ASTRONOMY. 67 



A series of observations of the relative brightness of variable stars 

 has been commenced. These observations are made on nights when 

 the sky is clear, but the definition is too poor to use the Micrometer. 



The observations of the transit of Mercury of May 6 were only par- 

 tially successful. The eclipse of the sun of July 29 was observed at 

 Schuyler, near Denver, under the auspices of the Naval Observatory 

 at "Washington. 



3. Publications during 1878. (1) Micrometrical measurements of 

 517 double stars, observed during the year 1877 {Pub. Cinciii. Obs., 

 No. 4). (2) On personal equation in double-star observations (Astr. 

 Nachrichten, No. 2201). (3) On the determination of time by means 

 of a portable Transit Instrument out of the meridian (Astr. Nach- 

 richten, No. 2229). , 



Nashville, Teim. : Private Observatory of Etlw. C. Barnard, Esq. 



I have a 5-inch Achromatic Telescope, with eight different Eye- 

 pieces, magnifying 52, 78, 85, 104, 173, 260, 390, and 520 diameters. 

 The telescope has also a Finder and Prism Eye-piece. The objective 

 is a first-class one, and was made by Mr. John Byrne, of New York. 

 The mounting is simple equatorial. This telescope will show the 

 sixth star in the trapezium of Orion. 



I have no regular observatory, but I intend, as soon as circum- 

 stances will permit, to have my telescope mounted on a fixed equa- 

 torial stand. 



I made observations of the transit of Mercury this year, which I 

 sent to the Observatory at Washington. 



Circumstances permitting, I hope, in the future, to make a more 

 valuable report than this. 



New Brunswick, N. J. : Schanck Observatory of Rutgers College. 



Professor G. B. Merriman, Director. 



The observatory is a two-story brick building, with revolving 

 dome, 16 feet in diameter, and a wing for transit observations. It is 

 equipped with the following instruments : 



A 6^-inch Fitz Equatorial, 8 feet 4 inches focal length, with Posi- 

 tion Micrometer. 



A 4-inch Transit Circle, 4 feet 10 inches focal length, made by 

 Stackpole & Brother, with circles 17 inches in diameter, and the 

 usual accompaniments of level and reversing apparatus. 



A Sidereal Clock, made by Bond & Sons, and a Mean-time Clock, 

 by Howard & Co. 



The observatory and all the instruments are donations by friends 

 of the college. 



The observatory is designed and used for class instruction. I have 

 no assistance but what is afforded by students in practical astrono- 



