ASTRONOMY. 183 



eous prominences; (3) a study of tlie general surlace of the sun when- 

 ever the definition has been unusually good; (4) a ^sketch of the chro- 

 mospheric flames, with a wide tangential slit; (5) the spectrum of the 

 solar spots between the lines B and D. Observations of lunar occulta- 

 tions, of comets, and of the phenomena of Jupiter's satellites have been 

 made as before. The sky-glows have also been watched with care. A 

 r)^-inch Clark equatorial, formerly the property of Rev. T. W. Webl), 

 was purchased for the observation of tlie total solar eclipse of August 

 29, 1886. 



Strasshurg. — Dr. E. Becker was appointed director December 1, 1887, 

 relieving Dr. Kobold, the " observator," temporarily in charge. Ob- 

 servations of nebuliie, comets, and satellites have been niade with the 

 refractor; observations of the sun, moon, and planets and of zero stars 

 for the southern zones with the meridian circle, and measures of the 

 sun's diameter and sunsi)ots with the heliometer. The transit instru- 

 ment has been used by Dr. Wislicenus for investigations with a }>er- 

 sonal equation apparatus of his own design. All reductions are well 

 advanced. The library has been thoroughly overhauled and recata- 

 logued. 



Syracuse (Keiv Yorl:). — The new observatory of the TJniversity of 

 Syracuse, a memorial to Charles Demarest Holden, of the class of 1877, 

 was dedicated November 18, 18S7, with an appropriate address by Pro- 

 fessor Newcomb. The iiistruments are an 8 inch Clark e<piatorial,;Mnch 

 Troughton and Simms transit, clock chronograph, and chronometer. 

 Director, Prof. J. R. French. 



/Syracuse {Neir Yorl\). — Private observatory of H. P. Stark; o^^-incli 

 Spencer eipiatorial refractor; 12-foot dome. 



Tacubaya. — The National Mexican observatory, which is in the de- 

 partment of the secretary of public works, was founded May a, 1S78. 

 The instruments were at first mounted at Cliapultepec, but in 1SS3 they 

 wi're transferred to the present building, erected at a cost of $200,000. 

 The instruments are as follows: A refractor of 0"'.'>81 (IT) inches) aper- 

 ture and 5"'.40 (17 feet 8 inches) focal length, by (Jriibb, provided with 

 a fine micrometer and an ll-prism spectroscope; a meridian circle of 

 0"'.203 (8 inches) aperture and 2'".743 (9 feet) focal length, by Trough- 

 ton & Simms, with circles 0'".914 (3G inches) in diameter, divided to 5' 

 and read by four niicroscoi)es, and with collimators of 0"'.ir)2 ((> inches) 

 aperture and 2"'. 15 (7 feet) focus; a Dallmeyer pliotoheliograph of 

 0"'.102 (4 inches) aperture and 1'".53 (5 feet) focus, with parallactic 

 mounting and an enlarging apparatus; an alt-azimuth, also by Tr!)ugh- 

 ton vS: Simms, of 0"'.083 (3.^ inches) ai)erture and 0"'.85 (2 feet 9 inches) 

 focal length, with circles 0"'.60 (2 feet) in diameter, divided to -V. In 

 addition to these there are, not yet mounted, a Grubb equatorial of 

 0'".ir>2 (0 inches) aperture ami 2"'.r)4 focal length, an Ertel meridian in- 

 strument of 0"'.152 aperture and 2'". 20 focal leng'th, and a Troughton 

 & Simms zenith telescope, 0"'.070 ai)erture and l"'.la focal length. Of 



