ASTRONOMY. 143 



been observed, most of them three times or more. The work of pre- 

 paring this catalogue for publication is already commenced, and in the 

 progress of the work Professor Porter has detected a number of inter- 

 esting cases of proper motion. The catalogue will probably be issued 

 during the coming year. A few observations of nebulie, double stars, 

 and comets were also made during the early part of the year, but were 

 suspended owirg to the resignation of Mr. H. C. Wilson, assistant 

 astronomer. 



The work proposed for 18>'^7 is the completion of the observations 

 required for the zone catalogue, and after -that the continuation of 

 a series of charts of southern nebulffi. 



Cointe (1886). — The new observatory attached to the University of 

 Liege, Belgium, is under the direction of M. Folic, the director of the 

 Brussels Observatory. The instruments are a 10-inch equatorial and 6- 

 inch meridian circle (diameter of circle about 31.5 inches), both by 

 Cooke, with numerous smaller astronomical and geodetic instruments, 

 and a set of magnetical and meteorological instruments. M. Folic is 

 assisted by IJr. L. de Ball and M. P. Ubaghs. 



Cohimhia College Observatory (188G). — The observatory is upon the 

 top of the college library building, 100 feet above the level of Forty- 

 ninth street, New York City. The 13 inch Eutherford equatorial, 3-iuch 

 transit, and zenith telescope are mounted in a room about 24 b^' 30 feet. 

 The instruments rest upon solid piers of masonry, which are supported 

 by heavy iron girders, the floors and ceilings nowhere touching the 

 girders. The instrumental equipment embraces also a 5 inch equatorial 

 (not mounted at present), a Troughton & Simms transit, spectroscope 

 and subsidiary apparatus, clock, chronometers, portable transit, per- 

 sonal-equation machine, etc. The dome is by Waters & Son, of Troy, 

 'New York, and consists of a paper covering wich wooden ribs. The 

 shutters of the transit slits are also paper, and open by the action of 

 springs. 



Some trouble is caused by vibrations from th(i railroad trains (over 

 one hundred a day) constantly passing within 100 feet of the building, 

 but at times the instruments are very steady. 



A careful redetermination of the geographical position of the observ- 

 atory will be made, as the old longitude seems to be somewhat in error. 

 It is also hoped to devote the Rutherford equatorial, which is supplied 

 with a ])hotographic corrector, to astronomical photography. 



Professor liees, the director, has but one assistant, and the greater 

 part of his time is required to carry on a very complete course of in- 

 struction in practical astronomy, designed especially for training engi- 

 neering students. 



Dearborn Observatory (1886). — The Dearborn Observatory is the prop- 

 erty of the (;hicago Astronomical Society, but is upon ground leased to 

 it by the now extinct University of Chicago, and may at any time be 

 required to vacate. A new site has not yet been selected. Observa- 



