Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-09-21

NHny brnrss saa rxysrss fssa tse-
ts>~ss-lal ana s8anenr s~esuoaDsp.
sixs.x sAe r~xshas II oA~srvsssaaa 0s&s
hs ne vrss<ss err-nR TIE - ~zl~z
-wlE-~. se~ t~snx re--~sx-& - - W.
ssea.l si--rxssnxy 81 W.-Azn9ass- t.
n<srsry f thea cxast.zarng nezkzr :
Il gwr~r4l inser~~s. bet are x&1nskse =.
~ ol.-~rx<sury 90 a. a-s& sA<y co.
tAzx 1b- r~y~ar1s # fres- @&0~S 4.
Nn.~ae. e srE krt<r Nsck-, s.i NJ
Lexrs >~ssS. q E~rA~-s~r. AyS~xe<.
o~t1x o. ~ sE1D~ne- Il tie vr1f--.
azs4 ~ r.xsEr- "a ia dssa.xersrs b.
b~v.a 80 h&E- b-en made ~ sk~H. ~.
q s-.ss@rsi f.s-r~-<r- Tt-< n4s~f tns~r~-'-
nag F-srsssp Il th-~t Iss=x~ &rx rrxsn 10
-. Prtf WAa-1 -zts
fanz nzs. st-i~ ts EEss y0z nnare Vr~-
es-- EEisrrz>,lsas n r-f-r-aee 10 1y -
-rrv1fEsEs a . -apF-s~~d n~w pazs~s
aarIEx tb- rs-nsR: sasl erisP~r az ia
.zn E-fur- The exzUn~zr-
ns-n, of the ecllP-~ tn .1yu~sn~ns Il
th- equatorial had b-~A sss~nA~d 20.
80 th@f tie esror % t- f-2re& % tks-
.rcozEi wIl - very sn..ll A f~s
ninuts~ l-for~ tb~ tos.l ph.~e I sseys
Osrr The ruxso0s -~sf and v-~t ef the
szn. from eight 20 sft~en degrees da-
tAnf. bot ] did not So any star. Im-
nesii.s~ly afs~r the tos.lify ] h~g.n
sweeps e.st and west. exs~ndinG shout
eight degrees from the sun The 6rxs
sweeps were toward the east On the
9th sseep found between the sun and
Theta C.ncri. and farther south, Q STAR
Of the fourth and . half nagaitade -
estimated at the instant. which imme-
diasely attracted my attention on &C.
count Of general appearance. had
committed TO memory the relative po-
sitions Of the stars in the neighborhood
OF the sun. and I had placed the chart
Of the region conveniently before me
for ready reference whenever required.
There was fainter star west and north
of Cancer, - shown GU the chart, and
l could not be sure of the place with.
ont actual measuremt. The object
which had in the field shone with an
intensely rudy light. and it certainly
had disc larger than the spurious disc
of O star. Having made the
record, I again placed my eye in tn,
telescope, and saw that there had been
no disturbance of its position. noticed
further that the object in the field did
not present any el0ngation. such as
might be expected if it we're q comet in
that position. The sweeps were then
continued. and I finally brought into
the field what supposed to be Gamma
Cancri, although it appeared very much
1,ps~hAnv THAI nn1ko Nounus Su,1~sn1,
had seen near the sun at the commence,
ment of the search during the totslity.
I proceeded to record its position on
the circles. Before this was completed
the total phase had ended, and I ran
across to where Prof. Newcomb was
observing, in hopes of being able to
direct his large telescope, with gradu-
ated circles, upon the object first seen be-
fore the sunlight would interfere. But
he was reading his circles for an object
which he had in the field, and his tel
escope could not be disturbed.
Thereupon / returned to my own tel.
escope, but the sunlight had become
SO bright that further observa ions
were impossible, and hence I could
not assure myself that gust Of wind
had not disturbed the instrument be-
fore had marked the last pointing. y
= The places of the sun were again
recorded and verified at suitable inter.
walls. so that the position of the star
(which / believe to be an intra Mercu-
rial planet) can be determined relative
~ to the sun. =. \. In the brief
time allotted it was not practicable to
change the eye-piece and observe the
star in question under higher power.
Its light was quite red, and, 80 far as
my recollection of its appearance in
the telescope will enable me to de-
termine, l am of the opinion that it
was situated beyond the sun. n
In regard to the star B. which I con.
slider to be the. planet sought, there
is no uncertainty whatever, beyond the
unavoidable errors of the record as
made. I consider the place given as
trustworthy. I have further
observations of contacts and also some
sketches Of the corona made by mem
bers of my party, which I will send
you in due season. Meanwhile doubt
not that you will agr with me that
the observations above detailed estab.,
lish the existence of one new star in
the vicinity of the sun, and point pos.
sibly to the existance of two. I am
very truly yours, JAMES @. WATSON.
To Rear Admiral John RDdxers. U. 8. IN,
Superintendent U. 3. N. Observatory, Wash
ington, D. G..
Mr.. Swift's observations tend to con-
firm those made by Prof. Watson. He
says:
About one minute after totality I
observed two stars, by estimation three
degrees southwest Of the sun, pointing
toward the sun, Of about the fifth mag
nitude, or what I estimated at the
time. - bright through the telescope
- Polaris to the naked eye. How much
allowance ought 10 be made in estimat-
ing magnitude 20 close to q totally
eclipsed sun I do not know. I sav
them three times, and attempted at the
lat moment 20 get another OBSERVE
ti0n, but ct the critical moment q lit
tie eloud passed ever the sun, and I
haStened 10 observe again the sun for
the third contact and attending phe-
noGnena- Al each Of the observstioua.
by careful eoaparisoa. they Appeared
exsealy Of the saDe D3gnitade, snd
hosA - rod - Nsex- looked cio.s,y
fer tviaklne, hut they vsrs - frse