CHAPTER III.— THE OBSERVATORIES OF NORTH 

 AMERICA. 



Mp:teorological Station at Mount Washington (6279 feet). 



'^i''his station was occupied as a signal station by the United States 

 Gt)vernment for seventeen years, and was closed in 1888. 



The mean temperature at Mt. Washington is about 26° F., the 

 highest observed was 74", the lowest, — 50°, the average daily range 

 "being about 14°. 



" Mount Washington not only has higher winds than the summit of 

 Pike's Peak for short periods, but also for days and months. On Feb- 

 ruary 27, 1886, the mean hourly velocity at Mt. Washington was 111 

 milas for the entire day, and in January, 1878, the extraordinary 

 velocity of 186 miles per hour was recorded." The wind at the sum- 

 mit has about five and one half times the velocity at sea level. The 

 mean annual cloudiness at this station is 57 per centum, and the 

 cloudiness, together with the high winds, makes the summit quite unfit 

 for ordinary astronomical observations. 



For completeness I may add that a railway to the summit has been 

 available since 1869. 



Astronomical Observations at Summit in the Sierra Nevada 

 (7200 feet). By Professor G. Davidson. 



Professor Davidson's report to the Chief of the Coast Survey 

 l)(gins thus : "In accordance with a plan I submitted to you on the 

 16th of February (1872) I occupied a station ... at Summit 

 . . . to determine whether great elevations were better than small 

 ones for astronomical observations." The station was occupied during 

 J idy and part of August, 1872. Meteorological records for 358 con- 

 secutive days (December, 1866, to December, 1867) show 270 of them 

 to have been clear. The total snowfall was 45 feet. 



The astronomical observations and tests at Summit were made with 

 two telescopes. With the iirst (apei'ture, 2 inches; magnifying power, 

 85 to 40) the companion to Polaris yv as, seen. This, however, is not 

 remarkable. It has been seen in New York City by Dr. Henry 



44 



