588 REPOETS OF EUROPEAN OBSERVATORIES. 



IMPERIAL OBSERVATORY, VIENNA. 

 (Dr. E. Weisp, Director.) 



Owing to financial complications less progress was made in the con- 

 struction of the new observatory than was anticipated. The most im- 

 portant part of the work consisted in the erection of the large dome. 

 The interior of the building is in a sufficiently advanced state to permit 

 the occupation. 



But little hope is entertained that the new meridian circle and the 

 large refractor can be obtained this year. As a consequence the instru- 

 ments of the old observatory, with the addition of a ll^-ineh Clark re- 

 fractor and a C-inch comet-seeker, will have to be used. 



The activity in the old observatory was very limited. Dr. Holetsehek 

 determined with the meridian circle the position of those stars which 

 were selected as fundamental points for the Vienna zones between 

 -f- 15° and -f 18° declination. He also observed a few asteriods. 



Mr. A. Palisa continued the observations with the G inch refractor of 

 the asteroids until August, when Mr. E. Glaser took his place. Com- 

 paratively small results were obtained. 



Volume 27 of the Annales of the Observatory, published last sum- 

 mer, contains, besides a necrology of C. v. Littrow, the paths of 2,685 

 meteors and those of 1,175 meteors observed in Vienna between the years 

 1S10-1S15, not reduced and published before ; and finally the meteoro- 

 logical observations of 1877. 



Volume 28 of the Annates, just in press, will be devoted mainly to 

 zone observations. 



ASTRO-PHYSICAL OBSERVATORY, WILHELMSHAVEN. 

 (Dr. C. Bougex, Director.) 



The buildings were completed in July, 1S78, and occupied in August. 



The principal instrument is a meridian circle by Eepsold of 120 mm 

 aperture, 1.5"' focal distance, 2 circles of 0.5 diameter, and is furnished 

 with level, 2 collimators of C7 ,m " aperture, and an artificial horizon. 



The standard clock is one of Tiede's pendulums. A second clock of 

 inferior quality is located in the chronometer room, and is used both for 

 comparison <>!' chronometers and as clock for the registering apparatus 

 in the meridian room. 



A Steinheil refractor of 3£" aperture is used for astronomical observa- 

 tions, and some astro-nautical instruments for practice. 



The observatory possesses meteorological instruments and a self-record- 

 ing apparatus for tidal observations, a collection of such magnetic in- 

 struments as are used on shipboard, and a model for the study of the 

 deviation of the magnetic needle produced by the iron of a ship. 



The activity of the observation is fourfold : 



1. Astronomical, including time-service. 



