164 ASTRONOMY FOR 1889, 1890. 



Melbourne: Ellery. — Transit-circle observations, observations of 

 comets and astroids and of stellar spectra. The great reflector has 

 been repolished, and its performance is reported as improved. The 

 photographic telescope for the international chart work has been re- 

 ceived and mounted. The Second Melbourne General Catalogue of 

 Stars, containing 1,211 stars and embodying the results of observa- 

 tions made with the old transit circle from the beginning of 1871, has 

 been published. 



Milan: ScMaparelli. — The 18-inch equatorial was used for double- 

 star measures; the observations of Mercury, 1881-'88, were discussed, 

 and the rotation period determined. (1889.) 



Munich : Seeliger. — Work on a catalogue of 33,082 stars ; observa- 

 tions of comets and measures of the star cluster in Perseus. 



Natal : Nevill. — Observations of the position of the moon. There 

 has been formed a manuscript catalogue of about 4,000 observations of 

 right ascensions of zodiacal stars used in determining the places of the 

 moon during the years 1883-88. Time service. 



Nice: Perrotin. — Charlois has been remarkably successful in his 

 search for new asteroids. The third volume of Annals contains a new 

 chart of the solar spectrum by Thollon, the concluding part of the dis- 

 cussion of the theory of Vesta by Perrotin, and the observations made 

 in the years 1887-'88. 



O'Gyalla : Konkoly. — Observations of sun spots and meteors ; pho- 

 tographic researches. 



Oxford University : Fritchard. — Experimental work on the new 

 photographic objectives by Grubb has occupied much time; the par- 

 allaxes of six more stars have been determined by photography. (1890.) 



Paris: Mouchez. — The large transit circle has been used for the sun, 

 planets, and stars of Lalande's catalogue ; the Gambey transit for ob- 

 servation of fundamental stars in groups of 24 to 48 hours; the 

 Gambey circle for experiments on flexure and the determination of 

 latitude; comets and nebulse have been observed with the west equa- 

 torial, and the equatorial coude has been used in determining the con- 

 stants of refraction and aberration. The work for which the Paris ob- 

 servatory has been especially known of late years, astronomical pho- 

 tography, has been actively pursued by the Henrys. The frontispiece 

 of Admiral Mouchez's report for 1889 is a representation of the great 

 equatorial coude of 18 metres focal length and 0.6 metre (23.62 inches) 

 aperture. Attention has been given to photographing of stellar spectra 

 by placing i)risms of 22° or 45° in front of the objective of the tele- 

 scope, and Admiral Mouchez has announced that spectroscopic obser- 

 vations will form a regular part of the observatory work in future. 



Potsdam : Vogel. — Astrophysical work, determination of the motion 

 of stars in the line of sight by means of photography ; spectrum analysis 

 in general ; photometric measures of large.planets and a photometric 



