1318 



A USTRALASIA ILL USTRA TED. 



largest in Australia ; very perfect self-recording instruments are quite a feature at the 

 Observatory. Similar instruments are being gradually distributed to selected stations 

 inland. Since 1878, a weather-chart has been published daily, and daily weather-tele- 

 grams are now received from all the colonies of Australasia, and combined in the 

 weather-chart. The time-ball service has been kept up since 1858. A similar time-ball 



was established in New- 

 castle in 1871, and time- 

 signals are sent every 

 day all over the colony. 

 Rain observations are 

 regularly made at 866 

 places, and complete 

 meteorological observa- 

 tions at a number of care- 

 fully selected stations. 



The Melbourne Ob- 

 servatory was first estab- 

 lished at Williamstown, 

 with the object of giving 

 time-signals to the ship- 

 ping, and rating chro- 

 nometers. Mr. R. L. J. 

 Ellery, the present As- 

 tronomer, was appointed 



to organize and manage it, and instruments suitable to the proposed work were erected, 

 but the colony was making such rapid strides that it soon became necessary to 

 start a trigonometrical survey, and Mr. Ellery was appointed to direct it in con- 

 nection with the Observatory. This called for better instruments, and a long series 

 of observations to determine the exact position of the transit instrument, the initial 

 point of the survey. In 1863 the Observatory was removed from Williamstown to 

 the Domain surrounding Government House, and Mr. Ellery then took charge of 

 the meteorological work as well ; this had been previously done by Dr. Neumeyer. 

 By the cordial assistance of Sir Henry Barkly, the Governor, and Sir George Verdon, 

 the Colonial Treasurer, liberal grants of money were made, and the Observatory furnished 

 with all necessary instruments of first-class quality; and to these were added, in 1869, 

 the great reflector, which has a mirror 4 feet in diameter, and cost altogether nearly 

 .10,000. The work of the Observatory has been principally astronomical, and several 

 volumes of star observations, many extra-meridional observation's, and a volume of the 

 work done with the great reflector have been published ; this last records the work done 

 upon Southern Nebula:. Some of the best photographs of the moon have been obtained with 

 the great reflector, and regular photographs of the sun are taken with the photo-heliograph. 

 Time-signals are distributed daily, and the old time-ball at Williamstown is still dropped, 

 as it is in the most convenient place for shipping. Self-registering meteorological and 

 magnetical instruments are constantly at work in the Observatory and regular observations 



THE MOON. 

 From a Photograph by Mr. B. L. J. Ellery, of the Melbourne Observatory. 



