Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1899-08-31

ing telescope is also being built now
In the instrument shop of the oDserVa-
tory, and will be mounted IN another
building at some future time. AS IL
stands equipped the Icrkcs Observa-
tory cost 5000, 900. 1t Is the most com
pletc in the world. with a refrdcting
telescope forty inches In diameter.
Next in order is the Lick Observatory
on Mount Hamilton, with Its thirty six
inch refractor, and third In order Is
the Imperial Observatory mt Puikowa,
Russia. with a lens thirty inches in d.
ameter.
rome of the TelescODe.
The building is in the form of q
Latin cross, the longer axis Of which
lies due east and west. A great nine
ty-foot dome completes the western
end and twentysix foot and thirty
foot domes terminate the north and
south transcpts. The body of the
building Is divided into laboratories,
libraries, offices, computing rooms and
Photographic dark rooms. The ground
floor is equipped as an instrument
shop, making this the only Observa-
tory in the world which manufactures
its apparatus under the direct super
vision of those who use them. This
gives unexampled facilities for the
application of new methods of re-
search, and already more than Il dozen
intricate machines have been CON
structcd and used successfully. The
observatory is built of yellow brick,
ornamental with fluted columns carved
at the bases with gargoyles and other
symbolic devices. The corridors and
stairs are finished in white marble
dclcatcly vcncd in green and the
wood Is of massive oak.
The observatory has Il little life of
its own. Professors in charge have
built their homes along the lake. and
Il small colony of scientists has gath
cred about the big telescope. DR. Hale,
the director, has il beautiful cottage
Il short distance away. Prof. Barnard,
of the observatory staff, and one of the
best known of American astronomers,
has built homelikc house of South
ern architecture commanding grand
view of the lake. Here he and his
charming wife dispense hospitality to
many Il visitor, and on the front porch
the most distinguished astronomers of
this country and of Europe have
smoked an after dinner cigar and dis
cussed the puzzle problems of the uni
verse.
Much of the work at the Yerkes OBJ
servatory during the past eighteen
months has been of kind which
could not be accomplished at any other
in the world. In all observations
which involve minute measurements
of the highest precision the Yerkes
telescope is unrivaled. The measure
ment of the motions of the stars,
which approach or rcccde from the
earth, are of great Importance, as data
gathered from these throw light upon
the movements of the entire solar sys-
tenn. TO this problem, the greatest in
astronomy. Or. Hale, Prof. Frost and
Mr.. Ferdinand Ellcrman have applied
themselves.
The sun. with all its attendant plan
cts comprising our solar system, is
rushing toward the star Vega, or Al
pha, of the Tyre, at the inconccivable
rate of ten miles Il second. Vega is
one of the most beautiful stars in the
heavens and can be seen now near
the zenith on any fair evening. Prob
ably since the life of man began. per-
hapS since the universe was born. our
solar system has been speeding toward
this star. In the life of II generation
the sun comes hundreds of millions Of
miles nearer its destination. But in
many generations, to all appearances.
this approach would not he percepti-
bic. The journey, so far as mortals
are concerned, must be eternal
When. where and how. if ever, did
this journey begin; when. where and
how, If ever. will it end: Is the great
est of the unsolved problems Of astron-
omy.