Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-04
HALT ASTRONOMERS.
STRANGE BOND THAT GOVERNS
MOVEMENTS OF UNIVERSE.
FINGER OF GODlE IT, SCIENCE ADMITS.
Vo human Mind Can Fothom the
Meaning of the Swiftly Moving
pIanets-PicISing Up New Stars
Adding TO Astronomical Data.
lcorrespondenee Of the Dispatch.l

CORES pOndcnce or the Dlspatcn.)
LONDON. November 2i-The phenome-
n Of meteoric showers have not only
caused tho jewellers of this planet TO
tim their eyes heavenward. but have
revived interest in the mystery Of the
bond of the universe. What is the Sc
Gre. os The movements Of the moon and
Farets? What mysterious power keeps
The heavenly bodies in place while re-
vyng. in some instance, at a speed
Or greater than an express train? The
greatest Of scientists in trying to answer
u question are compelled 10 echo the
uaeclns OF Egypt: "This is the finger
o. God"
It is one Of the most fortunate and re-
musa1le condolences in the whole his
u.y o.. science that at the very time that
Greenwich Observatory was being called
into existence the greatest of all astrono-
ue-s was working out his demonstration
O.. the Jaw that every particle of matter
attracted every other particle with force
which varied directly with the mass and
!rrH-.ly with the square Of the distance.
Several other of the great minds OF that
time in particular DR.. Hooke, the Gre
sham Professor of Astronomy, had seen
that % was possible that some such law
rert supply the secret Of planetary mo-
tu but IL IS one thing 10 make suS-
ess.i1u and a very different matter indeed
% lemonstrate Il, and the latter was in
Nsrtou's power alone. He did much
nor. than demonstrate 1.-THE brought out
aVrcIe series of most important and Tar
. tsa4f
reaching consequences. lie showed that
the tbb and flow OF the tides was que 10
ths attraction OF both sun and moon, es-
TtcaIy the latter, upon the waters OF
OUT oceans. He pointed out certain II
racu,alit.es which must take place in the
motion Of BUR moon due TO the influence
Of tn- sun upon It. He proved, too what
VAS The cause Of that swinging of the
axis ol the earth which gives rise 10 pre-
c,-s.0l. lie deCuced the relative weights
OF tine earth. the sun. and Of Jupiter and
Saturn. the planets with satellites. He
showed also that comets which had seem
Ell hitherto 20 men as perfectly lawless
wanderers. Obeyed in their orbits the
l.f-same law which governed the moon
and planets. The whole vast system or
celestial movements. which had 50 long
seemed 90 men irregular and unconuol-
e. now fell every one Of them, into its
place. as but the necessary manifesto
lions o. one grand. simple order.
NeWon's discovery OF gravitation gave
new and additional importance 10 the
rlcu.ar observation Of the moon ana
I..aets They were needed now, not only
20 assist in the practical work OF naVi-
CATION. but for the development OF ques-
tons ~ pure science. HALEY, the second
Astronomer Royal, and Maskelyne, the
tu devoted themselves chiefly TO this
apartment Of work, TO the partial neg
h.t Of the observation OF the places OF
stars. Airy, the seventh, whilst making
Catalogue work q part Of the regular
I1rtle OF the observatory, developed the
o. .r,at'ln OF the members Of the solar
system. and especially of the moon. in a
most marked degree. and collected and
completely reduced the vast mass OF ma
tr. which the industry Of his prede-
ce.,.r5 had gathered. IL Is pre-eminent-
j. D., the work Of Airy that the memora-
De words quoted before OF Professor
AeRc5mh, your great American mathe-
u-t-.ln and astronomer. are apphcaple'
uat & this branch Of astronomy were
el.reIy lost. 10 could be reconstructed
nom the Greenwich observations alone
most important step taken by AIRY
E4s the construction Of an Altazlmuth'
is purpose is to determine, not the de-
l-aa-ou and right ascension OF some ce-
Isu1l body as Is the case with the trah-
l- circle. but its altitude. e., its height
above the hOrizon--and It's azimuth--L e.,
Le angle measured on the horizontal
pane from the north point. The alta-
~H4ln then, ike the transit circle, con-
.'.t Of a telescope revolving on hoil-
tl.ol axis. but unlike the transit circle
oolh tho telescope and the piers when
vary its pivot can be rotated 80 as 10
"Ht not merely due north and south'
o., in any direction whatsoever.
The observations with the altazimuth
az rather more complicated than those
WIN 'hs transit circle. Looking In the
'ti.scope. the observer sees double SET
spider threads or wires: and when
star or other heavenly body enters the
',.A II viii generally be observed 10 move
oo1Qleiy across both sets OF wires The
observer usually determines TO make an
deviation either IN altitude or In all
n'uih. In the former case he presses
We little contact button. which. as in the
N4Nsit circle. IL provided close 20 the
Sepleee, as the star reaches each Of the
LoHzon'al wires in succession. II in
-"muih II is the times OF crossing the
'"neal wires that that are In like man
~ teieefaphed 20 the chronogrsph. The
sAsit over the appropriate circle is read
~ the telescope itself IS rigidly attached
me vertical wheel, having a carefully
,1s'aVed circle on its face and read by
E microscopes. whilst the entire instru-
1A carries another set OF micro
sA which read upon Exsa