ASTRONOMY. 217 



Two 8-incli refractors have been ordered and are partially finished — 

 one ordered by Prof. Young for the seminary at South Iladley, and the 

 other by Dr. Engelmann, of Leipsic. 



The flint glass disk for the SOinch telescope, ordered by Struve for 

 the Eussian Government, has been received from Feil, and the crowu 

 glass is expected shortly. The mounting for this will probably be made 

 abroad. 



For the Lick trustees a 3G-iuch refractor is ordered, but it will not be 

 completed for several years. A 12-inch equatorial for observing the 

 transit of Venus is nearly finished, and orders have been received for a 

 5-inch photoheliograph and a smaller comet-seeker. 



In all or nearly all of these instruments the cell of the object-glass is 

 arranged so as to separate the lenses by several inches and allow a free 

 circulation of air between them, as well as to afl'ord an opportunity of 

 readily reaching the inner surfaces of the glass. This device is adoi^ted 

 in the hope of bringing the temperature of the glass as nearly as pos- 

 sible equal to that of the external air, but it remains to be seen if it is 

 really advantageous. 



A new 10-inch equatorial, with an object-glass by IMerz, has been 

 presented to the Geneva- Observatory by its director, Prof. Emil Plan- 

 TAJMOUR. It is to be devoted to observations of the major planets aud 

 their satellites, of parallax of stars, and of double stars, with occasional 

 observations of minor i^lanets. 



ASTRONOMICAL EIOGRAPHY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, ETC. 



The first number of the new International Journal of Afitronomy — 

 Urania, edited by Drs. Copeland and Dreyer, contains in a very con- 

 venient form of 24 demy 4to pages, a number of interesting articles. 

 Among others, are the following papers: "Observations of the Spec- 

 trum of Comet 1880 d. (Hartwig) at Dun Echt," by Copeland and 

 Lohse. "A New Planetary Nebula," by Dr. Copeland.* "Observa- 

 tions of Comets 1880 b, c, and d, at Dun Echt. " Uber die Autlusung 

 der Lambert'scheu Gleichung fur Parabolische Bahnen," by Professor 

 Klinkerfues. 



A special reference should be made to the new arrangement given to 

 the tables of the American Ephemeris for 1882 by the superintendent, 

 Prof. Newcomb, by which it has become the most convenient of astro- 

 nomical almanacs. It should have a short Index added to it. 



"Obituary Notices of Astronomers" is the title of a little book by 

 Mr. DuNKiN, in Avhich are collected some obituary notices of Fellows 

 and Associates of the K. A. S., mostly written for the annual report in 

 the Monthly Notices, but revised, and some of them partly rewritten. 



"liepertoire des constantes de I'Astronomie, par M. J. C. IIouzeau," 

 occupies 271 pages in Ito of the Annates de I'Observatoire lioyal de 

 Bruxelles, Nouvelle Serie, T. I. This is a most wonderfully useful pub- 

 *Tliis is, liowevcr, uot a ucw one, liaviug been discuvered by Mr. Burxuam, iu 1873. 



