+o —s ; -s 
Miscellanies. pebecs’ “S280 
down to other observations. It would be best, therefore, that the 
director should be allowed to regulate his own establishment. 
arge observatories, like those of Greenwich, Kénigsberg, and 
rpat, require, in the present state of science, large telescopes, the 
art of dividing having been carried so far, that small instruments will 
notanswer. The necessity for large telescopes for the meridian in- 
struments, as well as for other uses, renders such an establishment 
very costly, and requires that it shall be independent of others. It 
appears not to be the intention, at present, to erect such an observa- 
tory in the United States, and details in regard to it are therefore 
unnecessary. 
But smaller observatories may mess be useful to science, ritronant 
for geographical purposes. Such a one, for example, as would be 
furnished by a room with a — founds, connected with a second 
having a free horizon. The first to have cuts north and south and 
east and west, the second to eve: a turning dome. The following 
named instruments would be suitable for such an observatory. 
1. A meridian circle with a 42 inch peneiaeii and 
20 inch circle, - 1,000 Rix Doils. 
2. A telescope of 72 inches focal length - Ot ea 
3. An astronomical clock,  - . 400. '. 
4,4 chronoaiai ee os ~ ~ 500 “ 
5. Small transit instrument, 350 “ 
' 6. Small Eoecce. patsaeiiaee, thermometers, 
&c., a theodolite, &c, - 750 “6 
z 3,900 « 
or about $3,000. 
A small observatory would thus be furnished for about three thou- 
sand dollars. 
Determinations of the places of stars and planets, and even of the 
asteroids, may be made with the circle as far as the power of the tele- 
scope permits. Director Hansen, at Seeberg, and Professor Schwerdt, 
‘ Spire, have made excellent observations “with a similar instrument. 
» Observations of moon-culminating stars for longitude may be also 
. aaade with it. 
at * Observations of more difficult objects, except perbkee the nearest 
f, ouble stars, of comets, for the exterior of the planets, &c., may be 
made with the larger telescope. 
__ The small transit instrument, placed east and west, will give the 
latitude within limits depending upon the accuracy to which the 
declinations of the stars are determined, and in conjunction with the 
chronometer, will serve to determine the geographical positions of 
places which may be aoe na a peng observations are made 
Vol, xxxvi1, No. 1.—Oct.-Dec 
ry 
7 ae 
