Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-03-24
The Work Of Astronomers for 1850.

lected statistics concerning the progress
of astronomy in the United States,
which are published in an interesting
report. In the fall of 1879 circulars
were scattered over the country. re-
questing professional and amateur
astronomers to send to Washington
brief accounts of their instruments and
their observations. Replies were re-
ceived from forty-one ObServatOries. OF
which twenty-fOur are private and the
others are connected with colleges or
academies. Several Of the observers
have constructed their own telescopes,
and many have made their observations
from door-yards. windows and roofs.
The story of their experiences is all the
more interesting on that account. Many
of the most important discoveries in the
heavens have been made by observers
who had to deprive themselves of need
ed sleep, and to work without any OF
the costly equipments of an observa-
tory. This report shows that the
roof have fairly kept pace with those
who make their observations seated in
the padded chairs of the big observa
tories. They may comfort themselves
with the recollection that William
Herschers observatory was his garden.
The various objects chosen for special
observation indicate the direction in
which the science is being chiefly de
veloped. This is Enthusiastically toward
the practical side. Thus fifteen OF the
forty-one observers have given special
attention to the determination OF exact
time. This is a matter of the first i'm.
portance, for what Edward Everett
called the eternal clockwork of the
skies is the source of all our caicula.
tons that depend upon the lapse Of
time. Thirteen of the observers have
devoted themselves specially to the
study of the sun. Recent observations
tend more and more to prove that the
sun influences the earth's weather, and
that when the causes that produce sur
spots are most active the earth is subject
to the most violent meteorological dis
turbances.
Twelve observers have spent most Of
their time in watching for comets.
These self-appointed sentinels are by nc
means to be regarded as mere curiosity
hunters. Astronomers admit that the
earth may be ins danger from comets,
If one should fall into the sun it would,
in all probability, produce such an out
burst Of heat as to destroy every living
thing on the earth. The comet of 1851
was aimed so close to the sun that even
Newton feared it would strike it. The
great comet of 1913 went vet closer
In fact, it grazed the sun. and the great
sun-spot that appeared in that year is
believed to have been caused by the
fall of an enormous meteOric mass fol
lowing in the track of the comet. 1t has
also been suggested that the outbursl
of light in the sun on September l,
1869, which was accompanied by ar
electric shock that produced startling
effects in various quarters of the earth
was caused by the downfall of othel
meteOrs belonging to the train of the
same comet.
The next most interesting celestial
object for our star gazers appears tc
have been Jupiter. Eleven observers
have paid special attention to him. The
wonderful red spot that has adorned the
disk of the giant planet for over two
years has attracted many telescopes,
and has given rise to great number Of
speculatiOns The conclusion seems to
be that Jupiter is not yet habitable
globe. but is a red-hot ball that is grad
ually cooling down, so that ages hence,
when the earth is dead, like its COM
rade. the moon. life may bloom out in
Jupiter. 4-,
Next to Jupiter in popularity comes
Saturn. Seven observers have taken
particular pains to study his splendid
rings and the little swarm of eight
moons circling about him.
Four have watched Mars. three Mer-
curry, one Uranus, and one Neptune.
Two have spent much time among the
barren mountains of the moon, measur-