The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-11
Results OF the Sherman Astronomical
Expedition.

Results OF the Sherman Astronomical
Expedition.
The results of theastronomical expedition
sent last Summer to Sherman, the summit Of
the Union Pacific Railway, have been partly
made known, and promise to be of great value
and interest. This expedition was organized
under the auspices of the Coast Survey for
the purpose Of securing series of astronomi-
cal and meteorological observations on some
elevated point of the Continent, and prin-
cipally to determine what advantage would
accrue to spectroscopic work by placing the
instruments OF such great elevation. The
temporary observatories were erected near the
railway station, about eight thousand three
hundred feet above the sea level, almost in
sight of the Laramie hills and under the lee
of mountains capped with perennial snow.
The solution of the principal problem at
tempted-the increased visibility of the heav-
emily bodies from this great alttude-is one
which has long interested astronomers. In
1856 Professor Piazzi Smyth scaled the vol
canic cone of Teneriffe in the trade wind
belt of the North Atlantic, and though often
assailed by the tempestuous upper currents of
the atmosphere he ascertained that its summit
afforded unsurpassed advantages for telescope
gaze. The spectroscope, that matchless in
strument. the analyzer of the most remote
atoms that form the far-of suns Of space or
are consumed on their burning crusts. was not
then ready for scientific use. If between us
and the stellar world there interviewed no
opaque and impure atmospheric medium,
capable Of rejecting light and obscuring or
oorrupting the testimony of the telescope and
spectroscope, the sciences in which they are
employed might make rapid advances.
Although the highest stations of astronomio
observations that can ever possibly be occu-
pied cannot escape the disadvan-
tages of such a medium, they can
be greatly diminished, and on the lofty
level of Sherman our observers found they
had left more than fourth of the whole at
mosphere beneath them. When the sky was
unclouded the air was found ''of most exqui-
site transparency" says Professor Young, and
cat night multitudes of stars invisible at lower
elevations were easily seen, so that it was
estimated nearly all the stars Of the seventh
AAAot5AAVANo VOAO AesAAAJ "AoAAAAA AS"oA "a S>A0
naked eye" In the bowl of the Clipper
nine or moro were visible to the unassisted
eye, where in New England only three can be
seen without the glass; The telescope entered
the field with greatly augmented power and
revealed astonishingly clear and full images.
But the spectroscope was wonderfully aided
and its power heightened by the altitude.
Nearly three hundred bright ines-or three
times the ordinary number-were discernible
in the spectrum of the suns chromosphere.
and, OF moments Of unusual solar activity OF
eruption, there were glimpses Of double that
number.
These results foreshadow the early occupa-
ton of the higher points of observation for
the great instruments of science, and, as Pro-
fessor Young suggests, it may make differ
ence of years and decades in our knowledge Of
solar and cosmical phenomena eff the new
artillery opens its attack upon the heavens
from the mountain tops instead of from tbs
D1ains"