ANNUAL RECORD 



OF 



SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



18 78. 



ASTRONOMY. 



By EDWARD S. HOLDEX, 



U. S. Naval Observatory, Washington. 



INTRODUCTION. 



By far the most important astronomical event of 1878 was 

 the total eclipse of July 29. An appropriation of $8000 for 

 observing this was liberally made by Congress, and w r as 

 spent by the Naval Observatory in putting parties in the 

 field. This Observatory not only sent six of its own observ- 

 ers, but paid, in part or entirely, the expenses of twenty-seven 

 other persons selected from the astronomers of the country. 

 Invitations were extended to every well-known astronomer 

 in the United States, and the services of every one able to go 

 were accepted. Many had, however, already made their ar- 

 rangements to take the field under other auspices. An ar- 

 rangement was made by the Naval Observatory with the 

 Pennsylvania Railroad, by w T hich foreign observers of the 

 eclipse were transported to Denver and return at half-fare. 

 Their instruments were also admitted duty-free by the Treas- 

 ury Department. 



As in the case of the transit of Mercury ', instruments were 



A 



