated to be appreciabe and measured
but the indstnctness of portion Of the image revealed
the fact The rays Of light which fall upon that part OF
the lens 20 beyond the focal length and render the object
ndstnct and confuse the image This portion Of the
lens has TO be stopped out when extraordinary
racy of definition Is required as for instance in observ
ing fine point the third ring Of Saturn and,
the aperture large the absence Of this small portion
OF the rays not important the quantity of light being
great Ii at first feared that the attempt cor
rect this defect might produce the inconvenience Of
correcting it, and produce the other side but
Mr. Grayatt has devised plan by which the lens which
polished in the first instance by four workmen may
now be repolshed by machinery upon such accurate
thematca principles will prevent the possibility Of
The machinery is somewhat similar to that by
which the reflector Of Lord ROSES gigantic telescope
was polished with the difference that the reflector being
and the Craig lenses convex, the machinery will
act reyersely."
The Chronicle continues: @ .e6...
"Like Lord Rosse's great reflector, the achromatio
telescope Wandsworth common only exert its
veous powers when the weather is calm well clear
During the last three weeks although succession Of
scientific visitors have been watching the common only
one night proved favorable and that merely the space
Of half nour When there Is any atmospheric disturb
arising either from high winds from high
peratue, during the day. followed by cold night the
objects in the glass in notion rising and surgng
like the Of the This disturbance, which is
more or less in all large telescopes is owing to the
movement OF different strata Of mir the heated por
ton ascending and the cold air descending supply its
place The same phenomena observable occasionally
with the naked eye in hot weather in looking
extensive beach Of heated sand dry soil and the
mirage Of the desert and the aa orgona OF the Scan
coast to be ascrbed to the atmospheric disturb
nnces. III .t l4 .a.i rls tlf 40t.4. = ~. f.1
1.-The site upon which the telescope and its tower stands,
and which is about mile and half from the Chaplain
station Of the Southwestern Railway Is Of the extent Of
about two acres and has been literally granted free OF
rent by Earl Spencer long the telescope maintain
ed there The ground is at present surrounded by
boarding, the Audng and its appurtenances being still
in the hands Of Mr. Gravat and his workmen II Is in
tended 10 erect small house within the enclosure for
the of the resident observer who may
be placed charge of the instrument but the arrange
ments not yet completed and the instrument itself
finally adjusted provision has been made enable
the public inspect this last marvel Of science which
we have no doubt viii become one Of the lions Of
the metropolis"
We shall await with the deepest interest the fur
ther discoveries Of this modern wonder Of science.
8 ATTEMPT BLt4A young man named Clrisiar Decker
was shot at the residence Of his parents in Philadelphia