Imperial Valley press., 1914-12-29

EdItIiCy VI CoIISt D tdilo 10 HidENeiOuS.
Stars which the slightest fog would
conceal are seen to shine clearly
through the tail of comet which
has millions of miles of thickness. The
light of comets is believed to be due
partially to electric discharges and
partly to solar reflections. The size
of comets and the speed with which
they move require figures of almost
ipcomprehensive dimensions. Even
their closest point of contact with the
earth is usually at a distance of mil
lions of miles and they travel at the
rate of hundreds of miles a second,
SO computations of their courses re-
quire figures of rs high values as are
known to mathematical calculations.
Two eclipses have added to the i'm
portance of the current year in the
astronomical history of the world. The
eclipse of August II, passing over GER
tains sections of Europe, was of such
importance that number of Ameri-
can astronomer went to Russia to
take observations. The expedition was
rather unfortunate. In most places
the eclipse was so obscured by fog
that satisfactory observations were
impossible. Consequently, the addition
al knowledge regarding the nature of
the sun and of the corona hoped for
as result of the observations of this
eclipse, was not secured. In addition
to this, the hostilities in Europe in
terfered with some of the astronomers
reaching the points from which they
! had planned to make observations and
prevented their return to this coun-
try. A number of American astron-
omers, including Professor Campbell
Of the Lick observatory of California,
were not heard of for number of
! weeks and have only recently re-
turned to this country.
The eclipse of the moon last March
was an event of more popular inter
est, as it was visible in all parts Of
the United States and was observed
with interest by all classes Of people,
While of no especial value to the as
tronomer, this eclipse was of remark
able beauty and was probably OBJ
served by a greater. number of peo-
pie throughout the country than any
other lunar eclipse on record
For number of years the observa-
tions of Professor Lowell regarding
the planet Mars have been the sub
ject of debate among the astronomers.
Professor Lowell claims to see many
things in the planet Mars, as OBJ
served from his observatory in Flag
staff, Ariz., which have not yet been
announced by astronomers having
larger and more valuable telescopes.
Yet it is rather encouraging to note
how each year more of his observa
tions are being credited by his pro
fessional brethren. Mars is the planet
nearest the earth and the one in
which many astronomers are most in
terested. Professor Lowell has long
contended that it is inhabited by hui
man beings similar to ourselves. 1t
is number of years since Professor
Lowells description of the polar re-
gions and snow capped peaks of Mars
were smiled at by his professional
brethren, but now they have been OBJ
served by so many others that their
existence is fully accepted. Some rep
reservations of the physical conditions
of Mars have been presented this
summer. These indicate that Mars
does not contain large masses of land
like our continents, but that her dry
surface is broken up into multitudeS
of islands. This peculiar distribution
of land forms great contrast to the
earth and is said to free the inhab-
itants of that planet from any of the
irrigation problems to be solved on
this earth.
Each of the more important plan
cts is attended by one or more satel-
lites. The satellites of Jupiter have
been considered the most important of
these smaller celestial bodies and for
number of years have been a fa-
vorite study of astronomers. Eight of
these have been on record, but Amer
lea must now be credited with the dis
c. very of the ninth satellite of Jupi-
ter, which was observed first from the
Lick Observatory on July Il by As
tronomer Seth B. Nicholson. The
fifth and sixth satellites of Jupite"
were also discovered at the Lick OBJ
/ servatory.
Nebulae are among the most pccu
liar of celestial formations, visible
sometimes to the naked eye, but al
ways more distinctly through telc-
scopes. They are merely clouds tf
gases which shine from their own
light The Andromeda nebulae has