University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA)

 - Class of 1908

Page 22 of 404

 

University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA) online collection, 1908 Edition, Page 22 of 404
Page 22 of 404



University of Pittsburgh - Owl Yearbook (Pittsburgh, PA) online collection, 1908 Edition, Page 21
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Page 22 text:

Langley—indeed, some of the most delightful remembrances of my long association with him come to me as I recall these delightful walks and talks. When he was writing his New Astronomy, he would invite me to come to the observaton in the evening and read to me a chapter of that splendid book. 1 call to mind the closing paragraphs of two that impressed me greatly, as he read them, and for fear that 1 may not quote verbatim I refer to his chapter on the Moon where, in closing his charming description of its scenery, he says, ‘‘Let us leave here the desolation about us, happy that we can come back at will to that world, our own familiar dwelling, where the meadows are still green and the birds still sing, and where, better yet, still dwells our own kind—surely the world of all we have found in our wanderings, which we would have chosen to lx? our home. Let me also quote the closing paragraph of his chapter on the Stars, which 1 heard him read “in the long ago , a beautiful illustration of the life history of man as compared to that of the Stars: “I have read somewhere a story about a race of ephemeral insects who live alxnit an hour. To those who are born in the early morning the sunrise is the time of youth. They die of old age while his beams arc yet gathering force, and only their descendants live on to midday; while it is another race which sees the sun decline, from that which saw him rise. Imagine the sun about to set. and the whole nation of mites gathered under the shadow of some mushroom (to them, ancient as the sun itself) to hear what their wisest philosopher has to say of the gloomy prospect. If I remember aright, he first told them that, incredible as it might seem, there was not only a time in the world’s youth when the mushroom itself was young, but that the sun in those early ages was in the eastern, not in the western sky. Since then, he explained, the eyes of scientific ephemera had followed it. and established by induction from vast experience the great i iw of Nature’, that it moved only westward: and he showed that since it was now nearing the western horizon, science itself pointed to the conclusion that it was about to disappear forever, together with the great race of ephemera for whom it was created. What his hearers thought of this discourse I do not remember, hut I have heard that the sun rose again the next morning. Professor Langley was a lover of children. I have heard it from many friends whose homes he visited, how he would gather the little ones around him and tell them fairy stories, many of which he would improvise with wonderful tact to please the children. A Washington lady had made several attempts to converse with Professor Langley—at receptions—upon his scientific investigations but, failing to get the response desired, in her despair she asked him one evening what he did like to talk about. He quickly replied, “Children and fairy stories. The writer of this brief sketch of Professor Langley’s life feels totally inadequate to the task, but deems it a great pleasure to place on record some of the lovely traits of character on the side of the humanities, separate and distinct from his scientific work—for with all that apparent ‘‘calmest coldness there was something 14

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SAMUEL PIERPONT LANGLEY Director of the Allegheny Observatory, 1867-1887. By John Alfred Brashear. The man of grand impulses sheds a lustre on all around him. GREAT man lias gone to his rest. A life filled with the highest aspirations has closed and we are left to mourn the loss of one whose place will Ik difficult to fill. The writer was associated with Professor Langley for more than thirty years, and in all those years lie has only pleasant recollections of his personality and his magnificent intellect—one never satisfied with a half-proven hypothesis, hut always reaching out for final proof before he announced any of his great discoveries. Not every man who came in contact with Professor Langley knew him as the writer knew him. Many times he has walked for miles with him. During the walk nothing would escape his mouth hut monosyllables. Was he cold, indifferent, callous to the questioner? Far from it. Some difficult, perhaps intricate problem in solar physics or other correlated study had taken possession of his mind to the exclusion of all else, and 1 have often thought that his yes” or no” to my questions were almost of an automatic character. But how different at other times, during our walks from the old observatory to the nearest woods, where now is erected the new Astronomical ()bservatory. Charming was his conversation from the beginning to the end of our stroll. W hen in this mood no man could be more entertaining and instructive than Professor x3



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r reaching almost to the transcendental in his inner life which my long acquaintance and association brought to light. 1 have given but a few instances of these pleasant reminiscences, instances which could lx multiplied many times. Professor I anglcy came by invitation to the Allegheny Observatory in 1.867. Two years afterwards, in 1869, he introduced standard time distribution to the cities and railroads. Professor Langley made good use of the income derived from the time service, for the commencement of that long series of solar researches which have added so much to our knowledge of the sun. I le was an exquisite draughtsman, as can lx testified by the hundreds of beautiful drawings of solar phenomena made by him. Kvcrv student of astronomy has seen reproductions of his charming drawing of the great sun-spot of December. 1873, which has indeed become classic as a “typical sun-spot. Fortunately for Professor Langley's great work of the future, William Thaw, the staunch friend of the observatory and one of the pioneers in its construction and equipment, became deeply interested in the director's solar work, and aided him in many ways. The income of the observatory was so limited that little could be done in experimental research until William Thaw with a most liberal hand and heart provided the means for carrying on this great work, and you will find at the close of almost every monograph written bv Professor Langley. “This research was made possible through the liberality of a citizen of Pittsburgh.” By Mr. Thaw's request his name was never mentioned. In his studies in the domain of solar physics. Professor Langley was early impressed with the idea that much of the radiant energy from the sun was not recognized by the instruments then in use, and after a long series of experiments, discovered and developed that marvelously delicate instrument, the bolometer. With the bolometer a series of investigations were commenced upon the sun. moon and stars, which were continued for many years, bringing to light some of the most important facts in the whole realm of astronomical physics. Professor Langley, with his assistants. Professor Keeler. Professor Very, and Mr. Page, continued the study of the hitherto unknown region of solar radiation until the holographic chart, reaching far down into the spectrum, and showing almost innumerable curves of selective absorption, was given to the world as a most valuable contribution to our knowledge of radiant energy. After years of study at Allegheny upon the problem of selective absorption of the earth's atmosphere at the lower levels. Professor Langley desired to make a similar investigation at a very high altitude. The top of Mt. Whitney in southern California was selected, as well as a station about two miles below the peak. William Thaw provided most of the means for the now famous expedition, our own government also sharing in the expenses of the research. Professor Keeler and Dr. William Day assisted Professor Langley in the work of this expedition, the results of which have now become classic; indeed, have to a large degree settled the problem of the selective absorption of the earth’s atmosphere in its relation to the 5

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