412 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1883. 



difference between the values of the acceleration for the two periods is 

 to be examined. 



The great comet of 1882. — Mr. Winlock, of the Naval Observatory, 

 has recently printed as an appendix to the Washington Astronomical 

 Observations a valuable summary of the Washington observations of 

 this comet. The paper includes interesting drawings of the comet at 

 various dates, and also special diagrams of the head. 



The meridian observations of the comet are illustrated by a series of 

 diagrams showing the particular part of the head which was observed ; 

 and this will be found to be a valuable addition for the use of comput- 

 ers, whose chief difficulty will be found in utilizing observations by dif- 

 ferent observers whose data refer to different parts of the nucleus. 



Dr. Gould has communicated to ~$o. 2538 of the Astronomische Nach- 

 ricliten a long series of observations of the great comet (b, 1882) made 

 at Cordoba, where it was observed by Mr. Thome, assistant at the ob- 

 observatory there, until the 1st of June, a later date by twenty-six days 

 than that at which it was seen at any other observatory. 



The comets of 1883 have been, a, that discovered by Mr. Brooks on Feb- 

 ruary 23, and the Pons comet of 1812, rediscovered by Mr. Brooks Sep- 

 tember 1, 1883. The variations in light of the latter comet have been 

 noteworthy. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATORIES, ETC. 



Reports of observatories for 1882. — The Vierteljahrsschrift of the Ger- 

 man Astronomical Society for 1883 (part 2) contains a series of re- 

 ports from various observatories, mostly European, of which we give 

 the following abstract: It should be especially noted that a very large 

 number of the European observatories are now engaged in remodeling 

 their buildings or their instruments or both, and we may judge from 

 their experience about how long it will be before a similar work will 

 have to be done in America. 



Athens: The personnel of the observatory consists of the director, 

 Dr. Schmidt, and an assistant, Dr. Wurlisch. The Sun has been ob- 

 served on 35G days for spots. The chart of the Moon published in 1875 

 gave the results of observations for the years 1840-1874; the measures 

 are still continued, and with even greater assiduity as may be judged 

 from the fact that more measures have been made since the publication 

 of the chart than were made for its construction. Three hundred and 

 seventy drawings of Jupiter made in the years 1841-1879 have beeu 

 deposited in Potsdam ; since 1880, 350 drawings have been made. The 

 other planets are often examined but seldom drawn. Seventy-four 

 variable stars have been observed, over 4G,000 comparisons having been 

 made. The Zodiacal Light and the Twilight Arch are observed at favor- 

 able opportunities. 



Basle : This observatory is devoted chiefly to meteorology and its 

 results are published in the Swiss Reports of Meteorology, annually. 



Berlin: The 9-inch equatorial has been remounted by Bamberg, of 



