Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-07-11

in his course, was Jupiter, strong and re-
spendent. unruff1ed in his dignity and radi-
ance by the presence of the brilliant and &C.
centric visitor. Frequently the Professor
cast a fond glance at the comet, much as a
horseman looks at his favorte animal, or a
yachtsman at his boat, but deferring a more
thorough examination until the darkness
should deepen, he trained his telescope on
Jupiter, and invited us to interview that au-
gust planet. With professional irreverence
We put our eye to the glass, and there, on his
ethereal Olympus, attended by four obedient
satellites was great Jove himself. On each
side, almost in line, were two moons. These
revolve about Jupiter on the plane of our vi
sion, and hence frequent changes occur in
the number visible. When we had turned
from the king of planets, it was thought time
to look at the comet. Quite a company, in
GLIDING several ladies, had found US. and they
shared in the courtesies of the Professor
Upon examining the comet, Mr.. Swift thought
there was rot quite the curve in the tail that
appeared the night before, and it did not at
first appear quite as long. Subsequently,
however, traces of it were seen far up in the
sky. Mr.. Swift thought that there were signs
of a dark streak cleaviDg the tail for some
distance from the head. All of us discovered
stars though the haze at some little distance
from the nucleus. The apparent direction of
the comet is less westerly than was laid down
in the first accounts. After a general view
of the comet the instrument was pointed at
some of the richer sections of the milky way.
Here the field of the telescope was studded
with countless gems of beautiful light on a
dark back ground. Looking at the same spot
with the naked eye only cloudy haze was
discernible. Each of these gems is sun,
[,r,, 30, Il Ill
of that vast constellation, the milky way, of
which our own solar system is an Insignificant
portion. To illustrate the infinity of distan-
ces in the universe, the Professor pointed his
glass at another nebula little to the west OF
the zenith, invisible to the naked eye, but
showing in the field of the telescope rs an in
definite cluster of light, very brilliant and
beautiful, but too inconceiyably distant to be
separated with the low telescope power we
had last evening into its stellar constituents.
Another object of great splendor was double
star, the second in the handle of the great dip
per- This seen with glass is resolved into
two stars, each of which revolvcs at long pc.
RODS of time about the ether. Lying down
upon the carpet so as to get our eyes to the
glass, we were able to look up almost into the
zenith at another double star, with brilliant
and variable colors. The two members OF
this double star revolve about each other in
about 1000 or 5000 years. While waiting
patiently for lazy old Saturn to come up from
his bed in the southern horizon we had a
chance to enjoy general view of the clear,
diamond studded empyrean, while listening
to the clear explanations and descriptions OF
one of the most reverent and loving devotees
of astronomy. After while the steady ligh,
of Saturn was discerned where the nstru
ments could be used upon it, and those who
had watched with the Professor during one OF
his vigis were able to see this strangely beau
tiful sight, world Of fire and light, Graded
in vast rings which completely encircle it.
1t appeared to be the only object in our field
of vision-far off, lonely, but indescribably
enchanting in its loveliness. This ended our
evening with Professor Swift.-Rochester En-
press yu{U Z.