Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-28
Photographic Work.

at is worthy Of note and a remarkable
indication Of the work of the Johns Hop
kins University that all the specialists en-
gagged in this important work of investiga-
ton of the spectrum and the suns at
mosphere are. like the instruments which
are used. the products OF the Johns Hop
kins physical laboratory. These were not
invited as associate members on account of
this fact, but because of their recognized
ability In this line OF research.
1.-The Photographic work Of the Barnes
vile station will consist of observation with
various sized instruments ranging from
the forty-foot hoto-heliograph lens down
to the Dallmeyer camera of three and one
half inches aperture and nine and one-half
feet In focal length. These instruments
represent the historic product of the lens
makers art. and results Of Importance are
confidently expected from their use.
I'm these instruments color screens also
play an important part, with the eXpecta-
ton of separating the form and extra Of
the corona, which Is represented by the
element coronum, from the other portions
of the corona formed by reflected sunlight
That an enormous amount of labor has
been involved in the working out of tho
details of the numerous apparatus en-
ployed in their mounting and proper shelter
is readily seen by the extent of the ground
covered in the researches which will be
carried out. II the weather Is favorable
the success of the observations will place
the naval observatory In well-earned posi-
ton of distinction among the observatories
of the world
Prof. r. B. Fulton of the University of
Mississippi reached New Orleans Saturday
with all the astronomical instruments Of
the university to study the eclipse The
eclipse was viewed there b. representatives
OF Tulane University, the University Of
Mississippi and the United States Military
Academy at West Point.
The Search for Vulcan.
In addition to determining the extent and
character of the corona, Prof w. H. Pick
ering of Harvard conducted q special cam
era research at Washington, Ga, for the
planet or planets that 1t is believed may ex-
list between the sun and Mercury. The lat
ter planet is some 36,OOO,OOO miles from the
sun, and. So far as visual astronomy goes,
is the nearest planet to the sun. But. owing
to certain unexplained inequalities in its
movement, mathematical astronomy has
predicted the existence of another planetary
mass nearer the sun. from about 1o,OOO,OOO
to 100000 miles away from it, but invis-
ible, owing to the nearness to Its rays.
Such mass if it was concentrated into
one planet would be visible possibly during
an eclipse or during transit AS with
some to know about thing Is to see, Les
carbaut French observer, In 1907 de-
clared he saw an intra-Mercurial planet
make transit as black dot across the
sui y uiSh he gave the name Ol "
the pr0blematical planet. and Vulcan con-
sequently became the subject of an active
controversy for years. No one else ever saw
1t, and Lescarbauts discovery fell into dis
repute until during the eclipse OF 1873 two
American observers Lewis Swift and Jas. C.
Watson thought they saw Vulcan near the
sun. This aroused new hopes of the Vul-
canites, but it is generally believed today
that Lescarbauts transit was an optical
illusion. that Swift and Watson's Vulcan
was small fixed star, and in general that
Vulcan a separate, single. solitary mass
does not exist, but instead that between
Mercury and the sun, just as is the case be-
tween MATS and Jupiter, ring OF smaller
planets may exist. II existent. these 1ntra-
Mercurlal asteroids would cause the pertur-
bations of Mercury and 1T is these Prof
Pickering searched for.
Such hunt might seem impossible OF
achievement We're IT not that the refined
Photographic processes of modern astron-
omy have made the capture of the Mars
Jupiter asteroids comparatively easy. al
though most of the four hundred and more
that are known are below fifty miles in
diameter. Taking for granted the intra-Mer-
curial asteroids will be small, Prof. Picker
ing arranged powerful battery of cameras
that, weather permitting, would take pho
tograph OF all parts of the sky in the imme-
date vicinity of the.Bun afIone time and If
the coronal light was-not too bright and any
OF these asteroids was fifty miles or more
IN diameter. he was pretty confident his sem
slt1Ve plates would reveal them. Should he
succeed the eclipse Of 1900 will be a mem
orable one, indeed. and report from him
VIII be awaited with intense interest.