The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-11
THE MONTE ROSA OBSERVATORY

IIlE lhO4N J. INO9A ObSEIlN AIOItl,
DIR. Janssen's observatory on Mount
ance of Prof Mosso, of Turin, the Ital5
ian Alpine Club are about to establish
nave a scientific rival. Under the guild
Blanc, which was only completed
about three years ago, is already to
q similar institution on the summit of
Monte Rosa, which bears the name of
the Signal Kuppe, and Is the fourth in
height in the group GROWING the queen
of the Pennine Alps.
The situation of the two buildings
will differ in several particulars. The
summit of Mont Blanc, as all know, Is
great dome of snow, only moderately
steep in the upper part, and rising high
above all it's neighbors, overlapping the
Dom du Goute-which, after ALL Is little
more than an prominence on one of
its upper ridges-by about 1000 feet
and the Mont Blanc du Tacul by a
still larger amount. No rock projects
from the great white calotte, or cap,
anywhere near the summit of Mont
Blanc. The foundations of its observa-
tory have no other support than the
frozen snow, Monte Rosa is very diff
erent. Its higher part forms an irreg-
ular ridge, crowned by a number of
rocky peaks. From many points of view
only two or three of these can be seen.
The real structure of the mountain
would hardly be suspected by any one
who had only seen it from the we'll
known Corner Graf But from some of
the more distant points on the southern
side all the peaks are distinctly visible
For instance, from the Monte Motter-
one, a great hill rising between the
lakes of Maggiore and Orta, the out
line of Monte Rosa is something like
the back of a perch with its dorsal fin
erected. The highest of these peaks is
an almost bare crag or tooth 15,217 feet
above the sea, and on the others, if
the rock does not actually project, the
thickness of snow is inconsiderable.
Hence the new observatory can be
| built on rock, a point of considerable
Importance, for DR.. Janssens obser-
vatory has more than once shown signs
of instability, and the yielding of the
| ice to the slow pressure of It's weight,
even If it We're perfectly uniform, might
possibly affect some very delicate OBJ
| servatlons. Already a shelter hut Of the
| Alpine Club has been erected on the
Signal Kuppe, and 1t Is believed there
will be no difficulty in constructing a
larger building. This, however, win. be
at a somewhat lower elevation than
| that on Mont Blanc; for the Signal
Kuppe only attains a height of 14,964
| feet, and is more than 500 feet below
the top of the Monarch of the Alps. The
difference, however, is not likely to be
to be. on the whole, more accessible.
An ascent of Mont Blanc from Cham
onix presents, 1T Is true, very little
difficulty to trained mountaineers. But
1t is q long and rather weary climb
the vertical distance between the two
places being more than II 900 feet, while
the height of the7Signal kuppe above
Gressonay is less by about 1000 feet
The ascent also from this side as far
as the great snow plateau between the
peak and the Lyskamm presents far
less difficulty than, it does from the
rorthern--in fact, in this respect, there
is not much to choose between the two
sites. The other advantages or disad-
vantages are likely to be nearly iden-
teal In both cases
These observations at great attitudes,
though they will have their own draw
backs, cannot fail to throw light on
many interesting questions 1t must be
remembered that at such stations near
ly half the atmosphere, and on a fine
day no small portion Of the vapor in it,
Is below the observer. The extraordi-
nary depth of blue In the sky--almost
that of the bell gentian itself-which
may be occasionally noticed from a
lofty peak, indicates the clearness OF
the air so that the conditions are pc
culiarly favorable for ASTRONOMERS
purposes. DR.. Jansen considers that
the question of the presence Of oxygen
in the solar atmosphere cannot fail to
be determine, and that the site is
exceptionally adapted for spectroscopic
observations. But whatever may be
the success in regard to Astronomical
physics, the results cannot fail to be
of high value to the students of meteor.
ology. Here, If anywhere, will be learn
ed the laws governing the relation OF
temperature to altitude and the al.
rection of the air-currents in the up
! per regions together with the consistency
or variability of their direction at diff
erent seasons. Continuous observations
= in meteorology from the two highes
peaks in the Alps for period of eigh
or ten years will clear away some o.
the difficulties of that science.-Londor
, Standard.