THE BIG TELESCOPE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10818, 8 December 1902, Page 6

THE BIG TELESCOPE.

This v latest and much-tallced^of acquisition to Wanganui's many attractions arrived here by the Stormbird yesterday. Feeling confident that niany of "our readers would like to irnow sc-mcthfng- ab'outi it, we •wAiteKi uphn Mr 3. T. Ward, the president, of 'the Wanganui Astronomical So,cie,ty', who kindly furnished 'us with the following details: — 1 Eefractory telescope of OVin diameter and 12ft focus, with finder. 2"iin in diameter, by" Cooke and ' Sorts, "of ' York, England., .- Battery, pi eye-piqeea,- magnifying from 32 to 750 'diameter's. ' ' ' * * Cooke filar' and 4 position microjiieter, r,eitcie»idivi:dtt>lfonsilvcxi .with liQooko s twomovement adaptor and battery 'of eyepieces, ttM*ghifying-.from. 100 toll7sjdiameters.. ' . s^ >' OnendfcgonaJL .stellar 4ind,- solai" eyo';piece. One "Du'wes" eye-piece. ' Aluminium doublo-flap slrutterto object glass. i , 4 Mounted, by Isaac, Fletcher, "F.R.A.S., of very massive form and construction. <• * Right ascension aJjd' declination circle, each of 40in diameter, divided on silver to single seconds, reading by microscopes and by reading telescope and electric illumination from ,eye-end of telescope. „ Clarrips pnd>., sJoiv .motions worked in 11. A., and doe. froin^ey^end -ot toje^cope". j Driving 1 clock willi,a'li adjastnients and coiisiections. . ' v - Notes. — By refracti^f telescope is meant the , ordinary form of instrument, pr what is germed a direct-vision tcleacQpfic*", liicrbmeter.-^This ijostriinierit is chieny 'used i or -measiVring distances between clqse double stars, and for finding the directidn,. of a line connecting them. It may also be used for measuring/ the height, of mountains, or' the size of its; craters; alsofor "determining the size and' position of sun spots. , ' ' • The English equatorial moiint is of very massive ttiß principal 'portions of which weigh nearly six" tons, and^ was especially made in the engine works of Mr J. Fletcher's brother and Under his personal supervislon^thtfs'' ensuring- great accuracy in all m*rfvem*#ts 'and best quality of materials. . , Right Ascension xmd^Declination Circles. — These aro of tho finest construction and divided by the *fel¥MSiVn -firm" of T. Cotike and Sons'; bt%c«J"By them6thod .of mounting mentioned^ $b^ov«, and the circles, it is possi'fe^'to^ locate an object in the heavens as oi^j^|gCr do> on a. map.of the world, by knowing. the' latitude and longitude of the elae.&ifi.oiight for.. „ . Driving Clock/— This; keeps- the telescope in . motion tow.ardssgtfe yvvfcst at the ' same angular rate as ,thefej£l^^.twns on its axis towdrds the cast^^ts i|jHfe enable the obsorver tb set his, i^eacoiJe on a celestial bbjcct'and follow it in its apparent nxotion acro£*a..thfe,hea,VQijs,-, „,,, „', .«.,:.,. It may be noted that seycral noted astronomers* including. Sir Robert Ball, have tested ..this instrument, and pronounce it to be in every respect a very fiae one. x The task' of- placing ' -a. fine telescope in a properly-constructed Observatory has ( proved a by no means light undertaking, and much yet remains to bo done. The Society is confident that the' accomplishment of this project must meet with the approval pi {tie majority of bur worthy townspeople, and it looks .to them ' for a • share of that ..practical support -which' is rarely withheld»from a worthy object. All .particulars may, be learnt from Mr J. T. Ward, president, or Mr W. H. McCaul, lion, sec, who will take. the names of intending- members. ' . . , The tender of Messrs Russell and*JHgnell for • the defection idf • i:n"e Observatory was accepted on Saturday, the amount being £277 12s Gd. The form of the, building* will be a 16sided base, With a circulaf ringed dome of spherical form, .to revolve; .having an opening > so. i constructed. ; tliat. the,', telescope bb jfointcd-^to any position in the heavens from horizon, to .zenith. The architect is Mr A. .Atkins, F.H.1.8.A., and the result, promise?, ,ito be^in every way satLsfactory,- ?"; - ' ? ' - '