Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/768

Rh 710 OBSERVATORY these institutions hardly two are conducted on the same principles. Thus in Greenwich the instruments and ob servations are all treated according to strict rules laid down by the astronomer -royal, while in Washington or Pulkowa each astronomer has to a certain extent his choice as to the treatment of the instrument and arrangement of the observations. The same is the case with the smaller institutions, in most of which these arrangements vary very much with change of personnel. The way in which the results of observations are pub lished depends principally on the size of the institutions. The larger observatories issue their &quot; Annals &quot;or &quot; Observa tions &quot; as separate periodically-published volumes, while the smaller ones chiefly depend on scientific journals to lay their results before the public, naturally less fully as to details. Among these journals the principal are : Berliner Astronomisches Jahrbuch (for the years 1776 to 1829), Monatliche Correspondenz (edited by Von Zach, 28 vols., 1800-13), Astronomische Nachrichten (founded 1821 ; 107 vols. in 4to, still appearing with two vols. per annum), Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society (47 vols. 4to, from 1822), and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (44 vols. 8vo, from 1827). Subjoined is a catalogue of public and private observa tories now in activity or which have existed within the last hundred years. GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. A. Public Observatories. Greenwich, royal observatory, lat. + 51 28 38&quot; 4. Founded in 1675 for the promotion of astronomy and navigation. The observations have therefore from the first been principally intended to determine the positions of standard stars, the sun and planets, and above all to follow the motion of the moon with as little interruption as possible, both on and outside the meridian. Since 1873 spectro- scopic observations and a daily photographic record of sun-spots have been taken. The observatory is under the direction of the astronomer-royal ; and from the time of its first astronomer, Flam- steed, the institution has always maintained its place in the fore most rank of observatories. Thus the observations of Bradley (ob. 1762) form the foundation of modern stellar astronomy ; but it was especially during the directorship of Airy (1835-81) that the observa tory rose to its present high state of efficiency. There are now a chief assistant, eight assistants, and a staff of computers employed. The principal instruments now in use are : -a meridian circle by Simms (and Ransomes and May as engineers), erected in 1850, having a circle of 6-feet diameter and a telescope of 8-inches aperture ; a large chronograph (1854) ; an altazimuth by Simms and Ransomes and May, for observations of the moon, erected in 1847, with 3- feet circles and 4-inch telescope ; an equatorial refractor by the same makers (O.G. 12 - 8 inches, by Merz), mounted in the &quot;English&quot; manner with long polar axis, chiefly used for spectroscopic work ; photoheliograph by Dallmeyer of 4 -inches aperture, smaller equatorials, clocks, &c. The standard &quot;motor clock&quot; is the centre of a system of electricallyrcontrolled clocks scattered over many provincial towns in the three kingdoms. The magnetical and meteorological department was founded in 1838 ; it contains a complete set of instruments giving continuous photographic records of magnetic declination, horizontal and vertical force, barometric pressure, dry and wet bulb thermometers, &c. The Observations are published with all details from 1750, beginning with 1836 in annual bulky 4to volumes ; special results e.g., five Star Catalogues, Reductions of Lunar ami Planetary Observations are published in separate volumes. Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory, lat. + 51 45 36&quot; 0, long. O h 5 m 2-6 W. Founded in 1771 by the Radcliffe trustees at the instance of Pro fessor Hornsby. Observations were regularly made, but none were published until Manuel J. Johnson was appointed Radcliffe observer in 1839, when systematic observations were commenced with an 8-feet transit instrument by Bird (1773) and a 6-feet mural circle by Jones (1836). Johnson was succeeded in 1860 by Rev. R. Main, who died in 1878, and was followed in 1879 by E. J. Stone. Ilelio- meter (7J inch) by Repsold (1849) ; meridian circle by Troughton and Simms, mounted in 1861, formerly belonging to Mr Carrington ; self-recording meteorological instruments. The staff now consists of three assistants. Besides the annual 8vo volumes of Observations (from 1840), two catalogues of respectively 6317 and 2386 stars, chiefly circumpolar (1860 and 1870) have been published. Oxford, university observatory, lat. + 51 45 34&quot;^2,long. O h 5 m O s 4W. Finished in 1875; is under the Savilian professor of astronomy; there are two assistants. 12J-inch equatorial refractor by Grubb, and a 13 -inch reflector made and presented by Mr De La Rue. The former is used for micrometer work (chiefly on clusters of stars) and photometric observations ; the latter for taking lunar photo graphs, by means of which the director, Professor Pritchard, has investigated the libration of the moon. No. 1 of Astronomical Observations (8vo) was published in 1878. Cambridge, lat. + 52 12 51&quot; &quot;6, long. O h O m 22 s &quot;8 E. Founded by the university senate in 1820. Directors : G. B. Airy, 1828 to 1835 ; J. Challis, to 1861 ; J. C. Adams. Chiefly devoted to meridian work, up to 1870 with a 5-inch transit by Dollond and a mural circle by Jones ; a new meridian circle by Simms, of 8-inches aperture and 3 -feet circles, was then erected, and is being used for determining the places of all the stars down to 9 mag. between + 25 and + 30 decl. The &quot;Northumberland equatorial&quot; was mounted in the &quot;English&quot; fashion in 1838 ; the object-glass by Cauchoix is of Ill-inches aperture and 19-feet focal length. The Observations from 1828 to 1865 are published in 21 4to volumes. Durham, lat. + 54 46 6&quot; 2, long. O h 6 m 19 S 8 W. Founded in 1841, principally by private subscription ; is under the direction of the professor of mathematics and astronomy in the university. There is a small meridian circle by Simms, and an equatorial refractor by Fraunhofer of 6^-inches aperture, with which minor planets, comets, and double stars have been observed. The results from the years 1846-52 have been published in 2 8vo volumes. Liverpool (Bidston near Birkenhead), lat. + 53 24 4&quot;, long. O h 12 m 17 S 2 W. Founded in 1838 by the municipal council; transferred in 1856 to the Docks and Harbour Board ; moved to Birkenhead in 1867. Specially intended for testing the rates of chronometers under different temperatures. Transit instrument by Troughton and Simms, and an 8-inch equatorial by Merz. Kew (Richmond), lat. + 51 28 6&quot;, long. O h l m 15 8 1 W. The central meteorological observatory of the United Kingdom, with self-registering meteorological and magnetical instruments. Estab lished in 1842 under the auspices of the British Association, after wards transferred to the Royal Society. A photoheliograph was employed at Mr De La Rue s expense to take daily sun-pictures from 1863 to 1872. Edinburgh, royal observatory, lat. + 55 57 23&quot; 2, long. O h 12 m 43 S&amp;gt; W. Founded in 1811 by subscription ; the building on the Calton Hill erected in 1818. In 1834 the founders handed over the administration to the Government, and in 1846 the owner ship was similarly transferred. Since 1834 the observatory has been under the direction of the astronomer-royal for Scotland, who is also professor of practical astronomy in the university ; there are two assistants. Professor T. Henderson (1833 to 1845) commenced extensive meridian observations of fixed stai s, since continued by his successor, C. Piazzi Smyth. The mural circle of 6-feet diameter and 8-feet transit are now out of date. A reflector of 2-feet aperture by Grubb (silver on glass) was erected in 1872, but has never been quite finished nor come into use. Observations with deep- soil thermometers have been carried on since 1837, and delicate spectro scopic investigations made by the present astronomer, partly abroad. Observations and results have been published in 14 4to volumes. Glasgow, lat. + 55 52 42&quot; 8, long. Qh I7 m 10 S 6 W. Organ ized in 1840 by subscription, aided by subsidies from the university and the state ; is under the professor of astronomy. Meridian circle by Ertel with 42-inch circles, and telescope of 6-inches aper ture ; equatorial of 9-inches aperture. A catalogue of 6415 stars from meridian observations made since 1860 was published in 1883 by the present director, R. Grant. The observatory was (1868-83) one of the seven first-class meteorological stations. Dublin, situated about 4 miles north-west of Dublin at Dunsink, lat. + 53 23 13&quot; -0, long. O h 25 m 21 s W. Belongs to the univer sity ; erected in 1785; is under the direction of the &quot;Andrews professor of astronomy and royal astronomer of Ireland.&quot; There is one assistant. In 1808 a reversible meridian circle by Ramsden and Berge of 8-feet diameter was put up, with which Brinkley observed assiduously till 1827, though of his results those relating to stellar parallax were affected by certain instrumental errors which rendered them of no value. Sir W. R. Hamilton (1827-65) devoted himself exclusively to mathematics. In 1868 was erected an equatorial refractor, object-glass of Ill-inches aperture by Cauchoix (formerly belonging to and given by Sir J. South), which has been used by Briinnow and his successor R. S. Ball (since 1874) for researches on stellar parallax. A meridian circle by Pistor and Martins of 6 - 4-inches aperture was mounted in 1873 and a large chronograph in 1882 ; they are used for observing stars possessing special interest (red stars, stars with proper motion, &c.). Astro nomical Observations and Researches made at Dunsink, parts 1-5, 4to, 1870-84. Armagh, lat. + 54 21 12&quot;7, long. O h 26 m 35 s 5 W. Founded and endowed by Archbishop Robinson in 1791. Possessed very few instruments until the observatory was enlarged by Archbishop Lord John Beresford in 1827, when a mural circle and a transit by Jones were provided, with which T. R. Robinson (director from 1823 to 1882) observed the stars contained in the catalogue of 5345