The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-28

were found with the telescope, the rest by
photography.
The naming of the minor planet has
gwen considerable trouble. In accordance
with the old system of naming the larger
planets and their satellites after delties in
the Greek and Roman mythologies, the
first-discovered of the little planets were
called Ceres, Pallas Juno, Vesta, Astrae,
Hebe, Iris, ETC. This system was in the
main continued until these nance were
exhausted; then names were given without
any system but always feminine names.
Number r. discovered by Hind, in Lon
don, was named Victoria; No. 20 was called
Massilia, the ancient name of Marseies;
No. 81 was called Alexandra, after Alex
ander Won Humboldt. The first minor
planet discovered by photography, by Max
Wolf, on December 20, 1891, was No. |23.
Wolf named this asteroid Brucia, after
Miss Caroline W. Bruce, of New York city,
who has 50 generously contributed Of her
means for the advancement of astronomy.
To Miss Bruce the Harvard College OBJ
SerVatory is indebted for its A-inch proto-
graphic doublet, now mounted at Arequlpa,
In Peru, and Max Wolf was made happy
by a fine Photographic outfit from the
same source. Asteroid No. S27 was
telescope discovery by Sharlois on Marcn
%, 1892. In view of the proposed celebrat-
ion Of the 400th anniversary of the dls-
covery of America he called the planet
Columbia. No. 1874 was discovered by VOL
and for like reason was named Chicago
No 341, also discovered by Won.
bears the name California. The last -FOUR
to receive names are called Ellzabetha'
Edburga, Bertholda and Zaringia quite
a number have not been named yet ana
perhaps never will be named. The pro-
geny is increasing too rapidly. In lS4S III
Gould proposed to designate these smah
fry by numbers inclosed in a small circle
y tc ,.Ia icr in
which bear names.
The largest four asteroids are Ceres
Pallas, Juno and Vesta, the diameters OIL
which, as measured by Barnard are 800
304, 118 and 243 miles respectively. VI 'ilo
rest of these bodies some are no plgss'
than a terrestrial mount ain. A minor plan
ct, IL to IA miles in diameter, Woui1
compare with the earth as a sand partcie
with a sphere one foot in diameter. A Douy
weighing 200 pounds on the earth's surldce
would weigh less than five ounces OIL
planet so diminutive as tha| 81
weight which here fails 10 80
in the first second would there
fan one-ouarter of an inch. A per-
son could there leap to the height OF sever
al hundred feet in which case he would %
nearly an hour in returning to the sur
face. ,.,
The mean distances of these asteroloS
from the sun differ greatly That OF tno
that of the farthest Is some 4OOOO0VO mlles.
The average asteroid is 2i6,0CONO mics
from the sun, around which 1t revolVes III
four and one-third years.
As to the origin of the asteroids IWo
theories have been offered. one Is lha1
the material which, according TO the neou
lar hypothesis. ought to have condensen
hard into a single planet failed TO do so
but formed instead flock of small eepa.
ate masses. the other is that at one u.ne
there was here a single planet, ana tiJe
it was disrupted by some Internal cow
sion the asteroids being its fragments
Neither theory is now looked upon VII"
favor by astronomers. But IL may pe ~
sumed that there Is a good ana suIyl1.II
reason for the existence of these 'uia i.
bodice, and it may be eXpec'eu IN ~
eventually they will throw their a,sr
Iieht on the physical history Of the SOAR
system.