The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-03-03
STAR GAZING
Observations of the Astronomers
At Waikiki.
Fall Account of the Twin Obser'
vafOries-The Years work
Fnl of Promising
Results.

usual dull round OF business anu
pleasure, two quiet telescopes are
turned every night upon the stars
at Waikiki, and observations are i
being made almost until the stars
begin to pale in the grey dawn.
The work in progress at Waikiki
is of worldwide Importance and
the results of the labors OF Or.
Marcuse and Mr.. Preston will be
permanent contribution to the
stock of human knowledge. "A
stage has now been reached when
the results can be fixed. With a
view to giving the public look
into the astronomers workshops,
the ADVERTISER detailed a reporter
TO the scene of interest, who was
most courteously received by the
genial star-gazers. The obserVa-
tories, though twins, have quite
different interior, Mr.. Preston,s
being full of instruments tor work
of a various character, while Or:
Marcuse's labors have been directed
solely to the inquiry into the causes
of the changes in latitude. The
observatories were built by Harrl-
son Bros, with an air chamber be-
tween the outer wall and the inner
one of cloth. This was done alter
a plan devised by DR.. Marcuse,
and results in very cool as we'll as
even temperature. 1t prevents the
rising column of hot air, which,
causing a tremulousness and out
line in the light, makes accurate
observations impossible.
The glass used by DR.. Marcuse
is a zenith telescope made by
Wanschaff of Berlin, and is per
fectly adapted to its purpose. 1t i
furnished with a Jena obJectlv
which is absolutely white, tn
most perfect lens of its size tina
can be made. The telescope
provided with two levels of
phenomenal delicacy, the fluid DC
ing sulphuric ether and the bubbl
the same ether volatlllzed. =
responds to a microscoplcall
small vibration. In July, 1875
DR. Marcuse observed in Be
lin a motion of the bubble
a similar level, which he attribute
30 an earthquake in Asia, as he WI
able to fix approximately the dire
ton from which the impetus cam
The next day kilograms brought t
confirmation. The telescope stal
is fitted with electric connection
and the observations are read
from the scale by tiny elect
lamp which would do for dol
playhouse.
For the following lucid accor
of the Investigations at Walk
we are indebted to the courtesy
Mr.. E. D. Preston
The latitude observations now go
on at Waikiki were undertaken
the purpose of making more eXna
tive study of the motion OF the earl
axis. German astronomers had
Gently detected a new movement
the pole from independent oosel
and in order to test certain theorie
REGARD to the possible cause OF
phenomenon it was proposed to M
Simultaneous observations on oppo
sides of the world. The United st
government was invited to join in
work. and, besides sending an OF
yer to Honolulu, they enlarged
original plan by establishing stat
at Washington and san fTanclsco
the German government, MOVIE
belongs the credit of having first u
systematic study OF the supJect.
The motion of the pole IS OF &C
extremely small, and the effect is
here in Honolulu we are about
feet nearer the equator now tina
were some months ago. This Oh
does not, however, go on lndetlnl
mt the motion is such that the
returns at the end of year to n
its original position. Besides thl
nual movement there seem to b'
sons to believe that there is Sc
change extending over a period
least sixty years.
It is evident that if Observable
opposite sides of the earth show
site phases, that is to say, If the
waiian Islands approach the eq
Mt the same time that places /
rope recede from it, there is a s
presumption that the phenomel
not purely local one, but I
from real motion of the pole,
ing all places on the earth's 81
Indeed this latter fact now SCI
be conclusively demonstrated
the observations up to date.
The method of work consists
serving, on every clear night, a
stars in pairs whose positions al
Trnfprpnnl hplnU
other things being equal, to on
were observed in England NOR
one hundred years ago, and
motion since that time is tn
we'll determined The stars as
they relate to the latitude worl
adopted in Berlin, and their Sc
was made the subject of careful
In order to get the best possible
certain relations must exist b
the stars chosen, and this conn
the problem and makes their sc
correspondingly difficult. F
stance, in order that refractiC
be small, nothing is taken
say, % degrees from the zeni
order that the image of the
fine and we'll defined, only fai
are admitted, and stars compo: