36 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



THE COKDOBA OBSERVATORY. 



Dr. Gould, the director of the new observatory in the Ar- 

 gentine Confederacy, continues to send encouraging accounts 

 of the progress of the great astronomical works that he has 

 there undertaken. Having labored to determine accurately 

 the relative brightness of all the stars in the southern heav- 

 ens visible to the naked eye, he announces that a few weeks 

 will enable him to begin the preparation of this work for pub- 

 lication. Great care has been taken to make a thorough and 

 accurate comparison of the results of the four assistants, and 

 the rule has been to determine the brightness of all the stars 

 down to the 7.3 magnitude, in order to make sure of losing 

 none as bright as the seventh. The labor on the Uranometry 

 was undertaken before the arrival of the laroe meridian in- 

 strument, and as soon as the latter was established (namely, 

 on the 9th of September, 1872), the observations of the zones 

 of all stars as bright as the ninth magnitude were commenced 

 in earnest. Each night three zones are observed, whose 

 lengths average about one hundred minutes, the entire ob- 

 servations for the night occupying at least eight hours. The 

 weather is described as having been exceedingly unfavorable 

 for astronomical work during the winter and early spring, 

 until March, April, and May of 1873, when magnificent oppor- 

 tunities were enjoyed. Dr. Gould states that he has observed 

 in all during the past vear about fiftv thousand stars, and 

 considers that somewhat more than half of the work of ob- 

 serving is already finished. Astronomers, however, know 

 how great a labor of computation still awaits Dr. Gould and 

 his assistants before his results can be put into that form 

 which is most convenient for use. The photographic work 

 undertaken by him at his own private expense has been pros- 

 ecuted with all the success that could be expected with a 

 broken lens. Finally, however, he concluded to order an- 

 other object-glass for the use of the observatory; and the 

 new lens having arrived in perfect order, he hopes before long 

 to be able to resume his labors under better auspices. 



The Cordoba Meteorological Bureau, established at his ur- 

 gent representation by the national government, has been or- 

 ganized and brought into working condition as rapidly as 

 was practicable ; but as the instruments were necessarily 



