The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-11
Our Special Contributors---ISo5
HINTS FOR AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS.
Xxx By GEORGE T. HUGHES. Xxx
The Planets in Nav.
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the evenings of the 18th and 18th. Jup-
tier is in conjunction with the crescent
moon on the evening of the 26th and
Venus with the moon on the morning OF
the 9th.
Saturn, which was in opposition last
month, is still prominent feature in
the east. The planet is in the extreme
eastern part Of the constellation Virgo
and can be found from the fact that it
Is very near the moon on the evening of
May Z. Mercury and Neptune are both
too near the sun to be observed during
May. The former will, however be visi-
BILE in the west after sunset during the
first week in June, but the latter comes
into conjunction with the sun next
month. Mars is in Gemini and still yisi.
BILE in the early evening, but is too faint
to be of any interest.
Late in February of this year, Profes
sor Wolf, of Heidelberg, discovered two
new asteroids, fact chiefly remarkable
because it probably brings the total
number of these atoms of worlds known
to science up to the 400 mark. say
probably, since until their orbits are
calculated it is not certain that they are
not bodies already discovered. but which
have been lost in the confusion which
arises from keeping track of SO many
tangled orbits. 1t is pure devotion to
abstract science which persuades the
astronomer to calculate the orbits of the
individual asteroids, yet considered col
lectively they have considerable interest.
When the first asteroid was discovered
on the first day of the nineteenth CEN
tury it caused great excitement. IT was
found by Piazzi, but his observations
did not suffice to determine its orbit be-
fore it had been lost in the suns rays.
After diligent search it was rediscoyered
December 81, 1901, just one year. lack
ing day, after it was first seen. From
tnat time to the present all science has
done is to demonstrate that between the
ORBITS OF Mars and Jupiter there revolve
around the sun swarm of little planets,
the largest OF which is but few hun
dreds of miles in diameter. Their orbits
cross and recross, and are SOL gehefal1y
mixed up as to put the astronon3erSto.
his wits end to take care of them. Pro-
lessor Watson, who discovered twenty
two OF them, left fund at his death
to bear the expense of keeping track
of his pets.
Theories as to the origin of the aster
olds are in most unsatisfactory state.
The first proposed was that large planet
once revolving beween Mars and Jupiter
had been blown into thousand pieces
by some mighty force, the mode of action
OF which is a mystery. 1t has also been
suggested that the ring from which, ac-
cording to the nebular hypothesis, each
planet was developed, was in the case of
the asteroids broken up into many frag-
ments by the action of the giant planet
Jupiter. 1t has been pointed out that
some OF the Inconsistencies of the explo-
sion theory can be avoided by supposing
series of explosions; but speculation
as to what caused the first great convul-
sion is as wild as ever.
One of the great achievements of the
Lick telescope has been the measuring
the diameter of Ceres, the first asteroid
discovered. Until the great glass at
Mount Hamilton was turned on the little
planet, it always appeared as a small
star. In the 36-inch telescope its round
white disk enabled Professor Barnard to
state that Ceres was about 600 miles in
diameter. From this, which is probably
the largest, the size of the asteroids
ranges down to masses of rock but few
miles in diameter.
Ihe asteroids discovered in February
were, as has been the case with most of
them during recent years. found by the
aid OF photography. While photograph
ing the stars the asteroid makes known
its existence by the trail of light across
the plate caused by the planet motion.
The application of the camera to the
heavens, it may be stated here, has al
most caused a revolution in sidereal
astronomy. By long exposures the SEN
sitive plate gathers up the light of faint
stars and nebule, and makes them write
their autographs. when the eye. even
aided by the largest telescopes. is totally
unable to perceive them. 1t is actually
case of photographic the invisible.
The advantage which the plate has over
the human eye is that the former does
not weary with long gazing. On the
other hand. in the matter of planetary
detail photography is far behind the
actual observer. because there are mo-
ments when the seeing" is vastly sup.
erior, and such moments are grasped by
the eye. while the photograph only
records the aggregate.
NEW YORK CITY
Columbia College in Nam YorL C,;t,,