The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-12
lobe 35,000M|
NEARER THESTAR
Telescope Being Built on Mt. Hamil-
ton Will Be Largest in the
World.
BY r. w. MADISON.

MT. WILSON OBSERVATORY,
Cal. May 12.-When the new 100
inch telescope, now being built here.
10 completed we're going to be 49,
600 miles nearer the stars, Mt. Will
son will have then the largest and
most powerful telescope In the world.
What wonders will II revealf What
Will be added TO mans knowledge
OF the universe? Will II be proven
that there Is life on the planets? Will
We solve the riddle OF Mars? VIII
We know more concerning our own
solar system, be able more accurately
to account for mysterious disturb
ances In our little world?
Even the scientists refuse to at
tempt prediction.
Except when q comet comes along,
or some great new discovery ID an
aounced, the busy workaday folks
down below forget that In q place
like this, on the top OF the world,
men are working ceaselessly, striv-
ing relentlessly to broaden mans
horizon.
They are great, modest, wonderful
men, here on Mt. Wilson, content to
live shut up away from the world
that they may add to the worlds
: knowledge. Andrew Carnegie has
supplied the, means for their work In
a $22 900 900 endowment.
Nine miles from the foothill town
OF Sierra Madre Is Mt. Wilson. IL
Is one mile high and reached by
narrow, tortuous trail, over which
crawl the only transportation, pack
trains. On one side Is the precipice
and misstep would send the trav-
eler and his burro into eternity, l.
900 feet below.
As you ascend higher, the valley
spreads out before you, and then.
in a fash, you pass from a curtain
OF fog and high above you, simmer
ing in the sunlight, are the snow
white buildings of the scientists. For
miles below spreads the fog ocean
shutting out all sight or sound OF the
busy world, while here and there
rises the peak OF a mountain like
an island In the sea. Sleeper and
sleeper becomes the trail until sud
denly 1t broadens and the journey Is
ended.
They work at night with the great
60-inch telescope The huge dome
opens In sections and through IT
points the giant sky cannon ut looks
like a cannon) aiming all night at
the invisible points OF light In the
heavens, some OF which are worlds
like our own. Men, bundled to their
ears, in great coats, hurry to and fro
in the big dome. There is no light,
except a faint glow from electric
bulbs in far corners. No sound is
heard. The visitor is asked to take
a peek through the great 6O-inch
telescope.
See that point OF light?"' asks
q voice from the darkness. 1T Is
the size OF a dime.
THAT is a star. continued the
Soice.
How many miles away is it?'
asks the visitor A chuckle Is his
answer, and he feels foolish.
Its SO far away" the voice ex'
plains, that figures wouldn't mean
anything. We don't know the exact
distance The visitor leaves the tele-
scope and looks up through the dome.
Where the telescopes pointed there
are no stars that the unassisted eye
can detect.
The great sky cannon Quivers and
Clicks as though preparing to hre.
Down below machinery huns for
second and then all is still. Prof.
Chas. ST. John goes under the In.
strument. There are cranks and
wheels and things. st. John Is the
boss OF the great glass eye.
"This Is the machinery that works
t." he explains. AS the earth moves
we must have some way to keep the
telescope focused. This machinery
does It automatically"
Yes, they are wonderful men, do
ing wonderful things up here above
the clouds They will hold the
worlds attention for little while
some time during the next year,
when they first look through the new
monster telescope. Then they will
be forgotten again until they are
ready to tell the world something 1t
dOasn't know.