ASTRONOMY. ^9 



purpose an Equatorial, by Merz, of 4^ inches aperture, and a direct- 

 vision Spectroscope, with five prisms, are employed. 



" A beautiful Meridian Circle, by Ertel, serves M. Respigiii for his 

 observations of fixed stars of the first six magnitudes, which are to 

 be employed by the Italian staff-officers in their geodesic operations. 

 This observatory possesses also a Reflex Zenith-tube, made by Ertel 

 from designs by M. Respighi himself. The basin of quicksilver, by 

 means of -which the reflected stars are observed, is 21 meters (68.90 

 feet) below the objective, which thus masks but a small portion of 

 the sky. When the telescope is directed towards the nadir, stars 

 very close to the zenith may be observed by the declination-wires 

 during their transit ; at the same time, and without touching the in- 

 strument, the nadir may also be observed, so that the zenith-distance 

 of each star depends upon the micrometer screw alone, and is de- 

 termined with the great accuracy which this kind of observation 

 allows." 



Observatory of Florence. 



M. William Tempel, Assistant. 



" The old observatory of Florence, formerly presided over by Do- 

 nati, has been dismantled, and a new and magnificent structure is 

 nearly built at Arcetri, near the house formerly inhabited by Galileo. 

 The old observatory is now used for a meteorological station. 



"The new observatory possesses, 1, a small Equatorial suitable for 

 a comet-seeker; and, 2, a large Equatorial, by Amici, of 11 inches 

 aperture, of excellent quality. Besides this, a small Meridian In- 

 strument is mounted in the Meridian room. This room will subse- 

 quently contain a Meridian Circle of 7 inches aperture, and a Tran- 

 sit Instrument somewhat smaller. It is proposed to have for this ob- 

 servatory a staff composed of a director and five assistants." 



Observatory of Bologna. 



M. Palagi, Director. 



"The Observatory of the University of Bologna is one of the most 

 ancient in Italy, and is placed on the top of a high tower, which un- 

 fits it for precise observations. It possesses a Meridian Circle, by Er- 

 tel, mounted in 1851, but now little used, and also a Dollond Equa- 

 torial, of 3 inches aperture. Its collection of historical instruments 

 is of high interest." 



o 



Observatory of Modena. 



M. Ragona, Director. 

 "The Ducal Observatory was founded in 1819 by Bianciii, and 

 was provided with the best instruments of that time ; but now it 



