ANNUAL MEETING, 



Thursday, March 14, 1890. 



SHORT ADDRESS ON THE PROGRESS IN 



ASTRONOMY DURING 1 888-1889. 



By R. L. J. Ellery, F.R.S, F.R.A.S. 



In pursuance of an arrangement made by your Council, 

 that at our annual meeting an endeavour should be made to 

 lay before the members a popular and brief outline of the 

 progress in various branches of science during the past 

 year, I have undertaken to give a short account of the 

 principal items in the year's advance in astronomical 

 knowledge. Although there is nothing very thrilling or 

 remarkable to record, there are many points of considerable 

 importance and interest, some of which we recognise as 

 steps towards a better knowledge of the constitution of the 

 universe and of individual parts of the solar system, as well 

 as of the tenants of space in regions beyond. 



The large number of comets that come under our 

 observation every year now, as compared with former years, 

 must not be regarded as evidence of the existence of a 

 greater number than formerly, but of the fact that the 

 heavens are now so closely scrutinised, that but few which 

 come to perihelion, escape detection. During the year 1 888, 

 no less than six were discovered, viz. : — 



(a) Sawerthal's Comet, discovered at Cape, February 18. 



(6) Eucke's „ re-discovered, August 3. 



(c) Brooks' 



(cl) Fayes' 

 (e) Barnard's 

 (/) Barnard's 



August 7. 

 ,, August 9. 



Lick Observatory, September 3. 

 re-discovered October 31 . 



