The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-04-20
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From Providence Press rrport Of trial
OF the largest telescope in the world IL was
built for the Russian Government ami will
soon be transported to its destination in the
Pulkowa Observatory, founded by the Car
Nicholas, and overlooking the cifv of the
Cars from It's lofty position on the pulkowa
Hills, nine miles south of st. Petersburg.
suspicion Of twilight still fingers in the
west, the slender .Tescent Of the new moon,
only day old, holds in her arms the old
moon, with an outline Of remarkable dis.
tinctness, and the Zodiacal light extends its
cone of pale gold high up TO" ard the zenith.
The stars swarm in the dark dome arching
above US, as they twinkle and glitter In the
frosty air. The brightest stars, the most
superb clusters that spsngle the armament,
are included in the grand procession, the
princely Jupiter marshaling the host. Rising
from an unbroken surface Of snow, and
looming up in the blsckness of night with
ghostlike indisiinctness, the huge telescope
seems to pierce the skies, and dwarf TO Lilli-
putian dimensions the observers at its base.
Object-glass, eye piece and other required
appurtenances are in position, aud the great
eye is pointed to the planet Saturn. The
transformation is like a vision of fairy land.
The pale star, on which moment since, we
had looked with unaided eye Is now a crea-
ton of surprising lovliness, the most charm
ing telescope object the heavens reveal. Sa-
turn,his rings and moons are before us. The
disc, a golden sphere crossed by delicate
cloud bands of pale creamy tint, the won-
dsrful rings softly cradling the planet, seven
Of the eight moons, besming from the dark
back ground of the sky. Titan, the largest
moon, showing perceptibe disc, make up
the shining picture. The coloring of the pic
ture is exquisite. The glorious orb, It's sur
face resplendent with liquid gold, is crossed
by central band of creamy white, and feck-
ed with spots of delicate prismatic hues, and
the rings are curiously varisated in color, the
innermost being of rich purple. The planet
seems almost to stand upright within the en-
girdlins rings, only small portion being
visible beneath them. We are fortunate in
seeing him under a. very favorable aspect, for
his rings are opening wider, his northern de-
clination is increasing. and he is approach
ing perhelion. This condition will culmin-
ate In 1885.
Jupiter is the next object to test the space
annihilating glass. Though by no means as
magnificent as Saturn, he far exceeds him in
mass and volume, and as he is twice near,
we see him OH much larger scale. The giant
of the system takes on grand proportions,
the food of light irradiating his surface brings
out every minute detail His broad belts
are delicious in coloring, suifused with pale
rose, mottled with soft gray, purple, brown
aud delicate green. We have seen Jupiter
when the definition was much more perfect,
but never with the variety Of tint and tone
We behold this night; never before did he
seem so near, so grand in proportions, so
symmetrical in equipoise. His four satellites
are in line on his left, and bear witness to
the power of the telescope by presenting
discs instead of points. We find it difficult to
tel! which Of the pictures 10 most beautiful.
Saturn is more magnificent, more complex,
more curious, but Jupiter is more majestic,
more like the great sun himself.
We have time for only one more view, and
this is to be the great nebula of Orion. The
most wonderful nebula the northern skies
reveal Is before us, filling the field of view,
and suifused with celestial light suggestive
Of the holy city that had "no need of the
sun, neither Of the moon to shine in 1t, for
the glory of God die tighten it," The deli.
cacy of the celestial glow prevailing the
scene is beautiful beyond expression. Spiral
curves of nebulous haze fill in the field of
vision, the radiating mass being Of delicate
green tint, while dotted oyuI the sLadowy
haze, and mingling with II in mysterious
union, are numerous bright stars, imparting
an element of life to the form less void, and
helping to light up this scene of indescrib-
able grace and grandeur, which no pencil
may paint, no words describe. The fascn-
ating picture holds US spell bound. Imagina-
ton seeks In vain TO fathom this mystery of
mysteries, this chaotic mass so beautifully
fashioned, this lovely blending of tlnts of
gold and delicate green, this flood of light
that started from distant space hundreds of
years ago, this spiral form that reveals the
quickening pulse of material life. We feel,
as we gaze upon the celestial scene, that we
are standing on the threshold of The golden
portal that separates the earthly from the
heavenly. We have glimpse of the glory
to be revealed.