The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-04-22
OBSERVATORY NOTES.
From the Memoranda of the Astron-
omy Class,

iSht thS mGTlOl dHpd VI Inc HStloh
omy Class.
Our telescope is better, thank you!
In fact, it is quite restored to the per-
feet usefulness of it's best days: and
did such excellent service at our recent
star-gazing parties that it merits a
special mention.
The evenings ppointed-Thursday
and Friday of last week proved most
favorable in every way. AS we stepped
out upon the roof at about 7:30, over
beyond the lake "lay the new moon in
the sky like a silver sickle forgotten in
a meadow Very near it, Jupiter
glowed with a pale light for it was not
long after sunset; and at much higher
altitude, Venus the beautiful held sway.
We first turned the telescope upon the
moon, it being the easiest to sight, and
as each in turn looked at it, the excla-
nations of delight grew very amusing
to the listeners 1t was indeed a thing
of beauty: the crescent was very mar
row and the indentations and markings
along the terminator appeared like del
icate chasing; or the whole might be
likened to a coronet of massed gold and
cleaning jewels.
AS Jupiter was fast descending and
would not be visible in the evening
skies much longer all We're eager to see
his satellites. The telescope was there
fore directed to him, and each one sat
isfied herself that he really has several
moons. OF course, we know we can
not vOuch personally for that number;
for while some of us averred that three
were plainly discernible, others could
only find two. The remaining four or,
five, we concluded, must have been in
eclipse. We doubt, however if Calico
experienced any more delightful emo
lions When he first looked upon those
comparatively diminutive orbs than we
felt when they swan into our ken"
last Thursday evening
At our next turn at the eye-piece, we
were all very much surprised to see a
brilliant little crescent, much brighter
and smaller than that of the moon
some called it a baby moon. This
was Venus. and the phase was the very
one we were most DESTROYS to have, the
gibbous form being too bright. they
say, to show anything of special inter
est. This is the poets star; and we do
not wonder that it has been named for
their favorite goddess.
In locating Jupiter through the in
Strument we Unexpectedly ran across
a small disk which we therefore
guessed to be Mercury; but not being
aware of the present situation of that
W
our decision until the Almanac re-
assured US; we found that this little
planet was not far from its greatest
elongation and only a few degrees
north of the moon The following
night we could recognize it with GER
tainty and even see it plainly with the
unaided eye.
AS the moon and planets were now
setting, we turned our attention to
Il,
The Pleiades in which most of us
could barely count six, though some
perhaps a few more distinct stars, was
easily resolved into an immense star
sown field, perfectly fascinating to the
eye. But there were still greater mar
wells in store for us, as we realized
when the view was directed to the
nebulous spaces of the vast Orion.
Thetis in the giants sword was the
most .wonderful-a seXtuple star, look
ing like so many glowing gems i'm i
bedded in the heart of great lumin-
Gus cloud. The ordinations evoked
by this sight were yeritable studies in
inarticulate expression-the emotions
being. evidently too deep for words.
After this. the group above the
quadrilateral in the neck of the figure
was found to present some very inter
esting details. The following evening
Friday, the same ground was re-
traced with equal delight, a larger
company being present. The moon
presented a greater phase and the
craters were very conspicuous. The IL
Illustrations in the text books, we think, !
give no adequate idea of a real tele-
scopic view.
There are many grand consultations
in the April sky, but owing to the at
tracing of the telescope views, they |
did not receive the usual attention. |
A peep was taken at each of the first |
stars, Sirius, Arcturus,
Capella, Denebola and Aldebaran, i
also Polaris; and various were the |
descriptions regarding their distinc- |
tive colors-
The curfew sounded all too soon for |
us, and we tarried longer than usual; |
but as we finally descended the wind |
ing stairway and betook ourselves to |
rest, the spell of the wonders we had |
seen could not be shaken off. Many |
are the questions never to be answered |
that throng upon us in connection !
with this sublime science. Did God |
create all this far off grandeur to be |
a mere spectacle for man? Or do |
these mighty orbs cast into space by |
His ounipotence, fulfill other wise de-
signs unknown to us? This is where |
science stops short, and howe'er it be, |
we must look to the poets for some
adequate expression of the emotions
that fill our soul With the Royal |
Prophet we may call upon the celestial
lights to praise their Maker. and ours; |
or with Arnold we may learn from
them the valuable lesson of self-de |
pendence:
Bounded by themselves and unregard
full
In what state Gods other works may
be,
In their own tasks all their powers
pouring,
These attain the mighty life you see"
1t is only through the power of
Christ's word and his cross that the
cnints met difficulties and onlN in the |