Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-08


| Important experiments are ahof1t to he
made at the East End by Prof. Albert A.
Nicholson, under government auspices
TO determine more accurately than ever
before the velocity of light. Mr.. Michel
son ls young man who graduated from
.ne Naval Academy at Annapolis. Md
IN 1913. He came to Cleveland in Nav
OF mat year, and is now connected with
the Case School of Applied Sciences. AZ.
Ter MS graduation he remained at the Na.
val Academy in Annapolis, and undertook
patient experiments to determine how fact
light travels. The most accurate nrav;
Gus conclusions on this point were tbosa
OF NJ. Cornu, made at the Observance
at Paris in 1874. The velocity of LIGHT
according to these experiments, was 30O
4OO kilometres or nearly 1856, 584 miles per
second. Mr.. Nicholson. in his evT,9,; PJi
menLs IN 1879, arrived at a velocity of
SSS,S4O kilometres or 1876, $50 miles per
second. While ne was experimenting
PROFESSOR Simon Newcomb, of Washing.
ton, Superintendent of the Nauficsl
Almanac, visited Annapolis, and inter-
ested himself in Mr.. MicheIson's opera-
tlons. Mr.. Newcomb did not believe
the result obtained was as close as nos
slble, and with Mr.. Michelson's assist
ance undertook experiments of his own
at Washington. He arrived at a concln-
sion slightly differing from Mr.. Michel
sons figures, but has not vet pub
llshed the results he obtained. Later he
repeated his operations, and obtained the
same results as at first. He then asked
MT Nicholson to repeat his experiments.
The latter has agreed to do so at Cleve.
land, and preparations for the work are
almost complete.
The cost will be about 81 200. and
will be borne by the Bache scientific
fund. The site of the experiments js
the grounds Of the Case School at East
End. Here two buildings have been
erected by MIR. E. p Ingersoll, the well
known contractor and builder of Logan
street. The larger building, 16 by 45
,eet, contains small engine and the
thief apparatus. Two thousand feet
vest of it is a small building containing
! stationary mirror. These buildings
lave been erected, and the apparatus
will be ready for work in about two
weeks. The machinery and manner of
he experiment are quite complicated.
IN brief, however, ray of sunlight is
,hrown upon slowly revolving mirror
1000 feet away, and from there
t is reflected back over the same
bath. As the revolving mirror
urns slowly the returning ray is moved
lowly to one side. The velocity of the
light is measured by calculation of the
various distances from mirrors to
mirrors, angles, rapIdity and distance of
movement of the revolving mirror, dis.
ance of movement of the returned raw.
tc. Professor Nicholson thinks that
Vhen he gets at work he can conclude
lis experiments and investigations in
bout three weeks. The work will be
losely watched by scientists interested
n that subject The velocity of light
las an important bearing upon as
calculations. and the expert
nent will be one of considerable value
Professor Nicholson, though young
nan. has reputation as a careful, relia-
lie and conscientious investigator. His
eing placed in charge of the Depart
lent of Physics of Case School is evi-
ence that he is an accomplished
cientist.