The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-29
TO VIEW THE MOON.
What Is Expected on the Com.
pletion of the Big Telescope.
II. Camille FIammarion, the Renowned Astron.
cmer, Describes Marvels Of Science.
Secrets From Outer Space.

In view of the fact that the great object
glass for the new observatory on Mount
Wilson, near Los Angeles. has been re-
Gently successfully cast, the following from
the pen of M. Camille Flammarion, the re-
nouned French astronomer, to the Pa ris
Edition of the New York Herald is of inter-
est to those who are fond of astront mical
science:
The progress of astronomy depends on
two thngs-the instruments and the men
who use them.
Calico created the astronomy of obs erva-
ton by constructing his telescope, which he
pointed toward the heavens, ard by letting
the world know what he had discovered
through it. But for Calico and his investi-
gatin e, inqurng and independent mind the
telescope invented before his time would
have done nothing toward the progress of
science. But on the Their hand, without
that invention Calico would have discovered
neither the mountains of the moon nor the
phases nor the spots of the sun, nor the
satellites, nor the stars OF the Milky Way,
nor any of the other great discoveries for
which the world is indebted TO HMM one
word, he would not have transformed the
science of astronomy.
the value of the inst ument, but if men
capable of using instruments are necessary
the instruments are also necessary.
William Herschel, Schroeder, FraunhOfer,
Arago, Lassell, Dawes, Lord Ross, Warren
de Ia Rue, Secchi, Darlington, HugginS,
Hall, Bernhanl, Jansen, Schiaparelli, Pick
eTing ana their rivals In astronomical OBJ
servations only made their brilliant discov-
cries because they had at their disposal in
struments of greater perfection than those
used by their predecessors.
GREAT EPOCH FOR SCIENCE.
We are just now traversing a great epoch
in the history CT science. After remaining
stationary during more than half century,
the science of art and optics is at present
making great and majestic strides forward.
Three great telescopes have recently been
successfully constructed, the like of which
would have seemed a fantastic dream to our
predecessors. All three Of them were con-
structed in 1886.
One at the Observ ltOry of Nice has free
opening Of IA cent.meters and a length of is
meters.
The second, at the Observatory of Poul-
koya, in Russia, has the same diameter "a
somewhat smaller opening, which by reason
of the character of the mounting only meas
ures 20 centmr ters), with little shorter
focal distance and a length of 10 meters.
The third, at the Observatory of Mount
Hamilton, in California, has for its object
lNc al WIN ah OpCHiHc VI % CtHllHC
tiers and a focal distance and length Of 10
meters.
The magnificent instruments seem, from
the very fact of their successful coastruc-
ton, to have proved that it suflices TO be bold
in order to succeed, and to have demon
strated that We should not be satisfied with
them-that it Is possible to 60 even further.
IL is not the natural ambition of the astronO-
mer to penetrate further and further into
the depths of the infinite and, above all else,
10 determine the nature of other worlds, to
lift up cor ner of the veil that hides from
us the immense mystery Of creation?
STILL GREATER LENS.
1t is hardly four years since the instru-
ments of which we have just spoken were
completed, and already opticians are at
work on a lens greater than all three of
theSe-a lens which Will have a diameter of
more than meter. The lens OF the Obser-
ya;ory OF Mount Hamilton measures 80
inc hes, OF 81 centimeters of free aperture
and now lens of 40 inches CT / meter di-
ameter Is desired and is being constructed.
The objective, composed, as every one
knows, OF Two lenseS-one OF f1lnt the other
OF crown juxtaposed, mutually completing
each other by their optic properties and pro-
duclng as perfect an acEromatism as is pos
siuie. This objective lens is being made for
the University of California and for the
Observatory OF Mount Wilson, not far from
Los Angeles, where Mr.. Pickering has re-
of the moon, of Jupiter. Saturn, and of The
planet Mar. On one of these latter a heavy
fall of snow Is perceived which in twenty
four hours covered on the planet Mars an
extent OF surface as vast as The area OF the
United States.
1t is easy to understand that men Of intel
ligence 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 to feel keeny.
Astronomers are in the position of Moses
when he was within sight OF the promised
land. For example, we have Mars before
our eyes. All tile observations made thus
far lead US 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, clouds; we witness all the effects pro-
duced by the seasons; we see distinctly rec
iiineal lines extending from seas to seas and
putting them in communication which seem
to be canals 1t has been thought that brill
liant points, economically arranged, have
been observed (Which may be intended as
signals from that planet TO Ours--bow, then,
is il possible not to wish 10 complete the con-
quest, and to attain at last to the solution Of
the enigma?
GIGANTIC STRIDE FORWARD.
Well! Now that an objective lens of
forty inches is cast and successfully COM
pleted, new and gigantic stride forward
more than a question of money to construct
an equatorial telescope with a diameter Of l
metre so centimetres, and a length of %
metres, manuvered in a copula larger than
the dome of the Paris Pantheon, and with
magifying power of four or even five
thousand fold.
To what unexpected discoveries would
this supreme effort of our great nineteenth
century lead? This is a question which it
is impossible to answer, but we have a
right to dwell on the word unexpected.
1t must not be forgotten that it was when
searching for the limits of the colors of the
solar spectrum that Fraunhofer discovered
the spectral analysis, that it was while
seeking the paral AK of the stars that Sir
William Herschel discovered the orbits of
the double stars, and it was when seeking
for Asia that Christoi her Columbus dis
covered America.
In any event such telescope will enable
us to see for the first time stars of the sew
enteenth magnitude, which must be scat
tered over the depth of the heavens in
CARPET of S1s,O0O,000 of stars, while the
moon will be brought, so to speak, within
hicta