Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-30

3 1000, 900 miles from the earth, while
Mars, unde the most favorable circum-
stances, never comes nearer than $4,000
O0O miles. AT he time of the discovery
the new planet was about the eleventh
magnitude in brightness, but when near
est the earth it will about equal a sixth
magnitude star.
The reason why it is considered so i'm
pOrtant to observe Eros is that in this
way it is hoped to determine more ac-
curately the distance of the earth from
the sun, the astronomical unit O. which
all other measurements depend. The
large parallax which Eros presents when
near the earth affords a most excellent
opportunity for determining this import
ant constant. The transit CT Venus in
1874 was observed from about so stations,
at a cost of more than ST. 600 900. in the
attempt to solve this problem. There
will not be another transit of Venus, how
ever, until 2004, and in the meantime the
SUMS distance will undoubtedly be de-
termined more closely than is possible by
such transits in other and better ways,
and among these other ways observations
of Eros take a high rank. The best fig
ures obtainable to date on the suns dis
tance from the earth are 80, 796. $50, which
is believed not to be more than 60, 900
miles in error.
Another astronomical event Of next year
m one in which the new Harvard tele-
scope would prove very valuable. is the
total eclipse of the sun of May %, 1900,
a phenomenon which, of course, is Of
great spectacular and popular interest,
as it will be visible in a narrow path ex-
tending from New Orleans to Norfolk,
The totality will last about two minutes
only, but those W. minutes will be put
to good use provided the weather is good
Meteorological records show that the
.Az :-..- =. H. - ;~r
are more likely to have clear skies at
that season h points on the sea-coast,
so that the majority of the observing
parties will probably choose inland
places for their headquarters IN eclipse
day. Total eclipses of the sun are rare
at any given place. There will be none
visible in the United States after that
of mex May until June 8, 1918, so that
many people. aside from the professional
astronomers will doubtless take he Opt
portunity to witness next spring this
%grandest Of natures spectacles. Ger
tain it is that no celectial phenomenon
can equal in majestic and awe-spiring
qualities a total solar eclipse. The p
patrenly unnatural darkening of the SUP
the body on which all the earth's life de-
ponds is produced with a weird effect
which must be seen to be appreciated.
Few will regret the time and trouble to
reach a point from which the eclipse can
be Witnessed. Next years eclipse will
be visible in Spain, Portugal, and Alge-
ria, as we'll as in the southern part of
the United States, and scientists hope
for a uniform series of observations In
these countries. AS i'll the case of
recent eclipses. the study of the corona
will probably be the chief point of in
tereSt.
Prof. Edward G. Pickering. of Har-
ward. has completed drawings for a new
form Of telescope, which he trusts will
be ready for this occasion. The glass
discs for the lenses have already been
procured, and it is hoped that the funds
for it's completion will be forthcoming.
AS projected this telescope will have an
aperture Of only II to IA inches-nos
large for modern instruments-and its
local length will be 125 to 1872 feet. This
form will, it is thought, make it possible
to do certain kinds of astronomical work
much better than with the larger insiru-
ments. The idea is supported by tine
results which hav been achiev-
ed with the twenty-four-inch instru-
ment now located at the Harvard sta
ton in Peru, and the money to construct
which was provided by Miss Catherine
w. Bruce, of New York. This latter in
strument is known as the Bruce photo-
graphic telescope, and with its aid 4
portion of the southern sky hIS
been Photographed with such minute
ness that, in some cases, 10000 stars ap-
pear on a single plate.