The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1895-08-01
THE EMERSON M'MILLAN OF.
SS2VATORY.
Recently Donated to the state University y
by HIM. E.r..rsnI. Al NilIin

SS2VATORY,
Recently Donated to the State Universi;y '
by Eon. Emerson McMillin.
Prying into the depths of space,
measuring thu restless motions of the
tiny points OF light which ornament
the sky, astronomy is too often con-
sidered as far removed from the every
cay affairs OF men. Few of Us realize
that were it not for the exact knowl.
edge of the place and motions OF
the stars. gained by the .abors OF
astronomers, the wheels of commerce
would turn with much greater diti.
Guilty.
The giant steamers IN modern times,
slmost entirely built of iron, can no
longer trust to the compass as an in.
fallble guide. but must test its accu-
racy by daily observations OF the stars.
The charts which render navigation
near the coast as safe as it is in mid
ocean, depend for their accuracy upon
the work of the astronomers, while
every railroad train which rushes
across the country is governed in it's
movements by the standard clock of
some one of our many oil servatories.
Though the Ohio State university
has in the past fully realized the i'm
portance of this branch of science, vet
the other demands upon its income
have been so many and SC pressing,
that until the present time our state
university possesse almost no appa-
ratus for the teaahinr of this, the old
est of sciences. Mr.. EngrSo McNlillin
realizing this need, came to the re-
cue and provided an obs ervatory fully
equipped for astronomical work This
generous gift is far--eacaing in its use
fulness. Not only does it benefit the
students of the University. but by a
provision of Mr.. McMillin, the observa-
tory upon stated occasions is to be
thrown open to the public, who will
then be given an opportunity to see
for themselves the wonders of the
heavens.
The observatory is to have the larg-
est telescope in the state. Il will carry
lens twelve inches in diameter, and
will have a total length of fifteen or
sixteen feet. This mounting is to be
the best that money can buy, and will
be practically perfect in every detail
In modern times it is necessary to pro-
vide telescope with many accessories.
Chief among these is the spectroscope,
an instrument for analyzing the light
OF the stars and determining the chem,
ical substances which enter into their
composition. BY its aid an astronom-
er can tell as accurately of what star
&c oh CT fal Ia
several constituents of sample sent
to him for analysis
The telescope will be provided with
one of the best spectroscopes. 1t is to
be made by Mr.. Brashear, of Allie
gheny City, Pa, and is to be almost an
exact copy. though upon reduced
scale, of the spectroscope of the famous
Lick Observatory at Mt Hamilton, Cal
Fully as important as the great tele-
scope is the transit instrument. In
general way this is very similar to an
ordinary engineers transit, though l
fear most of us would at first fail to
see the resemblance. The telescope of
this instrument Will be about three
feet long, and carry an objective of
three inches aperture. The stand,
which carries the telescope is mas
sive casting. the whole being mounted
upon solid pier OF masonry which ex-
tends about eight feet below the sur
face of the ground. This instrument
is used to determine the latitude and
longitude of the observatory, and the
errors and rates of its standard clock.
The building was designed by Prof,
81 +ha
floor contains large and well lighted
room, where the students can keep the
records and make the reductions OF
their observations. South of this is an
Office and library.
People are apt tor think that an OBJ
servatory consists OF a telesc ope with a
b. dome to keep it in. and that nothing
more is needed. But this is far from
the case. There must be numerous
smaller instruments, and above all
there must be good library. The
books which are needed are rare and
difficult to obtain. But without them
the instruments are useless. Mr.. Nc
Millin's gift provides generously for
this most important feature of an OBJ
servatory. West of these rooms is the
dome. This is circular room, twenty
three. feet in diameter. The roof. is
made hemispherical with large slit
covered by movable shutter running
from the base to the top. the whole
roof being mounted on wheels so that
the slit can be turned to any desired
direction, and clear view of that por-
tion of the heavens secured. Work
upon the building and instruments is
to be pushed as rapidly as is consistent
with good workmanship, and it is
hoped that in the early fall the Emer-
son McMillin observatory can throw
open its doors to the public, and ex-
tend to the people cordial invitation
to avail themselves OF the opportunity
for the study of the stars which the
generosity OF one of Ohio's citizens has
secured to them.