The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-10-18
THE LICK TELESCOPE.
1t Reveals Wonders of the Heavens Hers.
tofore Unknown.


1t Reveals Wonders Of the Heavens Here.
tofore Unknown.
The Alta California prints the follow
ing extracts from private letter from
Prof Holden to gentleman in San
Francisco, giving many details re-
garding the first astronomical observa-
tions made at the Lick observatory with
the great telescope: "Mr. Barnard is
assiduously observing comets and
nebule with the fine twelve-inch equa-
torial, and getting the Photographic
appliances in readiness to be used with
the great telescope. He has already
discovered twenty new nebula, found
in the course of his sweeps for new
comets. To show you some of the ad-
vantages of our situation here 1 may
has fine 16-inch Equatorial by Alvan
Clark, and has discovered many faint
nebule by its use. Two nights ago
Mr.. Barnard was examining some of
these excessively faint objects by means
of the 12-inch telescope (Which gives
only little more than half the light of
Prof. Swift's), and in the field of view
where Prof. Swift had mapped only
two being, of course, new. This is due
not only to the observers skill aud
keenness of eye, but in great measure
to the purity and transparency of our
atmosphere here.
''The eastern astronomers have
given up the observation of Olber's
comet. which is now only about 7-100
as bright as last year, but Mr.. Barnard
has succeeded in following it up to last
night, when it finally became too faint
to be seen even here. These observa.
tions which are several weeks later
than those of other observatories, are
of real value, as they determine q
larger arc of the comets orbit and en-
able its motion to be fixed with much
higher degree of accuracy. Mr..
Keller is just reducing his observations
of the faint satellites of Mars, made
with the large telescope during the
past months. You can gain some sort
of an idea of the immense advantage
of the great telescope in such observa-
tions when tell you that the bright
ness of the satellites as observed by
him was only about One-sixth of their
brightness at the time of their dis
coverv. We can then make satisfac-
tory observations of objects which are
six times fainter than those vcry min
ute satellites of Mars were when Prof
Hall discovered them in 1877 with the
great telescope at Washington. l am
becoming familiar with the perform
ance of the large telescope and learn
ing how to get the very best work from
it. 1t needs peculiar conditions; but
when all the conditions are favorable
its performance is superb. l am, as
you know, familiar with the action of
large telescopes, haying observed for
many years with the great refractor at
Washington, but confess l was not
prepared for the truly magnificent ac-
ton of this, the greatest of all tele-
scopes, under the best conditions. l
have had such views of the bright
planets (Mars and Jupiter), of nebule,
the milky way, and some of the stars
as no other astronomer ever before
had. Jupiter, especially, is wonder
fully full of detail that l had not be-
gun to see before. The disks of his
moons can be readily noted in smaller
telescopes; but here they are full and
round, like those of the planets. l am
also of the opinion that the curve of
Jupiter's shadow might be seen on the
surfaces, under favorable circum-
stances, when the satellites suffer
eclipse. There is reason to believe
that the satellites of Jupiter, like our
own moon, present always the same
face to their planet. This can be
studied here to great advantage if the
disks present any of the markings
which are reported by other observers.
1.-The milky way is a wonderful
sight, and have been much interest
ed to see that there is, even with our
superlative power, no final resolution
OF its finer parts into stars. There is
always the background of unresolved
nebulosity on which hundreds and
thousands of stars are studded-each a
bright, sharp, separate point. The
famous cluster in Hercules (where
Messier declared he saw no 'star) is
one mass of separate individual points.
The central glow of nebulosity is
thoroughly separated into points. l
have been especially Interested in look
ing at objects which are familiar to me
in other telescopes and in comparing
our views with the drawings made by
Lord Rosse with his giant six-foot re-
fiector. Theoretically his telescope
should show more than ours, for his
collected the most light. But the de-
finition (sharpness) of his is far behind
our own, as we constantly see. For
example, the ring nebula in Lyra is
drawn by Lord Rosse with no central
star. At Washington one small star
can be seen in the midst of the central
vacuity, but here we are sure of seeing
three such at least. These are inter-
esting on account of their critical
situation in the nebula, not simply as
stars.
THE great trifid and omega nebule
are wonderful objects here. Not only
is vast amount OF detail seen here
which can not be seen elsewhere but
the whole aspect of them is changed.
Many points that are doubtful with
other telescopes are simple and clear
here. have always considered that
one of the great practical triumphs OF
this telescope would be to settle, once
for all, the doubts that have arisen
and that will arise elsewhere. Now l
am sure that we shall be able to do
nd IN tf, onA ~