ASTRONOMY. l5l 



of each day to distingnislied astronomers, specialists, who may wish to 

 turn its enormous power upon some one of the many unsolved prol)- 

 lems of astronomy. Such astronomers may be invited to visit the 

 observatory for periods of several months, and will be given every 

 jiossible facility. The legislature of California has provided money for 

 a permanent support of the observatory, 



Lund (1885). — Dr. Daner is principally occupied with stellar spectra 

 and variable stars. Herr Laurin has observed with the meridian in- 

 strument a number of stars with large proper motion. 



McCormicJc Observatory. — Professor Stone's report for the year end- 

 ing June 1, 1886, states that the 26inch equatorial has been employed 

 chielly in examining and sketching southern nebula?. The nebula in 

 Orion and theTrifid and Omega nebula? have received special attention; 

 many others have been studied, and two hundred and thirty-three new 

 nebuloe have been discovered. "The features seen indicate that the 

 performance of the instrument employed surpasses that of any of the 

 great reflectors which have been used in the examination of nebula?." 

 Double stars, comets, and occullations by tlie moon have also been ob- 

 served. Observations with the small equatorial for the revision of the 

 23° zone are now practically completed. Electric lamps are used for 

 illuminating the circles and field of the great equatorial, and have 

 proved most useful. The 45-foot dome revolves as easily as when first 

 erected. 



The cost of the observatory building and instruments was about 

 $70,000, of which $04,000 was the gift of Leander J. McCormick. A 

 working fund of $25,000 was given by William H. Vanderbilt, and an 

 endowment of the directorship of $50,000 was subscribed by the alumni 

 of the University of Virginia. 



Professor Stone is assisted by Mr. F. P. Leavenworth and Mr. F. Mai- 

 ler. Part 2 of volume i, on the great comet of 1882, and part 3, on the 

 nebula of Orion, have been issued during the year. 



McGill College Observatory (1886). — A most thorough discussion of a 

 series of longitude observations by Professor McLeod, at McGill Col- 

 lege, and Professor Eogers, at Harvard College Observatory, has been 

 published: the resulting longitude of the pier of the transit instrument 

 at McGill Observatory being 4'' 54'" 18^543 i 0^043 west of Greenwich. 

 The center of the dome of the Harvard Observatory is assumed to be 

 in longitude 4^ 44'" 30«.993 rt 0^041 west of Greenwich. 



Melbourne {['S'i'o). — Mr. Ellery has published the first installment of 

 observations of southern nebulte made with the great Melbourne re- 

 flector from 1809 to 1885. A description of the great 4-foot Cassegrain- 

 ian reflector is given ; and there are several lithographs of small nebula?. 

 Some fine results have been obtained iu photography both of the moon 

 and of stars and nebulie. 



Mexico. See Tacubaya. 



Milan. — The 18 inch Merz-Repsold refractor was mounted and ready 



