ASTRONOMY FOR 1889, 1890. 169 



au(l published in volume 2 of the Americau Journal of Psychology. Au 

 important contribution to the astronomical side of the subject is au 

 investigation by Dr. Wislicenus, of the Strasburg Observatory, who has 

 investigated the personal equation in transit observations, not only for 

 a horizontal position of the telescope, but for all inclinations. By plac- 

 ing a small couvex lens behind the ocular an artiScial star is obtained 

 which is easily moved in the plane of the reticule with a velocity corre- 

 sponding to any declination. Dr. Wislicenus concludes from his experi- 

 ments that the inclination of the telescope has a considerable effect 

 upon the observer's personal equation. 



One of the essays contributed to the celebration of the Pulkowa 

 Jubilee was a discussion of absolute personal equation by H. G. van de 

 Sande Bakhuyzen. The artificial star observed was the meridian mark 

 of the transit circle, to which an apparent motion was given by inter- 

 posing a prism fixed exceutrically to a circular rotating plate. Very 

 satisfactory results were obtained. The personality depending upon 

 direction of apparent motion seemed to be generally small for seven 

 observers who tried the apparatus. 



ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETIES. 



The Astronomical Society of the Pacific. — Under the leadership of Pro- 

 fessor Holden and the astronomers at the Lick Observatory^ the Astro- 

 nomical Society of the Pacific was founded February 7, 1889, as a result 

 of the cordial cooperation of amateur and professional astronomers in 

 successfully observing the total solar eclipse of the preceding New 

 Year's day. Any person interested in astronomy is invited to join its 

 membership. Three meetings each year are held in San Francisco and 

 three meetings at Mount Hamilton. An excellent series of publi- 

 cations, in octavo form, issued at irregular intervals, has reached the 

 second volume. These " publications " contain papers read before the 

 society, and also notices from the Lick Observatory prepared by members 

 of the observatory stafi. A fund has been established known as the 

 "Donohoe fund for the maintenance of the comet medal of the Astronom- 

 ical Society of the Pacific," the principal conditions of the gift, a medal of 

 bronze, being the discovery of a new comet or the first precise deter- 

 mination of position of a periodic comet at any one of its expected 

 returns. The discoverer is to make his discovery known in the usual 

 way, and also to communicate it immediately^ to the director of the Lick 

 Observatory. No application for the bestowal of the medal is required. 



The British Astronomicnl Association. — A new astronomical society, 

 to be called the Biitish Astronomical Association, has been formed in 

 England to meet the wishes and needs of those who find the subscrip- 

 tion of the Royal Astronomical Society too high, or its j)apers too ad- 

 vanced, or who are, as in the case of ladies, practically excluded from 

 becoming fellows ; it is also to afford a means of direction and or- 

 ganization in the work of observation to amateur astronomers. The 



