inch Equatorial (MERZ), under charge of Dr. Knorre. The smaller Meridian instruments are under Dr. Tietjen's care.

The principal work of the Meridian Circle was the continued observation of the 521 fundamental stars of the V. Y. S. Catalogue. This work was interrupted in 1876 by the operations for determining the longitudes of Berlin, Vienna, and Odessa from Greenwich. One thousand three hundred and thirty transits and 1328 declinations were observed in 1877.

Various other stars have been added to the observing list, among others 360 stars of Tobias Meyer's catalogue, stars for Mr. Gill's Mars observations, etc. Publications have been made of the work of Dr. Schmidt on the division errors of the small Meridian Circle, and of Dr. Müller on the Micrometer screw of the Equatorial. The time-service has been carried on as usual. Clocks are controlled at the Time-ball Stations of Neufahrwasser, Swinemünde, Bremerhaven, and Cuxhaven, as well as six different public squares in Berlin.

The principal work of the Computing Bureau has been, as before, the computation of the Berliner Jahrbuch. Twenty minor-planet circulars have been issued. Of the thirty-six planets whose new elements are given in these, twenty-seven were computed in the Bureau. Of the sixty-four ephemerides, forty-seven were computed in Berlin.

University Observatory, Bonn.

Professor E. SCHOENFELD, Director.

The Meridian Circle is engaged on the zone observations (zone +40° to +50°). Dr. Hugo Seeliger observes at the Telescope; Dr. Deichmüller at the Microscopes.

Five hundred and seventy-four partial zones were observed up to December 31, 1877, and about four hundred and eighty reduced. Comets a, b, c, e, and ƒ, 1877, were observed. The Durchmusterung has been carried on, and 70,517 star-positions determined.

For comparison, the catalogues of Lalande, Rumker, Piazzi, Schjellerup, Bessel's and Argelander's zones, and the Anonymæ of Yarnall's Catalogue, have been completely reduced to 1855. For the cluster M. 23 (h. 1990) G. C. 4346, a special Durchmusterung has been made. Over 145,000 star-positions have been fixed during 1876-77. The variable stars Mira and T Monocerotis were observed.

Royal Observatory, Brussels.

F. QUETELET, Director.

A new Equatorial, by MERZ, of 0.038m (=14.96 inches, English) aperture, has been ordered, and will be mounted by CoOKE. A Meridian Circle, similar to the Strasburg Circle, has been ordered from REPSOLD.

Another Equatorial, 0.015m (=5.91 inches) aperture, is employed for spectroscopic work. Drawings of Mars were made with it by M. L. Niesten.

The new instruments, when installed, will be devoted to three principal objects: first, to double-star observations of binaries and propermotion stars; second, to observations of Jupiter's satellites in transit; third, to spectroscopic observations, particularly of binaries. The sun is now observed spectroscopically by M. Fiévez.

Düsseldorf Observatory.

Dr. ROBERT LUTHER, Director.

In 1877 thirty-seven Ring-micrometer observations of fourteen planets were made. Since 1847 there have been made 856 observations

of 103 planets.

Private Observatory of Dr. Eppstein, Frankfort-on-the-Main. The principal instrument is a Newtonian Reflector of 6.3 inches aperture, made by BROWNING, costing £26. The minimum visibile is an 11.12 magnitude star.

The work undertaken with the instrument is a continuation of Herschel's sweeps. The field of view of the sweeping eye-piece is 30', and two hundred fields have been swept and 6700 stars counted (1877-September, October, and November).

Gotha Observatory.

Dr. A. KRÜGER, Director.

During the necessary repairs of the Meridian Circle (0.075m aperture, 1.160m focus), the Helsingfors University has lent its Transit Instrument to Dr. Krüger, and this has been used for zone observations (zone +55° to +65°).

Private Observatory of Herr Von Konkoly, O’Gyalla, near Komorn. This observatory has three domes, a Meridian room, and a chemical laboratory.

The instruments are: a BROWNING Reflector, 101 inches aperture, 7 feet focus; a MERZ Refractor, 6 inches aperture, 6 feet focus; a small Telescope, 3 inches aperture, for sun-spot observations; a STARKE Meridian Circle, about 3 inches aperture, circles reading to 1"; two Comet-seekers and minor instruments, and several Spectroscopes; a ZÖLLNER'S Photometer.

The work of 1876-77 has been the formation of a catalogue of one hundred and sixty stars (1m-6m) whose spectra have been observed. Dr. Schrader is assistant, and has conducted a regular series of sunspot observations.

Hamburg Observatory.

Dr. GEORG RUMKER, Director.

The zone observations (zone 80°-81° N. P. D.) were continued on forty-five nights. Mars was observed fourteen nights. Observations of nebulæ, star-spectra, comets, etc., were made with the Equatorial. The Time-ball Stations of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, etc., are provided with time-signals, and the Chronometers of the Prüfungs-Institut are compared. Dr. Georg Koch is assistant.

University Observatory, Leipsic.

Professor C. BRUHNS, Director.

Herr Weinek observes with the Meridian Circle. Mars was observed on 42 nights, and major and minor planets are regularly observed. Dr. Peter, with the Equatorial, has observed on 129 nights, making 176 observations of 35 asteroids, 84 observations of 6 comets, etc. Herr Leppig has observed sun-spots on 195 days with the small Equatorial. Herr Harzer has drawn a number of nebulæ with a 45-foot Refractor, and with the Comet-seeker.

Herr Harzer has investigated the orbit of Brorsen's comet from 1842 to 1846. The first volume of "Leipsic Observations," containing Observations of Nebula and Double Stars, is printing.

The Transit-of-Venus observations are computed at this observatory for the German Commission.

Private Observatory of Dr. Hugo Gericke, Leipsic.

The instrument is a STEINHEIL Refractor, of 4 inches aperture, and 154 observations of 38 asteroids have been made.

University Observatory, Lund.

Professor A. MÖLLER, Director.

Dr. Lindstet, assistant, has investigated the division errors of the Meridian Circle. Mars was observed on ten nights. Double stars and comets have been observed with the Equatorial.

University Observatory, Milan.

Professor M. SCHIAPARELLI, Director.

Eight hundred and forty measures of double stars have been made with the 84-inch Equatorial (MERZ). Σ 2165, =Herculis 281 B, was found to be triple. Comets were also observed, and the surface of Mars studied, and a map made.

Professor Celoria is computing the longitudes of Monaco, Padua, Vienna, Milan, Naples, and Genoa. The time is furnished to the city of Milan.

University Observatory, Mannheim.

Dr. W. VALENTINER, Director.

The cluster G. C. 4410 has been observed assiduously, so that to determine the positions of its 40 stars about 2000 differences in right ascension and about 1000 differences of declination have been made. Two other clusters, G. C. 1166 and G. C. 1454, are observed also, and will probably be completed during 1878. The reduction of the Meridian observations of Barry is so far complete that the printing has already begun in the Jahresberichte of the Mannheimer Verein für Naturkunde. Nine hundred and thirty-two stars were observed by Barry (about 1805) 2573 times, or an average of 2.8 times per star. The probable error of a right ascension of such an average star is ±0.089. The library of the observatory contains 1400 titles.

University Observatory, Moscow.

Dr. TH. BREDICHIN, Director.

In brief, the work of this observatory has been Meridian-circle observations of Mars for parallax, and of various stars; micrometric observations of the cluster in Perseus; comet observations; spectrum of comet 1877, II.; spectroscopic observations of the sun; and photographic observations of the sun and of groups of stars.

Vol. IV. of the Moscow Observatory, 1878, has arrived in this country. It is in quarto form, and in two parts. Part I. contains: 1. Meridian-circle observations of stars of a selected list. 2. A second memoir on the anomalous forms of comets' tails, by Professor Bredichin. This deals with comet 1861, II. 3. Meridian observations of Mars in opposition and comparison stars, by M. Gromadski. These observations extend from July 18 to September 24. The probable error (A) of a single observation is ±0.58′′. Each observation of this series combined with one of the same weight in the southern hemisphere would give the solar parallax with a probable error ±0.19", and hence from twenty such corresponding observations we may expect a value of this doubtful by ±0.04". 4. This section is devoted to Meridian observations of a special list of stars. 5. Spectrum of comet 1877, b. Dr. Bredichin finds this to be: A, 556.4±1.7; B, 515.4 ± 0.7; C, 469.7 ± 2.2. For Coggia's comet these numbers are: A, 563.0; B, 516.0; C, 471.1. For the spectrum of “benzine” they are: A, 563.2; B, 516.4; C, 471.2. Part II. contains: 1. Observations of Mars and comparison stars with the Equatorial. 2. Measures of stars in the cluster in Perseus. 3. Photomet

ric observations with a ZÖLLNER's Photometer; observations of comets, of bands on Jupiter, of a lunar eclipse, etc., and some photoheliographic observations.

Astrophysikalisches Institut, Potsdam.

The buildings are well under way, and some of them are now occupied. Besides the 5-inch STEINHEIL Refractor, one by GRUBB, of 8 inches aperture, has been in use. The principal instrument of the institute, a SCHROEDER Refractor, of 11.7 inches aperture, is now finished, except the mounting.

Dr. Spoerer observed the sun on 229 days in 1877, and on 103 days it was free from spots. The protuberances were also observed. Dr. Vogel has investigated the spectrum of Nova Cygni, and, together with Dr. Müller, has made photometric measures in the solar spectrum. Mars and Jupiter have been studied by Dr. Lohse, who has also examined the structure of solar spots. Dr. Müller has begun a series of photometric observations on the major planets.

University Observatory, Stockholm.

Dr. HUGO GYLDÉN, Director.

A 7-inch Refractor (REPSOLD) has been mounted, as well as a Portable Transit. The principal work of the observatory has been in computation of tables (now published) for general perturbations in comet orbits.

University Observatory, Strasburg.

Professor A. WINNECKE, Director.

The Meridian Circle is not yet mounted, and so could not be used on Mars observations as was hoped. Physical observations of Mars were secured on 19 days. With the small Refractor (6-inch) on 48 nights 124 nebula were observed in connection with neighboring

stars.

Observations of six comets, of Nova Cygni, of double and variable stars, have been made with the Equatorial. The Transit Instrument has been employed by Dr. Schur, who has also observed 38 diameters of Mars, the diameter of the moon (during the total eclipses of February 27 and August 23), and a few double stars with the Heliometer. This instrument will next be employed in measures of the solar diameters; and this series it is intended to continue for a period of eleven years.

Dr. Hartwig has already made measures of the polar diameter on 64 days, of the equatorial on 65 days, without detecting the slightest difference. The diameter of Mars has been measured 30 or more times, and that of Venus on 21 days.