PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS, 165 
The following values were adopted from 1900. 
General precession ... ses ... 50°2453 
Lunisolar precession aint ... 90°3684 
ib) ape pe tad sep ee 20 on 
Tee Pies aise sa nee a 20a 
Solar Parallax sh ae a 8-80 
Constant of Nutation a co 9:21 
Constant of Aberration ... ee 20-47 
The discussion by American astronomers which followed the 
publication of the above results, especially in regard to the con- 
stants of precession and aberration as adopted by the Conference, 
shows how great is the importance to be attached to the expan- 
sion of meridian observations, and how urgent the demands for 
increased refinement in this class of work. It seems, therefore, 
that in our immediate future we in Australia also must be deeply 
concerned in fundamental astronomy of position. 
The Adelaide and Perth Observatory could not perhaps have a 
better opportunity of rendering extremely valuable service, the 
one by continuing, and the other by joining in due course, in the 
observation of zero stars for our astrophotographic plates, and to 
carry on every investigation, according to modern methods, which 
may tend to improve the observations and free the results from 
every possible source of error. 
Such assistance would be all the more valuable as it would 
enable the required star places to be determined within a reason- 
ably short interval from the epoch of reduction 1900, and would 
certainly be in accordance with that system of astronomical 
co-operation which is rendered so desirable and in fact necessary 
by the great breadth of modern undertakings, of which the 
Astronomische Gesellschaft and the astrophotographic scheme 
are the uppermost exponents of our century. 
It may be clearly concluded that the Observatories in Australia 
need not introduce any more systematic work in their programme 
for the immediate future than that already considered. Other 
branches of astronomical research must be left, and recommended 
to the amateur astronomers of the colonies. 
The work of the amateur astronomer lies generally in the 
direction most suitable to his tastes and means. 
If he possess ability and enthusiasm he may indeed be reckoned 
as a considerable factor in the advancement of his particular 
sphere of action. 
He may take up a subject—a single planet, for instance—and 
devote all his available time to it, with a very strong probability 
that he will materially advance our knowledge of that planet. 
Many important and interesting paths of research are yet left 
for exploration in our southern skies. | Here, again, co-operation 
