ASTRONOMY 



for constructing a chart and catalogue of all the 

 stars down to the twelfth magnitude. The co- 

 operation of the principal observatories of the 

 world was secured, and it was hoped that the task 

 would be completed within a few years. Unfore- 

 seen difficulties arose, some observatories withdrew, 

 others were late in getting to work, and although 

 thirty-three years have elapsed, this census is not 

 yet finished. 



Meanwhile another census, all-British in design 

 and execution, has been successfully completed. 

 John Franklin-Adams, a London merchant, one 

 of those amateurs who have done so much in this 

 country for the promotion of Astronomy, after 

 retiring from business conceived the plan of photo- 

 graphing the whole heavens. For this purpose he 

 obtained from Messrs Cooke and Sons a lens 

 designed by Mr Dennis Taylor. The photo- 

 graphs of the southern skies were taken at the 

 Cape in 1903-4, and those of the northern skies 

 at Mervel Hill, near Godalming, between 1905 

 and 1909. The southern series was repeated by 

 his assistants in 1910-11. Failing health com- 

 pelled him to abandon his intention of examining 

 the plates himself, and he therefore presented them 

 to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, making 

 provision for the statistical discussion to be under- 

 taken by members of the staff there. 



The international census is primarily concerned 



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