Abstract
THE MELBOURNE OBSERVATORY.—We have received Mr. Ellery's Report, dated October 6, 1885, which refers to the year ending the previous June 30. The great reflector, after some slight repairs, readjustments, &c., is stated to be in excellent working order. The work done with this instrument has been chiefly confined to a revision of southern nebulas, already observed by former observers, preliminary to publication. One hundred and seventy-two nebulae have been re-observed and re-drawn to compare with the plates to be published. Many of these nebulas have been observed twice, and some three times, and none were completed until they had been observed on a first-class night. The new transit-circle with object-glass of 8 inches aperture, constructed by Messrs. Troughton and Simms, has been in continuous use for all the meridian work of the Observatory since August 22, 1884, and has proved very satisfactory in every respect. The number of right a cension observations obtained with this instrument since its erection was 2287, and the number of declination observations 983, comprising observations of a list of stars selected by Dr. Auwers for reduction of zone and Transit of Venus observations, stars observed with comets, and stars selected from the Melbourne zones. All the individual observations are completely reduced. The second Melbourne general catalogue, containing the meridian results from 1871 to 1884 inclusive, thus incorporating the whole of the results obtained with the old transit-circle up to the date of its disuse, is in process of formation. An alteration has been made in the photo-heliograph, so as to secure a picture of 8 inches diameter instead of 4 inches, as formerly. There have been several interruptions to the continuity of the sun-photographs during the year, owing to derangement of the instrument and dome, and only 130 pictures were obtained up to June II, when the instrument was dismantled for repairs. The sixth volume of the results of astronomical observations for the years 1876 to 1880 inclusive, was published in February 1885, and has been distributed. The first part of the observations with the great Melbourne telescope (NATURE, vol. xxxiii. p. 538), from its erection in 1869 to the present date, has also been published during the year to which this Report refers.
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 34, 155–156 (1886). https://doi.org/10.1038/034155a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/034155a0