32 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



The Troy Polytechnic School is fitting up an observatory 

 in connection with its courses of study. 



A new observatory lias been founded at Lyons, France, 

 of which Andre has been named director. Its meridian- 

 circle was presented by M. II. Bischoffsheim, of Paris. 



The observatory at Kiel is now in its new building, and 

 has lately received a new refractor, by Steinheil, of eight 

 inches aperture. Its meridian circle is engaged in observ- 

 ing a zone of stars of less than 10 N. P. D. 



A sum of $12,000 has been devoted by Oxford University 

 to the building of additions to the observatory. 



Professor Young has accepted the chair of astronomy at 

 Princeton. lie will have a large telescope at his disposal. 



The third volume of Andre and Rayet's Astronomie Pra- 

 tique (History of Observatories) is concerned with the ob- 

 servatories of the United States, and will be found a useful 

 book of reference. It is compiled from the notes of M. An- 

 got, one of the editors. It supplements the older works of 

 Loomis and Mailly. 



Publications and Reports of Observatories. 



The report of the Secretary of the Navy for 1877 contains 

 that of the Superintendent of the Naval Observatory, which 

 gives an account of the work of the past year. The 26-inch 

 equatorial continues to be used in the observations of the 

 faint satellites. The transit circle, besides its regular work 

 of observations of the sun, moon, and major planets, has 

 made a very large number of observations of asteroids, and 

 is also engaged in the formation of a catalogue of the B. A. C. 

 stars between 120 0' and 131 10' of N. P. D. The old 

 meridian instruments are in use for completing Yarnall's 

 catalogue, of which a second edition is in preparation. The 

 investigation of the moon's motion is continued. The tran- 

 sit of Venus reductions are in progress. The photographs 

 of the transit are now measured. The division errors of the 

 ruled -glass scale micrometer have been carefully determined. 



The bill introduced in the United States Senate, to pro- 

 vide for the removal of the Naval Observatory, directs the 

 Secretary of the Navy to appoint a commission of three 

 members to select a new site within the District of Colum- 

 bia, which shall possess the advantages of healthfulness, 



