The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-14

: d
Disadvantages so great that any one less
enthusiastic than Professors Hale and
Barnard and their abte associates would |
let II severely alone. Owing 20 slip
ping of the insufficiently fastened cables
that were intended 10 sustain the NOV
able floor OF the observing room the
floor fell May %. after only two night.
Of work with the telescope. and came
near wrecking the whole institution But
the instrument Itself was found 10 have
received no injury. Since then the floor
has been suspended in such way that
on further trouble is Appreciated on
that score, bu, up 20 date the dome Is as
immutab bic as il il were an old law OF the
Modes and Persians. and the only way
in which the instrument can be used is
by examining such objects az pass over
its openin, with the Oft experienced re-
suit that an object passes beyond the lin
i. before il has been thoroughly observed.
Still in that time Barnard has done Won
ders. He not only has famifarized him.
self with the working OF the instrument.
50 as 10 be able 10 utilize il 20 the utmos.
when the dome is set in working order,
which may be some weeks ye-, but ne
has picked up some twenty new" nebu-
ulae and detected the existence OF sew
eral very minute or very close compan-
ions 70 stars which previously were not
known to have such companions Pro
fessor Hale has also made series or
spectroscopic observations and taken
few star photographs, assisted by Pro-
fessor Wadsworth and Mr.. Ellerman.
MOVE BY DELICATE MECHANISM.
When the preparatory work in this
part Of the observatory is finished the
big dome will move at the mere touch
Of an electric button by the observer,
and stop al another signal when the op-
ening OF the dome has arrived az suit
able position between the telescope and
the object 20 be examined. The floor OF
the observing room will rise or fall with
equal facility through as great range
Of altitude as may be wanted 20 enable
the astronomer TO make his observation
and measure directly from 1t without
having 10 drag around a huge "chair."
as is the case in many other observator-
les. The more coarsely graduated circles
for right ascension can be read from the
eye end Of the big tube, and the dome
ITSELF is large enough 70 permit the use
Of spec:roscopic or other apparatus pro-
jecsing yard or more beyond the focus,
as we'll as the protection Of the objective
by means of long due cap. should that
be deemed proudent, though the dews in
that region are light. The glass has been
found moistened with dew only once
since II was placed in the tube. This am
plisude Of space is a valuable feature, its
worth being best appreciated by those
working astronomers who have suffered
from want Of room and found the worth
of their work much lessened by condi-
ton that suggests the coat 100 small 10
fit the back of the wearer.
Some idea Of the vast range OF optical
power available with the great Yerkes
telescope to fl the different moods Of the
atmosphere and best TO suit the different
kinds Of work desired to. be done may be
gathered from the following statement
of magnifying power Of the different eye
pieces: 230, $50 $50. AGO, 700. $40. 1,3io,
100. 1850, 1850 and $3.50. When the
latter is employed the field OF view is
only % seconds in diameter. which Is less
than sufficient 20 show the whole OF the
disk Of Jupiter at once 10 say nothing OF
the moon.
This deals up to the question often
put to he astronomer as TO the power or
an instrument in working toward the
solution OF a problem Of life in other
worlds than our own. The Yerkes tele-
scope will not aid much in that direc-
ton. 1t will not be difficult to give the
intelligent reader a hint towards the
n
almost is justified in saying peremptor-
lily that the highest power eye piece OF
the Yerkes telescope will never be rsed
on the moon, and the second highest
hardly ever" Taking. however. the
latter az a possibility. we may allow the
surplus OF power over 2.400 as an offset
TO the percentage Of light absorbed in
It's passage through the glass, leaving
2,400 to / as the advantage gained by
using this telescope on the moon. d.
viding 240. 900. the mea distance OF the
moon in miles, by 2,40O gives an ooserv-
ing power equal 70 that we would have
IL able 10 see the moon with the naked
eye at the distance OF 100 miles instead
OF 240 900. Now. the most acute human
vision, under favorable conditions as 10
relieve illumination or contrast OF color.
is JUS, about equal TO the task OF dis
corning circular disk ten inches in
diameter at the distance OF one mile.
but for the ordinary human eye the least
diameter perceiva Die al the distance OF
onemile is not far from half a yard.
| Comparing these two statements we
shall have 10 conclude that an object on
the moon must be fifty yards across in
its narrowest superficial dimension in
order to be perceived as distinct entity
| by the aid OF the highest available pow
or eye piece in the Yerkes telescope, and
this only possible at rare and uncertain
/ intervals Pretty hard work IL must be
| to discover indubi;able proofs OF the ex-
| istence OF living organisms on the moon.
/ IL there be any. And when We remem-
/ Der that at this nearest distance from
US the planet Mars Is removed vel up
I towards 200 times the distance OF The
moon The possibility in this case mus
be corresp0ndingly remote The tele-
sc1oe will have 10 be vastly increased
I in power before we can hope TO deal with
me question Of life on the moon other
wise man in the most generally inferen-
, tial way. teL d4yH- mas -
only fair in this connection 20 call a.
tention 70 the fact ina tire ilustrious
HerscheI (the elder) = reported % have
used maEnifying powers u 500 or more
I on the vastly inferior instruments OF rs
! day. and claimed that he obtained goa
/ results. WI anybody in the present
/ day find X possible % repeat his exDsr-
/ inent2 And Il -. what viii he do
with ." Professor simon NeEcono.
who stated several years ago that the
! defects arising from The secondary spec