Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-31
TELESCOPE VIEWS
WHICH DISCLOSE MYSTERIES AND
WONDERS OF THE HEAVENS.
mousiSur Camille Fiammarien Tells
About Toioscopes-Past, Present.,
and Future.
New York Herald.

New York Herald.
The progress of astronomy depends on
20 thiups-instrument an men who use
Yam Calico created the astronomy of
oobseryation by constructing his telescope.
hitch he pointed toward the heavens and
rv letting the world know what be had
discovered through it. But for Calico and
his investigating, inquiring, independent
mind the telescope invented before his
t;ms would have done nothing toward the
nrooress of the science. But, on the other
Hand without that invention Calico
wonld have discovered neither the noun
to;ns in the moon nor its phases, nor the
snots on the sun. nor the stars in the milky
wav. nor any other of the great discoveries
for which the world is indebted to him.
In one word. he would not have trans
formed the science OF astronomy.
THE MAN AND THE INSTRUMENT.
According to the value of the man 80 il
tbe value Of his instrument. But If men
canable of using instruments are necessary,
Instruments are also necessary. Sir William
Uerschel, Schroeder, Fraunhofer, Arago,
Iassel. Dawes. Lord Ross, Warren, De La
Rue. Secchi. Darlington, Higgins, Hall,
Durham, Jansen. Schiapareili. Pickering,
and their rivals in astronomical obserya-
t;ons only made their brilliant discoveries
because they had at their disposal instru-
ments of greater perfection than those
used by their predecessors. We are just
now trayersing n great epoch in the history
of science. After remaining stationary
during more than half a century. the
science and the art OF optics are at present
making great and majestic strides forward.
Three great telescopes have recently
been successfully constructed, the like OF
hov
dream to our predecessors. All three OF
them were constructed in 1886. One at the
Observatory of Nice has free opening OF
seyenty-four centlmetres and length or
eighteen metres "a metre being equal 10
40 ~ inches and q centimetre, OF course,
being the hundredth part of metre);
the secondat the Observatory OF Boulkoua,
Russia, has the same diametre, but some
what smaller opening, which by reason or
the character of the mounting only
measures seventy centimetres in little
shorter focal distance and in length fifteen
metres; third at the Observatory OF Mount
Hamilton, California, has for its objective
a lens with an opening of 81 centimetres
and focal distance and length of Is me-
tres. These magnificent instruments, we
see from the very fact of their successful
construction, have proved that it sufnces
TO be bold in order to succeed and have
demonstrated that we should not be salts
fed with them that 1t is possible TO go
even further. Is IL not natural ambition
for an astronomer to penetrate further and
further into the depths OF the infinite, and
above all else to determine the nature OF
other worlds ?-to lift up corner OF the
veil that hides from rs the immense mys-
terry of creationI
STILL GRANDEB TELESCOPE.
II is hardly four years since the instru-
ments of which we have spoken were COM
pleted, and already opticians are Of work
on lens greater than all three OF these
lenses, which will have diameter OF more
than metre. The lens of the Observa-
tory of Mount Hamilton measures 80
inches, or 81 centimeires, of free aperture.
Now a lens of 40 inches, or 1 meter dla-
meter, is desired a1d is being constructed.
This objective is composed. as every one
knows of two lenses, one of flint, the
other of crown glass, juxtaposed, mutually
completing each other by their optic pro-
perties, producing as perfect achromatism
as is possible.
This objective lens is being made for the
University of California and the Observa-
tory of Mt. Wilson, not far from Los
Angeles, where Mr.. Pickering has recently
obtained some excellent photographs OF
the moon, Saturn, and Mars. On one of
these latter a heavy fall of snow is per-
ceiyed. which in twenty-four hours cover
ed on the planet Mars an extent OF sur
face as vast as the area OF the United
States. II is easy to understand that men
of intelligence and feeling who understand
the true grandeur of humanity should take
deep interest in such progress as this:
We have the right to be impatient and feel
keenly. Astronomers are in the position
of Moses when he was within sight OF the
promised land.
POSSIBILITIES OF OBSERVATION.
For example, we have Mars before our
ewes. All the observations made thus far
lead ne TO think that this planet must be
inhabited as Is our own. and perhaps even
better inhabited. We see in 1t continents,
seas, coasts, capes. bays, rivers, waters,
SHOWS. and clouds. We witness all the
effects produced by the seasons. We see
distinctly rectilncal lines extending from
seas to seas and putting them IN commu-
nication. which seem to be canals. 1t has
even been thought that brilliant points.
commercially arranged, have been OBJ
Served. which NAV be intended as signals
from that planet to ours. How. then, is 1t
possible not to wish for complete conquest
and to attain ut last to solution OF the
enlgrnai
FUTURE Possibilities.
Well, now, if that objective lens OF forty
inches iS cast ana successfully cOlupieIeu,
new and gigantic stride forward can be
made. II is now no longer anything moro
than a question OF money to construct an
equatorial telescope with diameter OF one
metre and fifty centimetres and length
of twenty-five metres, maneuvred IN a
cupola larger than the dome Of the Paris
Pantheon, and with magnitying power OF
four or even FIVE thousand fold.
To what unexpected discoveries would
this supreme effort Of your great nine
tenth century lead? This is q question
which it is impossible to answer, but we
have the right to dwell on the word "un-
expected" 1t must not be forgotten that
il was whom searching for the limits OF the
colors in the solar spectrum that Fraun-
hotter discovered spectral analysis, and that
10 was while seeking the parallex OF the
stars that Sir William Herschel discovered
the orbits of the double stars, and 1t was
when seeking for Asia that Christopher
Columbus discovered America.
In any event such telescope will enable
ne TO see for the first time the seventeenth
magnitude stars, which must be scattered
over the depth of Heaven in carpet OF
SIS. OOO, 900 stars, while the moon will be
brought, so to speak, within touching dis
lance. CAMILLE rLAMhAhioS'