74 president's address — section a. 



ing question with the British Association Committee for the sm-vey 

 of the physical aspect of the moon, and one of the members, Mr. 

 John Phillips, M.A., F.K.A.S., determined to try what he could 

 do with his own telescope, which had a 6Jin. Cooke objective and 

 lift, focus. Though, in part, prepared at the beginning of the 

 year, he was not able to make an actual beginning until July, and 

 on 15th and 18th, assisted by Mr. Bates, he obtained some photo- 

 graphs, which were exhibited at the British Association meeting 

 September, 1853. The committee thought that they proved beyond 

 a doubt that the research is of a useful and practicable kind, and 

 may be followed up by better things. The images were on collo- 

 dion plates, and measured l-2ii). in diameter and were enlarged by 

 an eyepiece in the telescope to 2in., and the time of exposure was 

 thirty seconds. 



In 1 854 the Photographic Society of Liverpool", being anxious 

 to show moon photographs with others of more general character 

 to the meeting of the British Association that ycitr, appointed a 

 committee of the members, of whom Mr. J. Hartnup,the astronomer, 

 was one, to mtike some lunar photographs for exhibition at the 

 British Association meetins; in Liverpool in September of that year.''" 



The telescope used had an objective 8iu. diameter and 12^ft. focal 

 length. Mr. Hartnup, of course, did the work, and got some very 

 good photographs, of which, it is reported, the photographs of the 

 moon shown at the meeting of the British Association at Liverpool 

 were said to have " outstripped all olher attempts made elsewhere." 

 and in the report of the council of tlie Royal Astronomical 

 Society, February 10th, 1854. it is said that " tiiC beautiful art of 

 photography seems likely to be of much utility in conducing to 

 a more accurate knowledge of the physical condition of celestial 

 bodies." 



At the Royal Astronomical Society meeting, June 9th, 1854, Mr. 

 Hartnup exhibited ten collodion pictures of the moon, l-35in. in 

 diameter, and ten enlarged copies, some of which were 4^m. in 

 diameter. These were all taken during May, 1854. 



When thrown upon the screen and made 8ft. in diameter they 

 were much admired by the astronomers present, and the president 

 alluded to the gratifying progress of Mr. Hartnup's labors in 

 connection with this interesting subject. The report of the Royal 

 Astronomical Society for 1854 goes on to say that Sir John 

 Herschel strongly reconlmended'^ under date April 2Jth, 1854'*, 

 the daily photographic representation of sun spots, and the Kew 

 Committee took the matter up and moved the covmcil of the Royal 

 Society, who decided that the work should be undertaken at Kew, 

 and placed in Mr. I)e La Rue's hands the duty of carrving out the 

 work for the council Hoss, the optician, made the photo-helio- 

 graph, which had an objective 3-4m. diameter, a focus of 50in., 

 and an enlarging lens, which made the sun's image 12in. in diameter. 

 While this was going on an amateur, the Rev. J. B. Reade, M.A.^ 



