The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-12

The death Of Avian Clark, the great
maker OF telescope lenses, seems to have
been deferred by providential dispense
ton until his work VS. completed The
limit OF vision TO be secured by direct tel
escopic means seem TO have been reached,
and science will have to turn to some
other agency for future insight into the
starry depths. 1t is fortunate that those
skillsul hands which have been so long
trained, and the judgment which had be-
come SO mature. should be spared until
his life's work was done.
Slow as the progress Of astronomy seems
to be In making sensational disclosures,
wonders have been accomplished since
Alvan Clark made his first glass. Every
newspaper reader Is now as familiar with
the configuration and the phases of the
planets almost as he is OF the moon. Spec
ulation upon the physical characteristics
and the proba bilty OF life in the planets
has made their study more fascinating to
the layrnan; but the achievements of
science have been far greater In those
regions where even the much that is
known leaves so much yet to be learned.
The spectrum is doing its share TO aid
the telescope and photography will be
called upon to do mich more than It has
already done. The Lick observatory. the
Yerkes. and the Pennsylvania observatory
are perhaps the most important. but they
do not cover the number which have
sprung into existence since the boyhood OF
Clark. 1t was intended nearly 40 years
ago to have an observatory in Philadei-
phia. but 1t is only within few months
that an endowment has enabled the uni
verslty to carry out the project of the dis
tingaished Rittsnhouse.
What astronomers most need In this
country is government appropriation to
enable all the observatories, or as many as
may be needed. TO unite on. plan for
photographing the entire starry armament.
with the Idea that In a century from now
another such astronomical map should be
made and variations III the positions OF
stars might be noted. ~ course such
knowledge as this can only be very slowly
acquired. as measurements must depend
on observed movements OF the heavenly
bodies, yet one very prominent astronomer
has advanced the idea that 1t might yet
be shown that the boundaries OF the space
occupied by the stars could be outlined.
Even with the very imperfect data OF
century ago very astounding results have
been reached. Among those stars which
are almost unknown TO the casual olser-
yer, but which have been watched for near
" $50 years, Is Alpha I.yrs. which is now
ascertaiued 20 be rushing toward the solar
system If q speed of from fivc TO nine miles
second. yet is so far of tina, II the star
remained stationary We might possibly
roach 1t In a half million years. OF course
such q conclusion as this is based en-
tiroly upon mathematical calculation.
for the human mind has no more concep-
ton Of such distances than IL has OF
inflnlty. II causes establishment 90 he as
sured that IL Sirius. the brightest Or all
the stars has been eStinguishcd ut this
moment IL vii. not be known TO us for
TWENTY-FIVE years. ard the mlne knows
nothing CT a quicker traveller than The
speed with which light Teaches from its
ori<in 10 the vision. Yet that great dis
lance is as nothing compared 10 that Of
Alpha I.Yra which IS sar from being the
tcmotes, OF the stars.
Within only few years Il has been as
ceriainci beyond doubt what was iors
suspected. ard which may prove OF some
Interest 10 Manson and Peary, that the
North Polo IS not a axea point u the
earth's surface. but moves around 81 an
Irregular way. Although its widest range
Is within a circle SIX minutes Tn diameter
r. stapenssous fovce must tva necessary TO
produce that eject, but s. Is YET a mystery.