III. On a method of destroying the effects of slight errors of adjustment in experiments of changes of refrangibility due to relative motions in the line of sight

Abstract

Let arrangements be made for the reversion, of the prisms without any disturbance of the other optical arrangements, including, of course, the position of the cylindrical lens, if one be used. Any slight errors of adjustment which prevent the light from the star and the comparison light from falling upon the train of prisms under the same optical circumstances, so far as mere direction is concerned, will have opposite effects in the reversed positions of the prisms; but the separation of the emergent lights due to relative motion will remain unchanged by the reversal of the positions of the prisms.