Abstract
THE NATAL OBSERVATORY.—Mr. Neison, Superintendent of this Observatory, has issued his Report for 1886, and it appears from it that the astronomical work during that year was almost wholly confined to routine observations with the transit instrument, though the meteorological observations were carried on as usual. This partial suspension of activity was due to the fact that only one assistant is now on the staff, and that, through the severe illness of the Superintendent during the first part of the year and his enforced absence in England during the later part, the assistant, Mr. Grant, was left practically single-handed. The present year will probably show better results, as Mr. Neison returned to his post before the close of 1886, and several needed instrumental improvements and repairs had been successfully carried out. Mr. Neison had commenced an important work connecting the fundamental declinations of the star catalogues of the northern and southern observatories, by means of observations of the differences in zenith distance between 32 selected stars which cross the meridians of the great northern observatories near their zeniths on the one hand, and a set of corresponding southern circumpolar stars on the other.
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 37, 158 (1887). https://doi.org/10.1038/037158a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/037158a0