The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-17

New York Evening Post.
We have just received from Germany q
pamphlet issued by the observatory at
Potsdam. near Berlin, describing ceremo-
MES connected with the official installation
Of a new and large telescope. II appears
that the Kaiser himself has become sufs
ficiently interested in astronomy to have
ordered the immediate construction of such
asked by the astronomers and refused by
successive imperial ministers from motives
Of economy. The Kaiser even attended per-
sonally the dedication ceremonies at Pots
dam, and seems to have listened to the
speeches made upon that occasion These
were, as is only right and proper, somewhat
complimentary to the observatory and the
noble patron who honored IL bv his pres
ence. Perhaps they might even be said to
SAVIOR somewhat of praise majestic. but this
does not appear to be a crime in Germany.
But setting aside the rather humorous as
pect which these official foreign ceremonial
occasions generally exhibit TO an American.
we cannot too seriously emphasize the inn
portance to astronomical progress OF this
genuine interest on the Emperor's part
Germany deservedly stands very high
among the udllODS dS n CuillfalOf VI dcAAOu-
omy. But there is one class of researches
that IL has been quite impossible TO under
take there. These require observations with
a telescope of great size and hght-gsther-
ing power; and such a telescope Germany
has never had. Our own country has al
ways led I'm this respect. Ii was In the
Clark workshop at Cambridgeport. Mass.
that the first modern great telescope was
made. and ever since the successive larg-
est telescopes have been supplied with Lens
es from that same workshop. The United
States Naval Observatory, the Lick Obsery-
atory i'm California and the new lerkes OD-
servatory near Chicago have each In turn
possessed the worlds greatest telescope
and foreign astronomers have always been
compelled to content themselves with lesser
instruments. But they have not Deen Tar
behind u.s. with the single exception OF the
Germans. The Yerkes telescope at Chicago
has a diameter OF forty inches, and tho
Lick has thirty-six. Great Britain has one
of twenty-eight inches, Russia one OF thirty
and now the new German telescope enters
the competition with a diameter OF thirty
two inches. The United States stu leads.
therefore, with the two largest instruments,
but all the telescopes mentioned are OK
sufficient size to attempt work requiring
great light-gathering power
But so much depends upon the sensitive
ness of the astronomers eye. and upon his
skill in observing, that we are not nee
essarily sure OF doing more with our great
instruments than can be accomplished with
the slightly similar European ones 10
things have 10 be brought into the same
straight line the star. the telescope and
the human eye. The man behind the teie-
scope counts heavily in the final result
The Potsdam Observatory. though only
about twenty-five years old, was the nrst
one devoted exclusively TO the COMPARE
lively new science OF astrophysics. Instead
of the older investigation OF the stars
motions and positions. the astropnysicist
studies with the spectroscope the chemical
constitution of the heavenly bodies and
such other characteristics as can be deter
mined with that instrument A particular
speciality has been made at P0tsdam or
photographing spectra. for the measure
ment OF stellar velocities OF motion in
space 1t Is not too much TO say that the
perfection Of the methods now used for
this purpose is due very largely 10 Pots
dam But Il is precisely this extremely
interesting and important kind OF observa-
ton that requires a telescope OF large
size So, while Vogel and Scheiner az
Potsdan have been able 10 devise and per-
feet new methods OF observation. they
have been limited 10 using these methods
upon the very brightest starx.n Now.
through the intelligent interest OF the En-
peror, they are enabled TO extend the work.
Statistical information about the veloci-
ties OF a large number OF stars is essential
to the solution OF problems relating TO
the construction OF the universe This We
are now In a fair way TO ATTAIN. since the
special skill OF the Potsdam Observatory
In this department OF research will ae
last be exercised with adsouato tnstEur
mental facilities.