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THE LICK OBSERVATORY. | 25 |
| 7. Spectroscopic observations have shown that the atmosphere of Mars is of low density - probably much less dense at the surface of Mars than the Earth's atmosphere at the summit of the highest peak in the Himalayas. |
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8. The speed of the Solar System in its motion through space has been determined by means of the spectroscope to be 121/2 miles per second. |
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9. The average speed of the brighter stars is 21 miles per second. |
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10. The North Polar Star was found to be a triple star, in 1899, by means of spectroscopic observations. Two of its members are invisible in our largest telescopes. The bright star and one dark companion revolve around each other in four days; and these in turn revolve around the other dark body in several years. |
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11. Capella was discovered, in 1899, to be a spectroscopic binary star, period 104 days, the two nearly equal components being inseparable in our largest telescopes. |
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12. About 40 spectroscopic binaries - that is, stars seen single in ordinary telescopes, but proven to be double by means of the spectroscope - were discovered in 1898-1902. At least one star in seven has an invisible component, observable thus far only by spectroscopic means. |
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13. The Observatory possesses an unequaled series of photographs of the principal nebulae and star clusters. |
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14. About 10,000 nebulae have been discovered in the past at the various observatories; but the Lick photographs show that fully 100,000 nebulae await discovery. These photographs led to the unexpected discovery that the majority of the nebulae have a spiral form - undoubted evidence of their rotation. |
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