The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-06
THE FLOWER TELESCOPE IN PENNSYLv WANNA.
BY Which it is Expected Many Great Discoveries Will be
Made by Prof Henry B. Evans.

Philadelphia, July 3.-There has just
been opened for active usage a group
of buildings intended for astronomical
use, which are likely to become famous
within a short time. They are the 20
servatory Buildings of the University of
Pennsylvania, and in one of them is the
new Flower telescope, by means of which
astronomers hope to read secrets of the
stars never yet revealed.
The lens of the Flower telescope is a
marvel. 1t has no superior If an equal,
and the method of its manufacture is as
peculiar as are the qualities which 1T is
believed it possesses. The Observatory
stands on the crest of a range of hills IN
Delaware county, two miles from TINS
city. 1t has a revolving steel dome
eighteen feet in diameter. The tube OF
the telescope referred to is twenty-eight
feet long and it is moved about by means
of clock work.
Persons who have read Of recent as
Economical feats may remember that 1T
was the lens of this telescope which was
used by Professor Percival Rowell, the
famous astronomer at Flagstaff, Ari-
IONA, when he made his marvellous obser-
vations of the canals of Mars. A COM
prehensiye statement of the Facts re-
garding the Observatory Buildings and
their contents is the following winch
has been written for this paper by Pro-
lessor Henry B. Evans, instructor in
Astronomy at the University OF Pennsyl-
vania.
The University Of Pennsylvania has
dedicated to the cause Of science its new
astronomical observatory. The latter is
very. suitably located on the summit OF
one of the hills Immediately west Of the
city limits of Philadelphia, beyond the
influence Of the smoke and SCOT OF the
factories and the vibrations OF the steam
and electric railroads.
The ground on which it stands was pre-
scented to the University some years ago
for the purpose for which 1t is now used
Inv the late Reese Wall Flower, from
whom the observatory derives its name.
The original intentions of the donor were
not carried out, however,unt two years
ago when the present director, Professor
Charles S. Doolittle, then Professor Of
mathematics and astronomy at Lehigh
University, was called to the similar chair
Mt Philadelphia. Under his direction
has been added to the possession of the
University of Pennsylvania one of the
astronomical research in existence
First and foremost in this equipment
is the big equatorial telescope with its
aiobteen inch lens, mounted in sepa-
rafp dome-capped building of its own. All
of the instruments are from the makers
of the big Lick and Yerkes telescopes,
and in this their latest production, they
have introduced every convenience when
mechanical ingenuity could devise for the
assistance and comfort of the observer.
The lens which is the largest one in this
country east of Washington, was made
by Brashear in Allegheny and formed
part of his exhibit at the Worlds Fair
in 1898.
Mr.. Brashear is the only man in the
world who has developed the art Of grind
ing glass to such perfection that he can
produce an absolutely fiat surface. lie
can grind glass correct to any given out
line within one millionth of an inch. 1t
would be natural to suppose that a lens
of his make would be of high standara
of excellence. The one he has madek6or
the University of Pennsylvania hal
pronounced by experts to have n
Tor. The telescope is provided
ordinary eye-pieces, a screw
for close measurements,
with p gratings
of sol Lt,
sey9 he
it.
hl is
the
end