The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-21
NAPytLSor MODERN ASTRONOMY
BY Dose OHd|oroN 0m


Since the days of antiquity, when the
Phenicians ''plowed the main" to distant
shores by means of the pole star the in
terests OF navigation and the study OF the
stars have been inseparable. This gained
for astronomical science in all maritime
nations a greater or less share of official
recognition, ana in modern times govern
ments are devoting much time to improve
ments in equipments connected with nau-
teal astronomy, while Investigations OF the
cosmos in general also receive a consider
able encouragement.
This is a tribute to the claims OF science
independently of utility. tits of the gravest
Importance to the mariner TO know the
position of a heavenly body with the
utmost precision, but whether 1t be two
billions or twenty billions OF miles olstant'
whether it be vaporous or soma, or mars
the furthest extension of matter, mas no
bearing on the safety of the cargoes COM
mitted to his care.
Bv means of the familiar heavens he not
only sails the ocean highways, but can
even venture on unknown seas II proVlded
with a sextant, nautical almanac ana
chronometer.
During the first years of this Republic
apnropriations for the Eighth ouses OF the
sI-v,, met with some opposition, but this
narrow tendency at length gave way to the
demands OF. commerce and OF advancing
enlightenment.
In 1893 the United States Naval Observ
atorv of Washington was founded. From
meager beginnings, merely including the
fundamental parts of nautical astronomy,
II developed into an efficient National OBJ
servatorV. and later on, in 1872, by the con-
struction of the refractor, twenty-six
inches in aperture, acquired facilities for
scientific research not 10 De found else
where at that time. This venture in opti-
cal science was fully justified, when IN
August, 1877, Professor Asaph Hall, q. S.
n. discovered the satellites of Mars.
With the exception of the meteors, these
are the smallest heavenly bodies yet
known, being only few miles in diameter,
and at the time of discovery were about
$4,000, 600 miles distant from the earth.
In size the Washington telescope now
holds the seventh place on the list of giant
refractors, brief account of which was
commenced in last Sundays CALL.
The telescopes of Vienna, Nice, Pull
kowa, Meudon, Mount Hamilton and
Chicago are undoubtedly beyond it in
ight-gathering power, but with the e1-
proved its superiority, their advantages IN
other respects are not yet known.
In the summer of 1893 the equipment of
the Naval Observatory was changed to a
new structure on Georgetown Heights,
about two miles north OF the old site,
which was then abandoned, and as there
have been marked improvements in the
methods of mounting in recent years the
26inch lens has been given the benefit of
progress in that respect and is now also
fitted for spectroscopic and Photographic
research, thus commencing new career
under very favorable circumstances.
With the 26-inch refractor Of the Uni
versity of Virginia, in use since 1885, the
list of colossal refractors may be consid-
cred to end, though Mr.. Newalls 25-inch
lately presented to the University of Cam
bridge, England, has a fair claim to be
classed among them.
The Virginia telescope is one of the few
that have been capable of revealing the
fifth satellite of Jupiter. Many faint neb-
ule have been brought forth from the
darkness of space by means of its light
gathering power, and it has also been used
in the measurement of close double stars
IN the southern heavens. Professor Or
mond Stone, for many years connected
with the institution, is well known TO the
annals of astronomy. His drawings of the
solar corona, which he observed in Col
many of the textbooks. Of the recently
completed equatoriaIs of Greenwich and
Paris observatories, measuring respect
lively twenty eight and twenty-nine inches
in aperture, little is yet known beyond the
fact of their construction, and in the latter
city, where, according to recent record,
10 nights in the year were cloudy, it will
probably be some time yet before the opti-
cal merits of the new instrument can be
fairly tested.
But even without this new and valuable
addition TO its equipment, the old his
toric institution Will always take pronli-
nent place among the observatories of the
world on account of the mechanical excel
lence OF some of its instruments, the sys-
tematic work of large staff of skilled OBJ
servers and computers, and the value of its
publications, especially the French Ma
tional Almanac, Connaissance des Temps
which has appeared with unfailing pune