162 ASTRONOMY FOR 1889, 1890. 



Georgetown : JIayen. — Observatious of variable stars have been 

 madesystenuiticjilly, and experiments in photoj^raphic observations of 

 star transits by Father Uagen and his assistant, Father Fargis. 



Geneva: Gautier. — Chiefly engaged in testing chronometers and 

 watches. Observations of the sun and of comets have been made with 

 the equatorial. Dr. Eaoul Gautier has been appointed professor of 

 astronoujy and director of the observatory, Col. E. Gautier retaining 

 the title of honorary director. 



Glasgow (England): Grant. Transit circle observations. 



GoTTiNGEN : Schur. — Ileliometer used in measuring Priesepe, Ple- 

 iades, and double stars. (1889.) 



Greenwich: Christie. — In the report for 1889 it is noted that the 

 observations with the transit circle by reflexion have been much facili- 

 tated and improved by using an amalgamated copper-bottom mercury 

 trough for the artiflcial horizon. Two photographic objectives have 

 been tried, one of G inches aperture to be used as a pilot for the 13-inch 

 star-charting telescope stars, and the other of 4 inches in connection 

 •with the 28-inch refractor. 



The annual visitation in 1890 took place on June 7. The collection 

 of historical instruments and the new photographic equatorial espe- 

 cially attracted the attention of some 300 visitors present. It is pro- 

 posed to put up a large new building with four wings to relieve the 

 overcrowded condition of the older buildings. It is expected that the 

 Dew i:8-inch refractor will be installed at an early day. The 13-inch 

 photographic equatorial was received from Grubb on March 17, 1890, 

 and was mounted and made ready for use. The astronomer royal re- 

 ported that the work of the observatory had proceeded without essen- 

 tial modiflcation. 



"The observations for the longitude of Paris made in 1888 have now 

 been completely reduced and the deflnitive results found by the French 

 and English observers are respectively, 9>" 21«.04 and O-" 20».84. In 

 view of this unsatisfactory discordance - - - it seems desirable 

 that the determination should be repeated with interchange of instru- 

 ments as well as of observers." 



The 1887 volume of Greenwich observations contains among its ap- 

 pendices the ten-year catalogue deduced from observations made from 

 1877 to 188G. The total number of stars is 4,059, the positions being 

 given for 1880. 



Harvard College : PtcAerin^.— Miss C. W. Bruce, of New York, 

 has made a gift of $50,000 to the Harvard observatory to be applied to 

 the construction aiul nuuntenance of a photographic telescope having 

 an objective of about 24 inches aperture and a focal length of 11 feet. 

 The figuring of the lens has been intrusted to Alvan Clark, who has 

 experienced some difllculty in securing proper glass. The Rache 8-inch 

 telescope of similar construction has been in constant use in Cambridge 



