THE INTERFEROMETER
"With: tho aid of the .interferometer," writes Mr.. Seriven, Boltori, intho "Illustrated ! London News," "it; is now possible to lneasuro directly. :tho diameter of;.a star, although, even in tho largest telescope, the eye sees nothing but a point - ; of light... The angle : which 'a star's diameter subtends as seen from the earth can te measured when the- apparatus is attached, to a telescope. :; At each end .of. the 20ft girder, placed, across the end of the telescope tube is a plane min-or, ; the distance. between the two beni^ adjustable. When placed at some particular distance'apart a star disc exhibits interference bands, and, by knowing thelprecise distance when 1 the bands appear for a.' certain star, the angular diameter of .that object can be calculated. r Successful measures have recently been, made at Mount : Wilson of Mira Ceti, the noted variable star, which proves to be one of the largest stars vet discovered, surpassing in size even Betelgeuse,. the giant sun. Its diameter exceeds the sun's by 250 times. Turnine fromthe stars to the infinitude of space the interferometer has given the only definite results of the existence of an ether Dr. T. C. Miller's apparatus designed for this purpose, is fitted up on thfc summit of Mount Wilson.
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 15
Word Count
210THE INTERFEROMETER Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 15
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