The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-07
READY 10 CATCH LEoNIDs.
Yale Astronomer VIII Try to Photograph
nIeteors in This Weeks Shower.


NEW HAVEN, Nov 4 Tho astronomers In
charge Of tho Yale Observatory are making ex
tensive preparations TO photograph metcors dur
Ing tho Leonld shower which Ia expected in thu
coming week The Yale astronomers have made
more experiments in meteor photography and In
measuring the velocity Of meteors than the d.
tectors VI any other observatory In America
They ate, in consequence. in better shape TO make
accurate observations OF the coming shower
which occurs only three times century. thar
almost any other astronomers In this country
Dr. =. l.. Chase, who has conducted many oil the
experiments in photography said to-day,
In discussing the coming shower:
The fall OF the Ieonds this year will be recorded
with rather unfavorable circumstances for pho
Biography. The moon will be nearly full during
nearly the entire period OF the shower Not one
meteor out OF hundred which would otherwise
be visible can DO caught by the camera under
these conditions AZ tho Yalo observatory we
are planning 10 Introduce an Innovation by max
ing some experiments with photography by moon
light We feel q great deal Of uncertainty as 10
'he outcome Of our experiments. but that Is truo
Of the feeling at all Of tho observntories in this
country. We cannot determine. In advance,
whether the shower Of the Leonids will positively
be visible on this side Of the globo at all. Prof
It will not and has actually started for India 70
witness II there"
II is believed al Yale that a number Of important
scientific discoveries must result from the present
shower because Of tho vast additions 10 mcteorio
knowledge since the last shower, a third Of cen
fury ago. The Yale astronomers really began
their preparations for the shower Of the Leonida
BY a series OF experiments during tho annual
August shower Of moeors the Pcrseids Dr. Chase
said In regard TO the experiments at this shower
Nkl.,a s..s H. A...r AkA
that the conditions for photog graphing II would
be unusually favorable this year, because there
Was no moon On only one night however, when
the shower was at Its maximum, was the weather
clear. On that night the meteors were rare and
photographs Of only three were secured
i wSsS ars p %as ' apart .nd
the Photographic taken have enabled tho as,rono-
mers 70 accomplish the feat OF finding the velocity
Of moteprs The system used at Yale will be in
noduocd at many Of the other observatorcs The
Columbia astronomers have already visited the
Yale observatory and talked with DR. ", L.
Elkin. tho astronomer In charge. and with DR..
Chase relative TO the adoption Of similar system
nColnmbia. Previous 70 this time astronomers
were limited in their observations Of tho velocity
OF meieors 10 occular observations The Yale
astronomers were the frst 10 perfect a scientific
Instrument 10 measure the meteoric velocity.
The apparatus constructed at the Yale obscrva-
tory consists OF system OF screens and cameras
attached 10 n bicycle wheel run by an electric
motor. The wheel revolyes once q second, and
camera IN screened ten times second. Ia this
way the mcteors trail photographed on the plate
is broken. The picture received on the plate,
showing merely broken line. gives the astrono-
mers the means 10 compute the meteors velocity.
~ the length OF the meteofs trail has been pre-.
yiously ascertained by means Of the observ atoms
taken at the two stations The process OF com.
putting the length Of the meteor path IL In itself
comparatively new to astronomy. In doing IL the
two astronomical stations are taken az . bascline
and Cameras arc pointed al the heavens. II a
meteor Is caught on tho plate Its trail can be cal
culated In length by the difference In direction
es seen from the two stations.
All the minor discoveries made during the metz
ono showers will add 10 the sparse knowledge Of
the radient for the great meieoric showers. This
has mover been definitely located. Astrono.
ners do not know whether II ~ q point OF an area
They do not know the exact height at which
meteors are vsihls and expire They have NOT
yet ascertained the orbit OF mrteors around the
sun. These are the main problems 10 be par.
tally settled by tho November shower