Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-12-28

THE LICK TELESCOPE.

InE lllh lTslsIsoNVi To-
The two great lenses for the Lick tel.
,.oop-. on which the Mes,r. Clark. OF
Cambridge, have been 80 long A. work.
are nov practically completed. and will
.oon be sent TO their destination. The
plan adopted fOr shipping the double
lens. worked oa, by C.p,Ain Frazer. i'
n follow.: The two glasses will fret be
wrapped separately in fifteen or twenty
,hiekne..s. of cloth drawn very tight.
Th. cloth will be cotton. and in order to
make |, .ofs and perfectly free from grii
IL ~ill be washed many time. aud thor.
ou,hly beaten. Next 10 the cloth will
come |. thick layer Of cotton batting and
then layer Of paper A boz made OF
wood and linen with fsl, will contain
the sls.e. when 90 prepared. the felt
lining Of the bor coming nsx, to the pa.
per- The lenses with their covering will
De packed lightly in this box. The
shape Of thi. box will eonform TO the
shape Of the lenses. The felt will be at
ueked With glue. 90 ,hs, no nails will be
any ~hsre near the glass. Outside OF
,hi, wooden boz and enelo.ins Il -ill be
q ,,ioag steel boz. aboai the shape OF
cube. The wooden boz will be tightly
packed ia,o the steel box With earled
hair To enclose this steel boz will be
.,ill another steel boz or chest. and the
inner steel box will be KEEP, from touch
ins IL by q large number Of springs GOV.
erns the whole interior Of the outer steel
chest. Thi, outer chest will be
packed With asbestos. 70 render II ire
proof. and both ofihe steel boSe. will be
made air,igh, and waterproof.
The outer ehs., will be suspended by
pivot, Ia . srons wooden frame. aud .
eon,rivsnee has been adopted for turning
the chss, one quarter around every day
during IL, prosr," TO c.lifornis. This
/. TO preven, any molecular di',usnge-
men, In the glass. and 10 avoid the dan
ser Of polarization. IL being feared that
the j.rring Of the train will disturb the
present arrangement Of the molecules
unl,.. the position Of the glass !. daily
changed. aud all lines Of disturbance
thu, broken up. The glass will be IN.
.ured ZOE IL. full vslue-or rather Its
eo.,-Sjl. 900 aud all the precautions
mentioned are taken 20 preven. any Ae-
eidsnt to Il. I, would probably be i'm
possible to replace IL. q, Fell, who cas-,
IL. aud the elder CLARK. Who ground u,
are both old men. The glass will be
shipped BY express.
There is something almo', romantic
In the design and construction OF the
monster Lick telescope. Being the
creates, work Of the kind ever underta.
ken, presenting difficulties that had ne.
er before been encountered; inviting
and suffering drawbacks and disasters
,hs, seemed to be sufficient 10 .,asger
the mos, persi.,en, and painstaking
.kill watched from day 10 day by
whole world Of anxious observers; how
cred over aud eAressed by the united
wisdom OF = genera,ion-the lens has
come into the world with its great cy-
clopeAn eye ready to pierce the mys'er-
les Of the heavens. Captain Thomas
Frazer. superintendent, OF the ob.ervs-
tory, furnishes some hitherto unPabli,h.
ed and highly interesting Information
concerning the grinding Of the crown.
gl.. lens. and the plan adopted for
transporting IL from CambridgepOr,.
Mass, 10 San Jose. Ga the subject OF
the grinding. he says ihl, the closest
measurement at command was the no.
0O0,h par, Of an ineh; bu, 10 grinding
the great lens !, Was discovered that ev.
en- this infai,esimAl fraction WAS too
large. A s,ill fner measurement Was
required in reducing the lens in number
les. places to a thickness Itself unequsD
that would exse,ly ooncentra'e parallel
rays OF ligh, filing circle three feet In
diameter to . point little larger than a
pin. Ia order TO reduce the foe meas
urement already ., command, the follow
ing ingenious arrangement WAS employed
by Alvin Clark * Sons. makers Of the
lens: Agu js, WAS placed before .
mirror. which sent the rays OF light
through = telescope to the great lens.
thu. msgnifying the rays. The magni.
fed light. passing through the great lens
WAS still further immensely magnifsd.
and after having passed through this
lens. IL WAS observed through . second
telescope and thus further masnifsd.
Ia this way the least failure Of the grea,
lens to concentrate perfectly WAS de.
tee,ed. and there was also determined
the amount Of glass In IL. At any given
point. that had to be ground off 10 or.
der to secure . perfsc, focus Thus .
measurement OF the 1000. .000th part OF
On inch VAS secured. IL took very little
grinding to remove 90 ANAL = thickness
Of gls. from . given point, . gentle
rubbing with the thumb being sufficient.
% the glass is softer than common win
dow glass.