The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-12-30
NUMBER 81.
Science and the Mechanic Arts.


The PLANET URANUS affords one Of the most
marvellous illustrations of the vastness Of the
astral system and of the advancement Of
modern astronomical science. Though not
visible TO the naked eye, requiring certain
degree of magniIyine power to render II visi.
hle as a very small star, il is no less than as
600 miles in diameter, or more than eighty
times the size of our globe. II contains q
mass of matter, as TO bulk, more than twenty
times larger than wha, is contained in Mercu-
~, Venus, the Earth, the Moon. Mars, vesia,
June, Ceres and Pallas. Its distance from the
sun is no less than eighteen hundred millions
of miles. To reach the nearest point OF It's
orbit, cam on ball, plying from the earth In
iha, direction a, the rate Of five hundred
miles an hour, would require period OF three
hundred and ninety years. 1t moves round
the sun in the space Of eigh,y.four years, 10
an orbit Of eleven thousand millions of miles
in circumference. In consequence Of its
great distance, TO discoveries have been
made on its surface no spots have been seen
10 indicate rotation, and therefore the peri
cd Of ils revolution round It's axis is unknown.
It is somewhs, remarkable, that satellites OF
this planet, instead Of moving from ives, 10
east, or 10 the direction Of all the olher plan.
els and satellites, have their orbits nearly al
right angles tn the ecliplic, and move in di.
rec.ion from east 10 west.
PRINTS OF FLOWERS, plants and other sim.
liar objects, can be obtained in great perfeo.
tlon by very simple process. The mode OF
operation is as follows The original being
passed between q copper plate and lead
plate, through Two rollers closely screwed to-
gether, it's image, by means of the pressure,
is left, with all its peculiar delicacies, on the
lead plate. II the colors are applied 10 this
stamped lead plate, as in printing on copper
plate a copy in the most varying hues, and
bearing striking resemblance 10 the origi-
nal, cap be obtained. II large number Of
copies are required, which the lesa form, on
account of iis soflness, is Incapable Of fur
nIshiug, i. is slereo,ypet, if intended to be
printed at typographical press; or galvan.
lied, if at copper.plate prees, and the i'm.
prcssons are then taken from the stereoypet
or galvanized plate, exhibiting great beauty Of
appearance.
AN INVENTION is chronlcled, applicable to
such power looms Tor weaving checked or
fancy goods of any description, wherein mo-
vable tiers OF shuttle boxes are employed for
the purpose of bringing the various shu,iles
10 the level of the shuttle race, as the pattern
may require. The main feature consists in
regulating the changes Of the shuules by
means of the ordinary jacquard machine
The pattern cards passing over the ordinary
jacquard cylinder are so arranged as 10 act
upon sliding bars or other suitable means,
which withdraw delaining catches, so as to
allow the tier of the shuttle boxes 10 descend,
or which put into action other moving catch
es, so connected with the shuttle moving ap-
! 7aratns as 10 cause the tier Of shutile-hoxss
10 ascend, according as the various wet,
threads may be required 10 form the pat.
tern.
GUTTA PERcHA is so good an insulator, aud
becomes so powerfully electrified BY friction,
that these properties of a substance. already
applied to so many uses, could not long re.
main unknown. A good piece of gutta per-
cha insulstes as perfectly as a similar piece
Of sheilac, whether the form be that Of q plate,
q rod, or mere thread but, as il is tough
and piable when Geld, as we'll az soft when
warm, it serves better purpose, in many
cases, than the brittle sheac. By this frc-
tion, gutta percha becomes powerfully mega.
tive. Some OF il is made in sheets no thick.
er than ordinary paper; if a strip Of this be
drawn between the fingers, /, becomes so
much electrified that it adheres to the hand
and attracts bits of paper. A plate Of gu,la
percha makes au excellent eiectrophorus--
All kinds, however, are no. equally good in.
sula,ors-- fact to be borne in mind when
employing i, in electrical experiments, snd
for practical purposes Of similar nssurs.