Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1880-05-01
A Night Among Other Worlds.

Whoever reads good old Thomas Dick 8
description of his astronomical observa-
tory ON the top of his house in Scotland,
commanding view of forty miles of hill
and valley scenery along the Tay, must
feel desire to follow the author in his
studies of the stars. And, indeed, the
amount of instruction and amusement a
small astronomical telescope is capable
of afording cannot be appreciated by the
man who never owned one. Some of the
most famous telescopes in existence are
owned by English amateurs, and most
charming descriptive books on astronomy
have been written by Englishmen who do
not pretend to be professional astrono-
mers. In this country we not only have
purer skies than those of England, and a
more favorable situation in latitude, but
some of our opticians have astonished the
scientific men of Europe by their achieve
ments in telescope making. Yet the
number of Americans who own and use
telescopes, outside of the observatories.
is comparatively small.
Among the first objects that the anna
teur who has become the possessor of an
astronomical telescope turns to are the
planets, the earth's brother and sister
worlds. Although it is beyond expecta-
structed powerful enough to show us the
possible Inhabitants of any of the planets,
yet every increase of telescope power re-
Yeals new features, and such discovery
as that of the existence of continents,
oceans and snow fields in Mars-the cor
rectness of which may be tested by any
one who has a good telescope of three or
four inches aperture-is enough to stir
| the imagination of the most Indifferent.
The first of the planets that the young
telescopist tries, and, with the possible
exception of Venus, the best known of
| them is Jupiter, the giant of the family.
To the unassisted eye this planet, which
| is 1900 times as bulky as the earth, ap-
pears as very bright star of a slightly
yellowish hue, and of a pretty steady
light. His four moons can be seen with
first-rate spy-glass. but not to advan-
tage. To see Jupiter and his moons
well, a power of not less than fifty diam
| eters should be employed on three-inch
| telescope. Such a power gives a beauti-
full view of the planet and the four satel-
ites, all in one field. The difference in
the size and color of the moons can be
perceived with careful watching, and the
startling phenomenon of the sudden ex-
tinguishment of the moons as they pass
into the great conical shadow the planet
| throws out into space behind him is dis
tinctly seen. When magnified fifty times,
by which is meant fifty diameters, or
$500 times specifically. Jupiter ap-
pears larger than the full moon does to
the naked eye. The famous belts can be
seen with such a power, but to reveal
their details power of at least $50 or
| 200 should be used. Then the two great
| ia1 holfS Y,,au ho Saon Strotnhinu m
with broken edges and many riffs across
the disk; and the narrower belts and
zones of shade near the poles, the re-
gions of varying colors, and any large
spots that may be present, are clear
ly revealed. The most beautiful
phenomena, however, are the tram
sits of the moons and their shad-
ows across the broad, yellow disk of
the planet. These are of frequent oc-
currence, and can be well seen with a
three-inch glass of good construction.
Every time that one Of the moons in it's
circuit about the planet comes between
the sun and Jupiter its shadow can be
seen upon the disk like a round ink spot.
If the telescope is fine one and the air
steady, the moon itself may be seen
against the bright background of the disk.
In certain situations the shadow of the
moon Is InrOWn IOrWaTU, SO UnaC IL may
be clearly seen far advanced upon the
disk while the moon is yet shining against
the clear sky. Hundreds of other inter-
esting observations may be made upon
this planet with small telescopes.
Saturn is, if possible, even more inter-
esting as a telescope object than Jupi-
ter. His vast rings are unlike any other
known object in the heavens. When
the observer for the first time turns his
telescope upon the dull, medium-sized
star, for such Saturn appears to be to the
naked eye, and beholds a golden ball
suspended in the sky and circled by two
broad, concentric rings that, it is easily
seen, are completely separated both from
the planet and from each other, he can
, not repress an exclamation of astonish-
ment. The pictures of this wonderful
. planet in books of astronomy give nc
adequate idea of his marvellous beauty
when viewed through good telescope.
A power of fifty diameters will just show
the existence of the rings, but powers Of
25O to 400 are needed to bring out clear.
ly all the wonderful details of the scene
The strange dark, or gauze, ring within
the two bright ones is not easily seen
with small telescopes. In good three
inch glass the black shadow of the bal