The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-27
LATEST BERKELEY ITEMS.
The Orbit of the New Comet
Calculated by the Berke-
ley Professors.
The New College Paper Named
The Josh win Not Lam
poon the Faculty.

Armin O. Leuschner, assistant professor
of astronomy and geodesy at the univer-
sity, assisted by Mr.. Wright, fellow in
mathematics, has calculated the orbit of
the comet which was discovered by Pro-
lessor Swift at the Echo Mountain obser-
vatory in Los Angeles County last week.
Numerous kilograms have been received
at the students observatory, in Berkeley,
from Professor Holden, giving Professor
Barnard's first three observations of the
comet. Taking these observations as a
basis Professor Leuschner has been at
work day and night ever since receiving
the first notice, and this morning COM
pleted his computations. He found that
the discovery of the comet was made
shortly after the perihelion passage, which
occurred on August l6, so that it is now
receding from the sun. The comet is COM
paratively near the earth, and its distance
from the sun is between 127,000,000 and
12S ZOO, 900 miles.
On August 81 it was 100000 miles
distant, and is now approaching at the rate
of &c, 900 miles a day. The inclination of
its orbit to the ecliptic is only 3 deg. SO
min, and it is therefore concluded that the
comet is periodic.
A hasty examination of the elements
new resemble somewhat those of the La
Hire comet of 1878. Yet nothing definite
can be said regarding their identity until
more extended observations have been
made, as it frequently happens that the
elements of different comets very strongly
resemble each other.
The longitude of the ascending node is
172 deg. 80 min., and the arc from the node
to perihelion is 1875 deg. 81 min. The ele-
ments were telegraphed from the students
observatory to the Mount Hamilton OBJ
servatory early this morning, and from
there will be forwarded to other observa-
tories.
The work of computation, as carried on
by Professor Leuschner and Mr.. Wright,
was of exceeding intricacy, and those
of the faculty of the university who
have been informed of the result
consider it of much import and say that
it reflects no little credit on those who
solved the difficult problem, being mindful
of the comparatively limited apparatus at
the disposal of those engaged in work at
the students observatory.
Students New Paper, "The JOSH
At meeting this afternoon of the stu
dents who are to compose the staff OF the
new comic paper about to be established
at the university, it was decided that the
temporary name of the publication be
Inc JOSH. his COgHODleu Will SIaDu uIlJll
more appropriate and fitting one is Sc
cured.
1t is the intention of those who have the
paper In charge TO make 1t cartoon pub
location, selecting the objects of illustra-
ton from local and foreign subjects in
about equal proportion. No attempt will
be made to lampoon the faculty, or to pub
lish any doggerel of which they are the
subjects. 1t will be purely students
paper, so far as selecting material from the
university is concerned.
About half of each issue will be devoted
to illustrations, and the remaining portion
to editorial work. Hits on the idiosyncra-
sizes of the students and spicy articles on
their ways and methods in general, will
form component part of the paper.
The business department will be ii the
hands of J. L. M. Robbins '97, and Alex
r. Baldwin '96, while the editorial staff
will be made up of the following, all of
whom are undergraduates: Lionel Sher-
wood 1877, Arthur Brown '96, E. R. Jackson
'96, w. S. Wright '96, Harry Quinan 49,
Walter Magee '9S, Miss Marion Whipple