1887.] on the Applications of PJiotography in Astronomy. 167 



long round of routine labour, requiring skilled and careful superin- 

 tendence it is true, but still routine work of a very trying character. 



Such work never has been, and never will be, the occupation of 

 the amateur or single-handed astronomer. Essential as such work is 

 to the progress of astronomy, it can only be executed at regular 

 Government establishments, and therefore the conclusions of the 

 Conference will have to be submitted to the various Governments, and 

 the necessary votes of money must be secured. France has already 

 definitely sanctioned the funds for four photographic telescopes of the 

 kind which the Conference has decided to adoi)t for the work. And 

 we cannot doubt that the modest claims which will be made on 

 England's treasury for her share in this great work will be liberally 

 responded to. 



But there are other applications of photography to astronomy 

 which have a daily growing importance. It was desirable that the 

 Conference should recognise this work, and establish relations with 

 those engaged upon it. 



Accordingly the following resolution was passed ; — 



" The Congress expresses the desirability of there being a special 

 committee which shall occupy itself with the applications of photo- 

 graphy to astronomy, other than the construction of the chart. It 

 recognises the importance of these applications and the relations 

 which it is desirable to establish between difierent kinds of work. 

 The Congress request Messrs. Common and Janssen to undertake the 

 realisation of this proposition." 



At first sight this may appear a Somewhat barren resolution — but 

 indeed it is not so. It must be remembered that the Congress was 

 convened for the purpose of discussing a special object, it had 

 arrived at definite conclusions and recommendations in connection 

 with that object, and it was felt that to go beyond that object might 

 imperil the adoption of its recommendations by the various Govern- 

 ments. 



But in the hands of men like Common and Janssen the resolution 

 of the Conference is not likely to be a barren one, indeed it is cer- 

 tain that it will not be so, for they are already taking steps to unite 

 fellow- workers in this field. 



Their Committee will associate itself with those who are engaged 

 upon the Charts, and will follow up in detail and with special instru- 

 ments and methods the subjects of interest which from time to time 

 will be encountered by the routine workers. 



So remarkable has been the progress of the miscellaneous appli- 

 cation of photography to astronomy within the past year, that some 

 account of it is essential to bring the history of the subject up to date. 



For example, we have the recent work of Professor Pritchard, of 

 Oxford. 



He has applied photography during the past year to the most 

 refined and difficult problem of practical astronomy, viz. the deter- 

 mination of the annual parallax (i. e. the distance) of the fixed stars. 



