Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-11-28
CAUGHT BY The CAMERA
CHICAGO ASTRONOMER PER-
FORMS A GREAT FEAT.
Prof, P,itehey of the Yerkes Observa-
tory Succeeds in Securing a Pho
tograph of New Star in Perseus
Which Illustrates the World-Mak-
ing Theory-Much Fame Rests in
the Achievement.

From Chicago: Prof. G. w Ritch-
ey. of Yerkes observatory, is reported
to have made a discovery in astronomy
which will make himself and the obser
vatory world famous. The discovery,
in brief is the proof of what is known
as the nebuar theory. Prof. Ritchey
appears to have reduced to a matter of
gertrude what has heretofore been
merely brilliant hypothesis. 1t is
claimed that he has done this in OBJ
tanning Photographic evidence of evolu-
ton among planetary bodies.
The Yerkes observatory is part of the
University of Chicago, though located
at illiams Bay, Lake Geneva. Wis. 1t
wa endowed by the multi-millionaire
ST ct railway magnate, CHARLES T.
Yerkes of this city, who is returning
from London, where he is seeking TO
revolutionize British methods of urban
transportation.
What They Prove.
Prof Ritchey's observations. it is
claimed. not only prove the truth of
the celebrated nebulary theory of crea
ton announced by the Frenchman, La
Place, and of the widely entertained
belief that the solar system and even
star clusters have been formed by mil
lions of years of slow evolution from
great bodies of gaseous matter floating
in the conceivable abysses of space. but
also prove that nebula, with a star
for nucleus, changes its shape and
the quantity of light it emits and that
these changes are so rapid as to be
observable within the compass of a
few hours.
Astronomers have long believed that
the nebulae were the matrixes of solar
systems and star clusters like this one,
but no observer has been able to see
the slightest sign of change in the
structure. This has now been done by
Prof. Ritchey, who is busily engaged in
preparing for the technical journals an
announcement of his discovery.
Focus on Perseus.
The celestial object upon which Prof.
Ritchey has made his observations is
the mysterious star Nova of Perseus.
which suddenly appeared last February
in the northern sky. blazing with
strange light in place where there
had been no star before. It's light in
creased rapidly until it became star
of first magnitude. Then it gradually
faded away until now it is only of the
10th magnitude. At present it is alto
gether invisible to the unaided vision.
The night of Sept. 20 Prof Ritchey
photographed Nova of Perseus by
means of the 24-inch reflector at the
observatory. The negative disclosed
the fact that the star was surrounded
by a nebula. fact which had been
previously shown by,another observer
But on the plate made by Prof Ritchey,
after an exposure of three hours and
80 minutes. there were two fairly dense
wisps of nebulosity toward the west
with curve to the north. merging into
the conYoutions of the nebula This
was a startling fact, but Prof Ritchey
waited patiently for a favorable night
to secure another negative The look
eu-for opportunity came last Wednes-
day night Nov 10, when for seven
hours Prof. Ritchey exposed his plate
to the light of the mysterious star.
When he looked at the negative he
observed a fact in which he at once
recognized the proof so long sought and
so ardenty wished for by observers
everywhere. The spots Of density in
the west field of the nebula had moved.
Never before had this amazing fact
been found