THE DOMINION ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY AND 

 THE BOUNDARY AND GEODETIC SURVEYS. 



Astrophysics. 



The past year has been very favourable for observing and 906 

 stellar spectrograms have been secured as compared with 531 of the 

 previous year. Six new binary orbits have been completed and pub- 

 lished, namely; 23 Cassiopeiae, co Cassiopeiae, 136 Tauri, f Androme- 

 dae, 1149 Groombridge and 50 Draconis. Additional observations 

 of 6"^ Tauri have been secured which strengthen the determination 

 of its orbit. Two other orbits, /* Persei and B. A. C. 5890, are prac- 

 tically complete but have not been published. Some nine others are 

 more or less complete. Some stars, upon which considerable labour 

 has been expended, have been abandoned as the small range in velocity 

 coupled with the poor quality of their spectra renders the determina- 

 tion of the periods difficult. 



As the number of known spectroscopic binaries among the brighter 

 stars is rapidly becoming worked up, some attention has been given 

 to stars for which no observations are as yet available. These are 

 principally of the B and A types between 5 • and 5 • 5 photographic 

 magnitude and it is expected that some new binaries will be discovered 

 among ^hem. 



A statistical study has been made of the motions of 167 stars 

 whose radial velocities, proper motions and parallaxes are available. 



A set of star maps to facilitate the observation of meteors has 

 been prepared and published and they have since been adopted by 

 the American Meteor Society. 



The glass disc for the 72-inch reflector left Antwerp a few days 

 before war broke out and in due time reached the J. A. Brashear Co., 

 contractors for the optical parts. 



The edges were trued up and a hole in the centre 9 inches in 

 diameter was successfully cut out. After roughly polishing both sur- 

 faces the best one was chosen and it is now being ground to the desired 

 form. Satisfactory progress is being made in the construction of 

 the mounting for the telescope and it is expected that it will be erected 

 by the beginning of next year. 



A carriage road has been built by the Provincial Government 

 of British Columbia to the observatory site at the summit of Little 

 Saanich Hill. Contracts have been let by the Dominion Department 

 of Public Works for the construction of the building, with dome 66 



