The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-15

horizontally and the star, moon or WHAT
ever body is TO be observed will be re-
f1ected into it by means of mirror. The
motion of the arth will be counteraeted
by moving the Photographic plate by clock
work. It will thus become large hor-
rizontal photo-heliograph and will be e.
pecially useful in iphotographing the fne
details Of the suns surface at the time or
the total eclipse of the sun, May g. 1900.
The images of the moon secured with this
telescope will, it is calculated, be about a
foot in diameter, and although printed
without enlargement, viii far surpass the
best photographs Of that body yet taken.
II is also believed that surprising results
can be obtained with Jupiter, Saturn and
Mars, and next year it Is believed that
when the planet Eros again approaches
the earth it will be of the highest value in
solving the great problem Of astronomy,
the exact distance Of the sun from the
earth.
The focal length of the new telescope
being more than one hundred times the
aperture, its POSSIBILITIES are almost bey-
ond conception-certainly beyond accurate
Icalculation-as the instrument IS conf
IDENTIFY expected 10 bring to light discover
les in astronomy as to which scientists
have only been able to make con1eetures
heretofore
Speaking of the new telescope and OF
telescopes generally, Professor Pickering
said: 1.-The Bruce telescope is we'll ADOPT
ed to investigations In which the focal
length is small 1t will there fore be IN
terestin gto try the effect OF the great 10
cal length. It Is proposed to build te!e-
scope now with an aperture OF twelve 10
fourteen inches and focal length Of 162
to rs feet.
This telescope would be placed horizon
tally. This method of mounting tele-
scope for use on the stars was advocated
by me in 1861 and has been used mere
since then with successive telescopes OF
two, four and twelve inch apertures. Inc
instrument now proposed would be adapt
ed to investigations for which great To-
col length would be needed, and as the
latter would be more than one nundreu
times the aperture Several such lnVesu-
cations may be suggested any one OF
which. If successful would amply justify
the construction of the instrument.
photographing the sun, the hoFl@ota.
photo-heliograph is a small instrument Oh
this form. 1t is possible that under faVor-
able atmospheric conditions, inner oetalls
on thu SUMS surface could be obtained
with a large instr 4.nent than have yet
been photographed. 1t would be equally
useful in photographing the prolruOei-
ances. Preparations must soon De maze
for observing the solar eclipse OF May 20
1900. This instrument might be interesting
in Dhotographing the spectrum of the re-
versing LAYER, and in showing the details
of the inner carona. The planet Eros ap-
breaches the earth so closely that lts par
aIlax sometimes amounts to minute ol
arc. The next approach, IN 1900 VIII De
more favorable Aan any other until IsZ''
Careful preparations Should, therefore, Ior
observing Eros when east and west Oh the
meridian, sidce the distance OF the sun
can probably be determined with more
accuracy in this way than by any otheer
fetheod of observation yet attempted.
AS the distance of the sun is the unit
tn which all astronomical distances are
referred. the Importance of its accurate
determination canot be oyerstated. IL Is
one O fthe great problefs of astronomy
which, though supposed in the eighteenth
century to have been solved, must prop
ablv he left to the twentieth century Tor
a satisfactory solution. To determine the
narallax from the transit of Venus in 1874
the principal nations of the world sent eX-
petitions to the most remote regions. IN
all about eighty stations were occupied
ar an expense of more than ST. 0o,0 900. 1t Is
expected that the positions of the stars
adjacent to the fixed stars can be deter
mined with this instrument with an &C
curacy approaching that Of the hello
meter. If so it would have an important
and permanent field of work in cnarterlhs
the coarser clusters, the double stars, ana
determining the stellar parallax, also IN 10
eating the major planets and the relative
positions of Jupiter and Saturn with an
accuracy yet unattained."
Professor Pickering does not cay that
the new telescope will revolutonize the
methods of astronomers, but he does ex-
pect astonishing things of it, even moro
wonderful than he has outlined. for 1t Is
his habit to speak conservatively of such
suits obtained by the Bruce telescope,
which he designed and projected, were
and now are, far greater than he led even
his closest scientific friends TO believe that
they might he. 1t is not unreasonable to
presume from his guarded statements that
the results which the new telescope will
produce will be even greater, comparative
". than those of the eminenly successful
Bruce instrument.
The new telescope will be one of the
wonders of the world. 100 feet longer than
the great Yerkes telescope, and nearly 100
feet greater in length than the one they
are building in Paris for the exposition
next year In comparison with the twelve
foot long Bruce telescope it will look as
big as a thirtten-inch gun by the side OF
a mortar. Its range. however, VII be
vastly greater than that Of any telescope
in the world and science will, 1t IS be-
lieved, take great strides forward through
its development
CA - ~ q n Ia.
. 1hn Kind Van HzY2 llyayS paHrh