318 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1882. 



interferes with the progress of the work ; and Admiral Mouchez has 

 therefore undertaken the whole of this labor at Paris. 



The observation of the stars of Lalande has been going on at Paris 

 for some years, as is well known. During the past three years this 

 task has been made the chief work of the meridian service, and it is 

 hoped that the whole of these observations will be finished in 1882. 

 The catalogue will be published in Paris, and it is expected that part 

 1, comprising 23,640 stars, will be sent to the printer during the year. 



This will be the most important contribution to stellar astronomy 

 that could be rendered. 



The eighteen observers of the meridian service have made 28,747 ob- 

 servations during the year. The observations of the sun, moon, planets 

 and comets amount to 1,018. These are reduced by the Bureau des 

 Calculs. The equatorials are employed as before in observations of 

 planets, comets, and asteroids. The large reflector will be resilvered 

 and devoted to photographic and spectroscopic work. 



The meteorological observations, the time-services, and the astronom- 

 ical school of Montsouris continue as formerly. 



Visitors are admitted (by the written permission of the director) once 

 a month. Four hundred persons come on the average, and the uses of 

 the various instruments are explained to them by four of the astrono- 

 mers, in regular turn. 



The observatory is about to undertake an investigation of the varia- 

 tions of the vertical, which have been remarked by Messrs. D'Abbadie 

 and Darwin. From the terms in which this research is spoken of in the 

 report, it is evident that it is not considered to be one w'hich promises 

 to be very fruitful in results. The large refractor is still in process of 

 construction. It will be clear, from the brief resume here given, that 

 the observatory of Paris is engaged in work fully worthy of its great 

 name and of its past services to astronomy. 



The commission appointed by M. Ferry to report on the construction 

 of the rotating dome for the large refractor of the Paris Observatory 

 has held numerous meetings at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, 

 Colonel Laussedat, director of the establishment, being in the chair 

 Only two projects have been reserved for final choice. M. Eiffel pro- 

 poses to use a saline solution in a horizontal circular channel placed on 

 tbe wall to diminish the weight of the* rotary roof. 



Owing to the exertions of Admiral Mouchez, magnetical observations 

 will soon be resumed at the Paris Observatory, in subterranean cham- 

 bers which have been excavated in the newly annexed grounds. These 

 observations will be self- registering by photography, in conformity with 

 the instruments established by M. Mascart at the College de France. 

 Direct observations will also be conducted with the old instruments 

 which were used by Arago, which were famous for his prognostications 

 of aurorse, at a period when, the electric telegraph not having been. 



