The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1890-11-21
SURvEYINGTHE HEAVENS
LARossr TELESCOPE LENS IN
THE WORLD.
Lett u Tie Glsss shss win Bri.s he IaAsAi.
tants Of nAn Alnest Within uaiilns Dis.
taaes-A wsadsrfsl Pises It
0lass-lts valss.

In quiet little room At Cambridge
port not long since. was shown for the
first time tho precious glass which 10
70 be used In making . telescope that
shall eclipse even the famous one now
mounted at the Lick observatory In
California
When the lid Of the big box was re-
moved Mr. Clark tenderly lifted away
the excelsior fiber which covered tho
precious lens. There itlay. cushioned
on It, soft bed and rejecting back the
light from the little oil lamp held ut
respectful distance BY . careful assist
ant 1t was sight for astronomical
eyes 70 behold. The glass measured
about 10 feet In clroum terence or feet
= inches In diameter. Although II 10
y inches thick at the center and II
inches At tho edge. 1t was a. transpar-
Ont ~ . bit CT thin plate glass when
carefully 1t was raised on It's edge in
tho box. MIR. Clark's hands fondlsd Il
Is he would baby while he murmured:
What . beauty II IL; no ono ever saw
Its like"
George Clark hecked OF the parti.
clss Of dust that chung to It with . soft
silk handkerchief and touched II ~
lightly - q lady might her powdered
cheek. Mr.. Widuey's eyes danced
with pleasure - he glanced through
it, transparent thickness Tho Herald
reporter touched 1t reverenuy before
II was laid carefully back In it, case
to await it, finishing process A sigh
Of relief escaped tho veteran lens
maker when he saw It safely reposing
once more on Its soft cushion and tho
fibre replaced. He was In 4 stats Of
moro or less anxiety till this was done.
for tho lens represents about twelve
months work already. though two or
three years will be required 70 finish
it When II Is ready for its positlo n
In the big telescope II will represent .
value Of from $4,000 to 10000. 1t
10 now insured for large sums BY two
Of the biggest insurance companies In
Boston.
The hrst process that this now and.
80 far. greatest lens ever attempted
will have TO undergo will be that Of
grinding 70 the proper curve. 1t will
be placed on . mill and made TO 70.
volve at q slow aud uniform rate OF
speed. Tho finest Of sharp steel In
struments will cut out the surplus
glass. and smoothing machine.
moving In . constantly changing
curve, will be for months and months
passing over Its surface before the
lens can be utilized. During this time
Il will be testcd. perhaps hundreds Of
times by the aid Of silver mirror.
till its proper focal power shall have
been established.
Each Of the processes employed In
the operation is intricate and delicate.
That Of getting the correct focal power
may. however. be considered the most
Interesting. On being set before tho
mirror little starlike ray Of light will
b made 70 pass through the less and
reflected back through II again from
the mirror. Until I'll the inequalities
Of density in tho glass arc removed.
tho ray OF light transmitted will not
b. perfect In shape. Back and forth
the lens will have TO 60 from tho grind
ing and smoothing machine 70 tho test-
Ing apparatus until tho tiny ray Of
light 70 - perfect ~ when II Leaves
tho little lamp that sends II forth.
Tho largest astronomical photograph
lens previously made has boon bu,
twenty.four inches In diameter. and |,
10 expected that the present one will
accomplish unheard-of triumphs 10 no.
vssling wonders Of the starry Hrrna-
ment Judge widney said that through
II the moon will look as II only 100
miles away. and that II there are any
cities or large buildings on It's surface
their presence will be revealed through
is aid. The glass. II is thought will
also settle the question rs 10 the sup
posed signals Of light which the In
habitauts Of mars arc understood 70 be
making TO the people Of tho earth.
Tho observatory for which this new
telescope Is intended Is TO be about
twalve or fifteen miles from Los An.
geles on . part Of the Sierra Msdrs
mountains, known as Wilson peak. II
10 claimed 70 DO bctter sight for OBJ
servatioa than tho Lick observatory.
II II about 5000 feet above the SET
level. and 10 free from tho mist and
fogs which roll In through tho Golden
Cato and spoil many chances Of OBJ
ssrvntion with the Lick telescope.
Tho atmospheric conditions altogether
aro said 70 bo moro favorable for M.
tronomi0al search than Mt tho fornsI
place.
II W. Pretty Well balanced