Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-05
STANDING UP STARS.
Some Wonderful Instruments Made
by Mr.. John A. Brashear to
SHOW PROMINENCES on PRGBUS.
SpectrOScOpes Constructed So Strong as to
Compel the
sun TO HALT FOR HIS PHOTOGRAPH

Much curiosity has been expressed as TO
the cause of the strong light observed in the
Western heavens on the night OF the first
A reader of The DISPATCH at Irondale.
o., writes for information regarding 1t. He
says that few minutes before 10 o'clock on
Sunday night be noticed comet which
looked to be 40 feet long by feet wide, the
lower end being hidden by hill, and To-
Gated in the Southeast" Other correspond
entg describe it as a tall pillar of light.
Chief Elliott, of the Charities Department.
referring 10 this light, which he saw very
distinctly at about II 80 o'clock, described it
as bar of light, dim at first but gradually
becoming more intense, about 25 feet high
and foot wide.
For some elucidation of the matter, Mr..
John A. Brashear the astronomist, was
called upon yesterday afternoon, and asked
if comet was due to arrive 10 these parts
about the present time.
Hadn't Heard of a New Comet.
Not that know Of he replied. ave
are kept informed on these points, and do
not know OF any new star or comet having
appeared, or any old comet on its way
hither. The light observed Sunday night
may have been a reflection of gas well, and in
my opinion 1t only this. Similar reflections
have before been ascribed to movements in
heavenly bodies
Mr.. Brashear is ALWAYS pleasant as well as
most entertaining talker, and the opportunity
was taken 20 hear from him little of the
knowledge Of sidereal operations with which
he is so well conversant
Anything new from above. Mr.. Brashear?'
We'll, the most important recent discovery
is by spectrum analysis of double stars beyond
the reach of a telescope. The star Beta
Auriga has been discovered TO be double its
companion star, being nearly .02 of a second
from the primary No telescope yet made is
able TO discover double star whose distance
is less than 10 of a second so that the spectre
scope has virtually told us of stars whose dis
tance is ten times closer Not only this. but
what is still more wonderful, it reveals to MS a
motion heretofore unknown among the stellar
worlds.
A Hustler in the Heavens.
1.-The period of revolution of the companion
star is less than five days, and although the
star cannot be seen by the telescope, the period
OF revolution has been computed-as also the
mass OF the system-with precision which is
absolutely wonderful.
Another star of the same nature has been
discovered in the handle of the great dipper. |
Dr.. Vosel, of Pottsdam. in Prussia. has also
discovered that the beautiful star Spicae. in
the constellation of the Virgin, is also a close
double star Of the same type as Beta Auriga. |
These new discoveries have given a great i'm |
petus to the charming study and already a |
number of astronomical observatories are being |
fitted up for work of this kind
In reply as to whether he was engaged on any /
new instruments Mr.. Brashear continued: |
I'VE are just now constructing two very fine |
spectroscopes. one of which is to be used prin- /
cipally for work of this character. The larger /
of the two is for Prof Charles A. Young, the 1
astronomist of Princeton University. 1t will |
be- il all probability when completed, the 1
finest instrument ever made 1t will have
every attachment for high observations as well |
as for Photographic studies of the stars and |
their motions, and will possess many improve
ments over that made for the Lick Observatory |
several years ago. The instrument will have /
object glasses of triple form made Of glass man |
ufactured at Jena, in Prussia, and which is |
most suitable for the most perfect corrections
that can be given to our object glass 1t will |
have triple set of compound pTisms giving |
deviation of 1909 to the spectrum. This will |
enable Prof. Young to photograph the spec
frum of the stars with magnitude never be- L
fore attained in this country.
VIII Make the Sun Move.
The spectroscope is also provided with an ap.
psrstus 10 study the solar prominences and an
attachment is placed in front of the spectre
scope to rotate the image of the sun instead of
rotating the whole instrument, as has hereto
fore been done Besides the prism the spectre |
scope will be provided with 5-inch diffraction |
grating containing 60 900 lines: that used in the
Lick Observatory having but 1900 This |
gives a spectrum of exceptional purity and |
equal to a battery of 80 prisms could such |
battery be used. There are many accessories |
to this instrument. among them the electric at |
tachment, by which the spectrum of the metals /
or gases may be brought into the same field of
view with the spectrum of the stars
In this way the spectrum of the
stars can be compared with all the sub 1
stances we have upon the earth. This instru-
nent viii be attached TO the great Z3-inch eQua-
torial of the Halstead Observatory at Prince
tod"
you spoke Of another similar instrument
Mr.. Brashear?'
'Yes, that is one we have completed for
George 4. Hale. of Chicago, one of the most
promising young astronomsts OF the day. This
instrument, however, is to be used for photo
graphlc study OF the solar prominences. At
tempts have heretofore been made to photo
graph the prominences, but with only partial
success. Mr.. Hale expects to have complete
success, and astronomers interested in that line
of research have much confidence in Mr. Hale's
ability to do the work.
Continuous Photograph Of the Sun,
THE camera for this Photographic work is one
of the most delicate pieces OF apparatus we have
yet made. The 1ilm is carried on a roller two
inches in diameter driven by a clepsydra of the
most delicate construction. The light enters a
minute slit and falls on the film which is slowly
rotated in front of it. The telescope is allowed |
to gently drift across the prominence. If Mr..
Hale succeeds in this beautiful work we shall
soon be able to have a continuous photograph
of solar prominences as we have of solar spots
We are also making for his observatory a II
inch object glass of the great focal length of Is
feet His purpose in having it made this way is
to get as great an image of the sun as possible
without any magnifcation.
Prof r. S Newell, Of Cambridge, England
was here few weeks ago arranging for the
of a large spectroscope similar to
that at Lick. DR.. Huggins, another eminent
English astronomist, has also applied to us for
work he requires We are grinding and polish
ing great l6-inch object glass for the Carlton
College Observatory at Mortified Mimi. and
are now erecting a mounting to test this big
glass. We are also making a I2-inch object
glass for the Brown University in Rhode Island
so that you see we have our hands full" Mr.
Brashear concluded as he prepared to see ali
snug In his workshops before closing up for the
day.
A GOOD inscription for the obelisk in