158 RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 



a projecting platform. This iustruiueat has been used during- the past 

 year in the observation of comets, nebuhe, and the planets, and other 

 miscellaneous work. Positions of all the comets liave been obtained 

 with either the ring or filar micrometer. Some experiments in celestial 

 photography have been carried on, and good views of the moon obtained. 

 The instrument cost about $1,900. 



A 4:-inch meridian circle, by Ertel, with circles 26 inches in diameter, 

 divided to 3'. On the east pier is mounted a frame carrying four micro- 

 scopes which read the circle to 0".5. The reticule consists of thirteen 

 vertical and two horizontal wires. The field or threads are illuminated 

 at will. This instrument is reversible, and cost about $1,400. 



The chronograph is one of Warner «S: Swazey's latest designs, and 

 is used with either the equatorial or meridian circle. Cost, $375. The 

 sidereal clock, by Dent, cost $500. The mean time clock, by Howard, 

 cost $400. 



There is also a 3-inch altazimuth, by Cooke; and a 5-inch portable 

 refractor, by Byrne. This latter instrument is not the property of the 

 observatory. With it Professor Barnard has discovered a large num- 

 ber of comets. 



The observatory building consists of a transit room, an equatorial 

 room, and two computing rooms. The equatorial room is on the second 

 floor, and is reached by a spiral staircase. 



Washburn Ohservatorij (1886). — This fine observatory possesses a 15^- 

 inch Clark equatorial, with filar micrometer, a Repsold meridian circle, 

 one sidereal and two mean-time clocks, a chronograph, chronometers, 

 etc., besides the excellent 6-incli equatorial which formerly belonged 

 to Mr. S. W. Buruham, and with which his first observations and 

 measurements of double stars were made. This latter equatorial, 

 together with a Fauth 3-iuch transit, is mounted in a separate build- 

 ing of wood, called the students' observatory. The main building 

 has, besides the rooms for the meridian circle and the large dome 

 for the equatorial, a separate clock and computing room, a room lor 

 the electrical switch-board, time relays, etc., and a well furnished 

 room for a library and director's study. There are also sleeping 

 rooms for two assistants, one of whom is the meteorological observer* 

 whose records are printed in the annual volumes of the observatory. 

 The officers of the observatory are a director, two assistant astromoners 

 (one of whom is a lady), the meteorological observer, and a janitor. 

 The library of the observatory is maintained by the generosity of the 

 Hon. Cyrus Woodman, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who has given, 

 for this purpose, the sum of $5,000. One half the yearly interest from 

 this sum is available for the purchase of new books, the other half 

 going to increase the principal until it reaches a specified sum. The 

 ''publications" are printed at the expense of the State, and are issued 

 when circumstances warrant. Four volumes have already been issued, 

 and a fifth is nearly ready for publication. 



