New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-01
EIGHT-NOTES-THE NEW AsTERoID

much It's elements have not been announced yet and
10 eve knows where 10 look for except those who
have had the good luck TO fish it up, and following
We nightly oourse among the stars. | show you
aneher Of the group, however. Let us look out It's
place in the nautical almanac.
THE astronomer here inspected the sidereal clock
with stood against the wall. and followed him into
hattie adjoining room, coy with gas light and stove and
bunge aud table, and books and frsgmentary appara.
ms.
ReporteT-Wbat do You mean Sir, by its elements 7
Astroa0mer-Princirally those facts of its motion
which fix lite place certain epoch; that by using
,ese facts the basis of calculation, guided by the
Izneple Of universal gravitaton, may compute It's
place at any required moment aud thus bc able to point
The telescope directly 10 IT,
Reporter should think you could fud il BY serach
ing in the ueigbbOrbOOd where you suppose it to be sit
mated.
AstrONOmer-Wen, if we should find it, how could
We recognize II as The body we were looking for7
RCporter-By its disk. DO not all the planets have
aisksf
AsfroHomeT-Yes, but the aseroiis do not show
diGks, except under favor of fine atmosphere and
powerful glsss The astronomer had been turning
over the leaves of nautical almanac, while speaking
and now, having evidently found what he wanted, be
paused TO copy the record slip Of paper and make
a brief computation With the magnifying power
We should employ TO make the search, the asteroid
would look like faint star, invisible 10 the naked
eye.
Rep0rter-Why not use a greater power, then
AstroHomeT-TLe search would be more desperate
STILL Inthe Spring of the year. ust before the meadows
are willie with daisies, you may often find the little
flower by digent searching, though perchance it be
ale very rst 81 all it's fellows. But you would not
lcok for it with spy-gass else Won would probably
lOOk tall the field all sglow with daisies before You
Glanced upon one. You need the wide view, which
emily the naked eye affords. In the same way in fish
ing for comets or asteroids must employ that mag.
Aifyng rover which affords the largest field of view
possible consistently with the conditions Of the search.
Tie liger the power, the smaller the field of course
ns in tie case Of the microscope where the use of
eDses Of high maguifyng capacity reduces the field
that only very minute objects parts of objects be
inspected AT a time
RepOrter-How, then, have the asteroids been dis
covered if not by their disks
Astronor e7-By their motion. If you knew per
fccy tie number and positions Of all the stars up to
certain magnitude which are clustered in certain
SPACE tonight and should look there tomorrow night
sEd see another star not there before you might at
ia furnished approximately by printed starcharts,
Which have been constructed with great care.
Reporter-But may not the astronomer who made
TIE chart have possibly overlooked one among 70
many
As,rOh0mer-sun we should not be deceived, since
~ planetary bodies seen to move among the stars
while tie stars themselves always preserve the same
relative POSITION 10 each other IT, therefore we should
obeerye closely the position Of the stranger
secutve nights, OF even should watch 1t narrowly
few hours together and Observe il 70 have motion of
~ own, We should know it 10 be a comet or Rsterod.
Reporter-Are they ever mistaken for each other
Astrononer-Yes; the very first that was ever seen,
Ceres was taken by it, disooverer for a comet While
tis conversation had been going on the astronomer
had adjusted the position Of the telescope by the record
on bis alp Of paper and proceeded 70 draw up
weight that hung against stone pier Oh which the
telescOIe rested.
RetOYteT-What il that, Sir
Astrouoaer-C lock-work 70 give slow motion 70
the Telescope so ~ 70 hold in the Geld Of view IN OBJ
jeet which lie under inspection.
Reporter-I do not quite understand you, Sir.
As.roaouer-The heavenly bodies all move westerly
seross tie sky in parallel circles, the sars troopng
after ore another al intervals which always remain the
same This motion s apparent, you know, and not
real being due 70 the cause which makes the sun
and moon rfe and ret viz the easteriy rotation OF the
earth upon it's axis.
RepoTter-Yes know but it seems strange that the
Illusion should be so complete.
Astronomer-The visual effect Is the same, whether
the panorama upon which are looking move past as,
or We move rast il. II now We give She aAis OF me
telelcote q regular angular motion westward precisely
equal 10 tie eastward angular motion Of the e@rtAs
axis tie TWO nlOvemennts will Deutralze each other,
90 that looking through the tube you no longer see TIE
starr chasing one another across The field Of view,
Won do when the telescope " fixed; bu1 you gaze
uuop motionless company Of stars, which you may
stJ DIV 81 vorr leisure This If the object Of the
rlocl work. But the time il drawing near, TO which
,le instrument il set If you will now sit down here
and keep watch you VIII probably see the little planet
m tie If two or three minutes come inV" inc
field Of view.
ReDorLey-Uow the nan come and go IHefe
1le all alone and three more follow ID company.
Il ere comes bright What a splendid crimson
There il one distinctly yellow. And all 80 sparkling
apd csr and the sky behind them 30 fauties7y pure
How beautiful They do not look Ike the smit We
are accustomed 20, apparently ~ immovabiy IN The
sky bui Ike flying spiris Of light How the scoAo
eiifts every moment! Some going Oh Ut one sioe,
while Others ere coming on at the opposite.
Atronorney-Yes; when weared with calculations,
love to sit aud watch them sail along 10 count thom
~ n ey pass 10 oo0pere their luster, 10 varIonsi 10
admire and contrast tSr hues and remember thai each
one-snall a. wei d, gf<atis 8 vast globe, Rnd not
.Lat ONLY but & mighty suA-the center, doubtless u
youp Of globes analogous toVur planetary syEJen.
= y.c,orte,-It " ell wonderful. How many -