ASTRONOMY. 421 



j)orts of Englisb observatories are largely obtained from the Montldy 

 Xotices. Sirius xix : 14-18, 64-GG) contains brief descriptions, &c., of 

 Austro-Hungarian observatories. 



Armagh. — The building for the new 10-inch Grubb equatorial (10 feet 

 focal length) was erected in July last. The dome moves on G '• canted" 

 wheels and is covered with i^apier-mach^ riveted to the iron frame- 

 work and stitched together with copper wire. The declination circle 

 can be read from the eye end, and both it and the right ascension circle 

 can be illuminated by small incandescent lamps worked by a two-cell 

 bichromate battery. 



Bamberg Observatory. — Dr. Hartwig, recently of the Strassburg and 

 Dorpat observatories, has been appointed director (January, 188G), and 

 is busy with the preliminary arrangements for erecting the buildings. 



Berlin (1884). — The large meridian circle has been dismounted and 

 has received important mechanical improvements. The observations 

 on the southern half of the Berlin Zone were temporarily stopped dur- 

 ing the year. Dr. Kuestner has begun a series of observations with 

 the object of determining the constant of aberration by measures of the 

 difference of zenith distances of pairs of stars in the same R. A. and 

 equal and opposite Z. D. The work is to be finished in 1885. Dr. 

 Knorre has made a large number of observations with the 9-G-inch 

 equatorial for the positions of asteroids, comets, and faint stars. The 

 })lanet Hypatia was found by him July 1, 1884. Dr. Battermann is 

 regularly observing occultations, both immersions and emersions. Dr. 

 Marcuse has charge of the heliometer, and has made thirty-three de- 

 terminations of the solar diameter, &c. Vol. v of the Berlin observa- 

 tions has been published during the year. 



German Transit of Venus Commission (1884). The report of Dr. 

 Auwers on the work of the computing bureau relates iirst to the obser- 

 vations. These are of three kinds: (1) Observations before the expe- 

 ditions, for practice, and for the investigation of special points ; (2) 

 observations at the stations ; and (3) observations made after the re- 

 turn of the parties. A list of the heliometer measures of each observer 

 comprised in these classes is given separately, and a summary, from 

 which it appears that the total number of complete measures with the 

 four heliometers was : 



Before and after the expeditions 1, 769 



At the stations themselves 1, 074 



In all, for thirteen observers 2, 843 



Bermerside, Halifax (Mr. Edward Crossley's observatory). Phenom- 

 ena of the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn observed. 



Bonn. — 2881 zone stars (four hundred fundamental stars) were de- 

 termined in the A, G. zone. The southern DurchmuMe^ung has required 



