Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-02-19
THE LICK OBSERVATORY.
Its Site Favored spot-Suitabie Atmos-
pheric Conditions.

THE LICK OBSERVATORY.
Its site a Favored spot-suitabie Atmos-
pheric Conditions.
Before Mr.. Lick changed his board
of trustees he grew distrustful of the
site which had been selected on the
borders of Lake Tahoe. and chose an
other on what is now known as Mount
Hamilton. The latter is prominence
in the Coast Range of California, forty
four hundred feet above the level of
the sea, and some fourteen miles in a
straight line east of San Jose.
The view from the summit is one of
the most commanding in the United
States. Through a ravine towards the
west the spectator sees the city of San
Joss its buildings dotting with white
Fi,e beautiful plain in which it is situ-
ates. The view of the Pacific Ocean
beyond is cut off by range of noun
tains. Toward the north the eye takes
III a vast region, covered with innumer-
able hills, half mountain and half field.
III very clear weather the peak of
Mount Shasta may be seen at a dis
gsAce of more than two hundred and
fiy niles. On the east, above the
neighboring hills. fine view of the
outlines of the Sierra Nevada range,
one hundred and thirty miles distant,
max be obtained at sunrise. On the
south the view is bounded by another
cak about the same height as Mount
hamilton. Between the two. noun
tins lies ravine more than thous-
and feet deep. Snow and glaciers are
wanting, so that the views do not COM
are in magnificence with those OBJ
tel in the Alps, but the clearness of
atmosphere partly compensates for
by the extent and variety of the
which the eye takes in.
he astronomer is not concerned
Il the earth, but with the heavens;
an elevated station is of no use to
4n unless it brings some advantage
looking upward Other circum-
tees come into play to such an ex-
q that the mere gain of going above
mile of the atmosphere is compare
vply slight, and, as matter of fact,
ny of the finest observations have
II made at sea-level. Notwith-
nding the clearness of the air, doubt
AS thrown upon the suitability of the
; chit for astronomical observations.
OBSERVERS had reported current of
sy;rm air rising up the side of the
mountain at night sufficiently strong
70 AIRY a sheet of tissue paper out of
sight. Such current would be fatal
toustronomical observations, and it be-
came important, before commencing
he building, to have thorough trial
NJ the atmospheric conditions made by
Il competent observer.
The astronomers who We're consulted
mated in recommending S. w. Burn
ham, OF Chicago. as the best available
Judge in the case, This gentleman, al
lotlgh an amateur in the science, has
aimed worldwide reputation by the
i scovery, with an eight-inch tele-
scope, of a great number of double
stars which had escaped the scrutiny of
the Herschels and the Strives. Long
practice ut Chicago in all sorts of at
mosaAeric conditions fitted him to rec
ognize good conditions more quickly
aud certainly than one who had devot-
g himself 10 more widely extended
branches of the science.
In the summer of 1879 Mr.. Burn
ham accepted proposal to proceed to
California with his telescope, and spend
seteral weeks in surveying the heav-
ms from the top of Mount Hamilton.
The month of August found him in
stalled in little observatory which
had been designed and erected by Cap
tain Floyd. he results of his exam
nation exceeded all expectations, and
an astronomer has seldom had occasion
10 make so enthusiastic report as that
OF Mr.. Burnham. Not only were the
atmospheric conditions of the finest
kind, but night after night the astron-
lner enjoyed. such views of the heav-
5liy bodies as Chicago offered him
,y a few nights in the year. The
pral experience of observers is that
ae very finest nights for seeing are
'ew in number; the man who can se-
c5g, dozen year would be consider
ma.lv fortunate. Even one of
these favorable nights might not re-
main so for an hour. But at Mount
Hamilton that steadiness of view which
is so rarely TO be found at less favored
spots generally continued through the
whole night. Whether the future as
tronomer who shall sean the heavens
from this unsurpassed spot with an I'M
rivalled telescope will enjoy during the
whole year such weather as occurs dur
ing summer and autumn can not be
foreseen; but even if he does not, he
will be more than satisfied with the
years work which he can perform dur
ing the favorable season.
As bearing on this subject we may
cite the observations and photographs
of the transit of Venus taken at the
Lick Observatory in 1882 by Professor
ID. 2. Todd. These proved to be the
finest photographs of the transit ever
taken. The sill of the astronomer
was indeed very requisite to the
wor but this would have availed
nothing had the condition of the at
mosphere been unfavorable. Alto
gether, we may assume that, so far as
mere looking is concerned, no existing
obs rvatory is so favorably situated as
that now being erected by the Lick
trustees. Simon AeWconab, in Harper's
Magazine fer February.