The Laws Observatory. 487 
stand which rests on the brick pier described above. The 
tube of the telescope is of polished mahogany and the other 
parts of the mounting are of steel and brass. The mechanical 
work is of the finest character throughout. Both lenses of 
the object glass are free from cracks and scratches and seem 
to be as good as when new. Yet both the optical quality of 
the telescope and the character of the mounting leave much 
to be desired as compared with instruments of more modern 
design. 
The telescope is provided with graduated circles in both 
right ascension and declination, position filar micrometer, 
seventeen eye-pieces of powers ranging from 60 to 600 diam- 
eters, driving clock, finding telescope, solar attachment and 
spectroscope. The hour circle is 9.8 inches in diameter, is 
divided on silver to one minute of time and reads by two 
verniers to one second of time. The declination circle is 14.6 
inches in diameter, is divided on silver to ten minutes of are 
and reads by two verniers to ten seconds of are. 
The filar micrometer was no doubt furnished with the 
instrument by the makers. The value of one turn of the 
screw is 20."82. Whole revolutions are read from a toothed 
wheel with index, and the micrometer head reads to thou- 
sandths of arevolution. The micrometer box can be moved 
only in position angle, but the so-called fixed thread is moved 
by a screw which has no graduated head. This arrangement 
renders measures of distance very inconvenient since it makes 
necessary a superposition of the wires for every observation of 
distance. The position circle is 4.3 inches in diameter, is 
divided on silver to quarter degrees and reads by two verniers 
to single minutes of arc. The threads may be illuminated 
with either bright or dark field. 
The spectroscope is by Fauth & Co. and is provided with 
Miguumeea e 
observations on comets, and on some of the newly discovered planets, have 
been made with this telescope by Dr. B. A. Gould and Prof. Joseph Winlock, 
Some of which have been published in ‘ Gould’s Astronomical Journal.’ 
This great telescope has recently been returned to Shelby College.’’ 
In 1869 Prof. Winlock, who was then Director of the Observatory of Har- 
vard College, went with his assistants to Shelbyville, Kentucky, and there 
used this telescope in observing the total eclipse of the sun, which occurred 
On the 7th of August of that year. 
