The Washington herald., 1906-10-14
BIGGEST SKY SEARCHER
ChicagOan Planning Erection
Of Great Telescope.
LENS 100 INCHES IN DIAMETER
Glass VIII Weigh Over Four Tons
and VIII Be Cast i'm FFancc-MOunt
Cal, 40 BE the Home of the New
Telescope-FuBds Donated.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
All the famous telescopes OF the world
are to be put IN the shade by a NAM
moth sky seaTcher about 10 be manufac-
tured for the Mount Wilson Observatory
al Pasadena. Cal
The new instrument Is not the c6ncep-
ton Of a hare-brained theorlst. but is
projected by one Of the most eminent as
trcnon1ers Of the day. Prof George Z.
Hale. q Chicago man. full Of the spirit Of
Il VIII" for many years al the head 0t
tho astronomical research department Of
The University Of Chicago. and director Of
the YeTkes Observatory from the tine Of
its establishment until bis removal to
California three years ago to take charge
Of the new solar observatory upon The
summit Of Mount Wilson Prof Hale Is
not sensatiOnalist IN astronomy. He Is
not given 10 Boosting. but is known
among nis professional brethren as one
who has achieved results Therefore
when he announces that the largest tele-
scope IN the World-In fact. twice The size
Of any other now in OpeUaJi0R-is 70 he
constructed at his Mount Wilson station
il Is aoj with q flourish Of trumpets and
discoveries 70 be made with It, but qUi=tly.
modesJly. In the pages OF his Astrophysi-
cal Journal just being issued from the
University OF Chicago press.
Glass TO BE of Great size.
As a matter Of fact. Prof. Hale realizes
only too we'll the limitations Of the large
telescope. If size were all that is neccs-
sary. Western energy would achieve the
construction OF a telescope large enough
to read not only the secrets Of the Mar
dan canals, but ascertain the nature and
/ habits OF the mythical Martians them
selves But difficulties and hlndrances IN
crease in direct ratio with the size OF the
telescope. and while fully reaLz. its
value. Prof. Hale is not oyeTconddent in
speaking Of the work 10 be done by the
new giant star searcheT.
The object glass Of this new instrument.
which is 70 cost $4,000 viii be q dsA Of
solid plate glass l0O Inches IN diameter
and thirteen inches thick This glass
alone win weigh four and one-half tons.
IL is to be cast by the Plate Glass Com
pany. OF St GObian. France, from whose
works the object glasses Of nearly all the
( large telescJ pes have ema1ated. This
glass must be absolutely without flaw.
and as clear as Il is possible for crystal
/ 10 be. The managers Of the company
have expressed their confidence in being
able C produce g disk which VIII satisfy
| The requiem ents.
Special Grinding Machine.
This gigantic pane viii be shipped half
way round the world 70 Pasadena, Cal.
where in the observatory workshop It
will be ground. polished and tested. All
this Is 70 be done by Prof. G. Wills
Ritchey, who has no peer In this line OF
work Mr.. Ritcbey is another ChIcagoan.
and in association with Prof Hale.
| helped 10 make the Yerkes Observatory
what 1t Is. He superintendent the con-
structi0n Of a large part ~ It's equipment,
and has been doing the same thing al
/ Pasadena Incidentally he has achieved
much Tenown as an astronomer.
This mammoth telescope was made pos
| slble by a gift 10 the Carnegie Institute.
| u which the Mount Wilson Observatory
/ IS a part, Of so coo for the express purpose
/ by John D. Hooker CT Los Angeles This
/ fund viii pay for the lens AID all the
/ expense incident 10 making il a perfect
/ mirror. II does not provide for the
/ mounting. which must come later from
/ some other source. Prof. Hale has
/ no fears Of being able 70 secure The
/ money when it is needed and. indeed, he
/ will have plenty Of time. as il viii require
/ four years 10 complete the object glass
4 after u has been received into the shops
/ OF TIC observatory. For working il a
| special grinding machine must be con
/ stTucted also a plane glass mirror Gfly-
+ four inches in diameter and several smaI!-
I or plane and convex mirrors.
viii Have Separate Building.
/ When complete the telescope will have
/ an aperture OF feet 4 inches, and a
/ length Of fifty feet Designs for the
mounting have been made by the Caion
/ Iron Works and accepted. a building VII
/ be constructed which can be maintained
/ at an even temperature separate from The
4 present buildings on Mount Wilson
There has never been but one other
/ telescope as large as ttss. That was
{ the famous Lord Ross telescope In Eng
/ land. The mirror in that instrument was
I made Of speculum metal, and while ii had
/ great magnifyi7g power, the image form
/ ed was 50 indistinct that lt would be
/ practically worthless for present pur-
/ poses. IL is in that very feature thar
/ every large telescope is limited. Il is
/ hoped however, that this n-w instrument
| will give a clear and distinct definition,
/ but II is largely in the nature of an eX-
/ pertinent and its real value can only be
/ determined by trying II out Mr.. Hooker
! Is fully aware Of this. but believes that al
/ all events the instrument viii be worth
! It's cost. and al least the experiment is
worth trying There are some lines OF
| work. such as measuring the heat radia-
/ ton Of stars and spectroscopic study Of
! faint stars in which Il is sure 70 yield
sood results. and with the excellent al
/ mospkeric conditions usually obtaining
| q, Mount Wilson Il is quite certain 70 be
/ the means OF adding largely 10 the sum OF
astTon[ mical knowledge, even though the
story Of the canals in Mars may not be
/ decipheTed.
/ Reform.