Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-04-08
A GLORIOUS SPECTACLE.
The Planets Seen Through the In,
Cat Obtect. Glaaa IN the world.

The Planets Seen Through tne Lafk.
est object. Glass In she World.
The astronomical editor Of the Provi-
dence Journal recently visited Cam
bridgeport, Mass, and had the pleas
ure OF gazing at the planets through the
largest and best retrating telescope in
the world. Messrs. Alvan Clark &
Sons have completed the object-glass,
thirty inches in diameter, for the Pull
kowa observatory, in Russia, had un.
counted the glass for the purpose OF
testing its working qualities. Ihe
temporary structure consists 81 a pier
of solid masonry twenty seven feet In
height, to which is firmly fixed with
various joints, hinges, and movements
a sheet-iron tube made in three sections.
The tube is forty-fye feet in length and
forty inches in diameter. The first OBJ
ect viewed was Saturn, and the infor-
nation is likened TO q vision OF fairy
Land. The pale star, on which, a mo-
ment since, We had looked with the
unaidcI eye is now creation OF sur
passing loneliness the most charming
telescope object the heavens reveal.
! Saturn, his rings and his moon are be-
fore Us. The disc, q golden sphere cross
ed by faint cloud-bands of a delicate
creamy tint, the wonderful rings softly
brading the planet, seven of the eight
moons, beaming from the dark back
ground of the sky, Titan, the largest
moon, showing perceptlole disc,
make up the shining picture. Every
detail OF the magnificent and complex
Saturian system is c0mpiete-tn
shadowy cloud bands on the disc; the
outer ring, with its faint line OF division !
| the division between the outer anu
inner rings, the second or inner ring;
the third or crepe ring, closely Joined
to the second, and the break in the ring
formed by the shadow of the planet,
Jupiter is the next object to test the
space-annihilating glass. The prince
| OF planets is superb, larger than the full
moon, though but little larger than we
have seen him many times in a tele-
scope of eight inches aperture. He is,
| however, much brighter on account OF
the light collecting power of the glass.
Though by no means as magnificent as
Saturn, he far exceeds him in mass and
volume, and as he is twice as near We
see him on q much larger scale, The
| giant of the system takes on grand pro.
portions; the flood of light irradiatlng
bis surface brings out every minute de-
tail. His broad belts are delicious in
coloring, suffused with pale rose, mot
tied with gray, purple, brown and deli
| cate 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 III pro.
portions, so symmetrical in equipoise.
His four satellites are in line on his left,
and bear witness to the power of the
telescope by presenting dies instead OF
points. We find it difficult to decide
which of the two pictures is the more
beautiful. Saturn is more magnificent,
more complex, more curious, but Jupi-
ter is more majestic, more like the great
sun himself.
The great nebula of Orion was also
inspected, and the little wisp OF cloud
haze around the star in the sword OF
the Mighty Hunter which is visible to
the unaided vision becomes one Of the
most glorious spectacles that ever
breaks upon the entranccd eye of an
observer. The most wonderful nebula in
the northern skies reveal is before US,
filling the field of view and suff'used with
celestial light suggestive ofthe holy city
that had "no need of the sun, neither OF
the moon to shine in it; for the glory o.
God did tighten it,"
In conclusion, the editor says: "rhe
Russian objective will soon be trans.
ported to its destination in Pulkowa OBJ.
servatOry, founded by the Cars from
Nicholas, and overlooking the city o.
Czars from its lofty position on the Pull
kowa hills, nine miles south of st. Pc.
telsburg. We shall never again behold
the wonders Of the sky through its great
object-glass, but as long as life endures
we shall remember the time when we
beheld, irradiated by its light. collecting
power, and brough near by its great
eye, the magniticence of Saturn, the
grandeur of Jupiter, and the awe'in
Spring combination of beauty, mystery
and shadowy form of the great Hebuls
| nf Orion -