South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-17
By GARRETT T.. sERVISs.

the enormous 1OO-inch telescope
which is 70 stand on Mount Wilson,
in California, in one OF the finest
atmosphere for celestial observa-
ton that can be found on the earth,
naturally awakens extraordinary
expectations concerning the Won
ders that it is 20 reveal
There is no subject that affects
the imagination with a power equal
10 that of astronomy The mind de-
lights in contemplating the i'm
measurable spaces and the uncount-
able suns OF the universe, for the
aspiring and enlightened spirit OF
man feels something akin 10 itself
in all that immensely, and the
thought that now the means are
at hand for an unexampled lifting
Of the vast curtain cannot but slim
ulate the highest degree OF curiosity.
The simple statement that this
astronomical giant in California will
have an eye" or rather an eye
pupil, more than eight feet in d.
ameter alone is sufficient 10 justify
the hope OF astonishing discoveries.
Some Comparisons.
There is a direct way OF compar-
ing the light-grasping power OF
telescope with the similar power Of
the unaided human eye which gives
a very vivid impression Of the su-
pericrity of telescope vision when
the telescope is a large one. Mani
festiy the clearness with which an
object can be seen. and the dis
lance at which il will be visible de-
pend upon the amount Of light that
the eye receives from il. But the
amount of light entering the eye and
brought 10 u focus on the retina
depends. in turn. upon the diameter
OF the pupil OF the eye, which, in
the human being and in ordinary
circumstances OF illumination, is
about one fifth Of an inch.
Since the areas of circles vary as
the squares Of their diameters. an
an inch diameter would receive four
times as much light as before. Now
the object glass. or mirror, OF
telescope resembles the pupil OF an
eye in limiting. by its diameter, the
amount OF light entering the instru-
ment. If the diameter is one inch.
the amount of light received, or
gathered, by the telescope will be 20
times that received by the human
eye, but If the diameter becomes
100 inches the light increases 10 the
astonishing amount or 100000 times
that which the ordinary eye re-
ceives
This is the case with the great
new telescope. which will thus be,
in light-grasping capacity a quar-
ter of a million times more power
full than the naked eye! In the same
sense IL will be nearly three times
as powerful as the huge 6O-inch
telescope now in use on Mount Will
SON
In this comparison between tele-
scopes and the eye. no account is
taken OF the loss of light by alb
sorptioh. imperfect refraction and
reflection. etc, but that does not
seriously affect the result
The 10O-inch telescope is a re-
Hector. II gathers the light OF the
stars and concentrates il at focus
by means OF concave mirror eight
feet four inches IN diameter. One
stands in front of. or over. this
mighty eye and looks down al the
wonders reflected from its depths,
although. in truth. the great tele-
scope will far oftener have the pho
tographic plate than the human
retina at its focus
To see u New Universe?
II will. az least theoretically. see
three times farther into the dceps
OF space than any telescope has yet
been able TO penetrate; il will. in
like manner, enlarge the cubic di-
mansions of the visible universe
nearly - times.
Let Us try 70 understand what
such an increase of seeing power
means. Sitting i'm the gallery OF
large theater, the face OF an actress.
or actor attracts your attention.
Your curiosity is piqued because you
can but very imperfectly detect
features which you are sure. from
the slight indications visible at such
a distance. must be highly interest
ing aud remarkable.
While you are fretting at your
inability to see a. you would wish.
a neighhor hands YOU his opera
glass. magnifying about three di-
I ..
stands before you with every fea-
ture clearly revealed. Bringing il
apparently three times nearer has
made . whole world OF difference
i'm its appearance.