The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1892-09-24
Ths Honor Of the Discovery Claimed BY
an Amateur Astronomer.
The Great Telescope of the Lick Oh
servatory Confirms His Discovery Of
Several Years Ago.

tory, will have to look to his laurels
or he will find that the credit of
discovering the fifth moon of Jupi-
ter will be borne off by an amateur
astronomer of Washington. The
supposed discovery Of Prof. Bar
nard was widely heralded as the
most important contribution to
science yet made by the Lick OBJ
servatory, from which so much has
been expected.
The fact that an American had
been the first to add to the four
moons which Calico discovered in
1910 and which revolutionized the
solar theory, was regarded in naval
and scientific circles here as par
ticularly gratifying, but today
Thomas S. Cogley. a Washington
attorney, gave the details of his
discovery over four years ago of
the very fifth moon which Prof.
Barnard is now seeking to appro-
pirate. Mr.. Cooley is an enthusi-
astic amateur astronomer who uses
a five-inch telescope and is prepar-
ing to build a house on Bolivar
heights where he can use twelve
inch telescope eighteen feet long,
which will be one of the best in the
country.
WROTE TO PROF. NEwCOMB.
At the time of his discovery,
June 8, 1888, he wrote the follow
ing letter to Prof. Simon Newcomb,
the well-known astronomer of the
navy department:
"Simon Newcomb, Esq, Wash
ington, D. C.-Dear Sir: At the
risk of being laughed at announce
what l think is discovery, and if
it proves to be such l claim the
credit of it, which is: Jupiter has
five moons. l was observing the
planet last night, June 7, when
three Of the moons were on the
right hand side of the planet and
one on the left. About 1890 p. N.
two of the moons began their tran
sit across the the disk of the planet
one passing near the limb and the
other along the lower belt. l
watched it till midnight when the
upper moon had reached near the
center of the planet; the lower one
not being visible in the brightness
of the planet. This evening about
$50 l again examined the planet
with five-inch telescope for the
entertainment of some friends,
when all of the three moons, that
were on the right side yesterday
evening had passed over to the left,
leaving all four of the moons on
the left side. After my visitors
had gone I again, 1915, looked at
the planet and the four moons
were still on the left, but had
materially changed their position
at least the nearest ones, but on
the right side just on the upper
edge saw a point of light which
thought was a fixed star, and as
such watched it only out Of idle
curiosity, but it. steadily grew
brighter and got farther from the
planet until it swung out clear anc
distinct from it, when | could sec
it was exactly such an appearing
body as to size and character OF
light as the others, which l knew
to be moons.
81 have been on tho lookout fol
ghosts and have examined the
ground for fixed stars and | ar
confident that the five bodies ar
not stars, and from frequent obser
vations l know the positions of tn
moons. This is worth looking into
| write you because you will get
letter soonest, and l believe yo'
will look into this matter and Civ
me credit for anything new if Their
is any such. Respectfully,
"THoMAs S. COOLEY"
Mr.. Coglcy accompanied his lei
ter by diagrams showing the posi-
ton of the fifth moon at differen