130 : Scientific Intelligence. 
and azimuth and even hour circles, may be used in connection with the 
foot-piece if desired. i! 
One of the peculiarities of this instrument is, that the large speculum 
is held in its position by a system of triangles so ar 
slight pressure requisite is mainly counteracted by antagonist pressutt 
upon the face. ees 
ut the great excellence of this telescope lies in the remarkably 
accurate figure of the speculum. The singularly sharp outline of the 
stellar disks, the great clearness of the components of almost the closest 
multiple stars, the very satisfactory performance on the clusters: and 
nebuls seem nearly to evince entire absence of spherical aberration 
Indeed, the figure must be a very close approximation to the = 
curve, if it is not the very curve itself, ee 
Previously to the 23d of July, on account of the state of the atmoe 
examined the last named star with a power of 275, and the separatio? 
was clear to them all. Ve 
an examination of several celestial objects at the Albany Academy 
(at the conclusion of the late meeting of the “ American Associalia? 
for the Advancement of Science,”) at which severa gentlemen 5" 
present, Mr. S. Alexander, Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy, 
lows: 
Cy) ; 
I was present at a partial trial of the sixteen feet reflecting gat 
made by Mr. Josiah Lyman, on the evening of August 23d. The nig 
might have been resolved av: n accustomed to the use of 8 
refractor ; but I could not help regarding the performance of Mr. Ly 
man’s telescope as highly satisfactory. 
Albany, Aug. 25, 1851. 
On the evenings of August 28th and. 29th, at Lenox, Mr. L. 
the instrument on « quulei, in compan with several individuals; 
among whom was Dr. Sabin, a physician of that place, and on the latte 
evening Dr. Skinner and lady, of New York city. The appearanc? 
was precisely as represented in the following diagram, which has bee 
shown to all the persons who observed, and approved by them. ~ 
description of this star in Kendall’s Uranography, published in 1944, 
and taken from the latest observations of Struve and Maedler, is ‘hi* 
oh 
