Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/772

Rh 714 OBSERVATORY catalogues. A 4^-inch refractor by Merz and Starke (1858) has served to observe comets, spectra of solar prominences, &c. Gallarate, near Lago Maggiore, from 1860 to 1879, Baron Dem- bowski s observatory. From 1852 to 1859 Baron Dembowski had observed double stars at Naples with a 5-inch dialyte by Plossl, and a small transit circle by Starke. From 1860 he used a 7- inch refractor by Merz. Modena, university observatory, lat. + 44 38 52&quot; 8, long. O h 43 m 42 s- 8 E. Founded in 1819. There is a meridian circle by Reichenbach, but very little astronomical work has been done. Bologna, university observatory, lat. + 44 29 47&quot; 0, long. O h 45 m 24 S 5 E. Founded in 1724 on a tower of the university building. Ephemerides were published from 1715 to 1836, but observations have only been made occasionally. A 3^ -inch meri dian circle was mounted in 1846. Florence. In 1774 a museum of science and natural history was established, part of which was used as an observatory, lat. + 43 46 4&quot; l, long. O h 45 m l s 5 E. Very few observations were made ; only Donati s discoveries of six comets and his early observa tions of star -spectra deserve to be noticed. A new observatory was finished in 1872 at Arcetri, but is very badly built, so that two fine refractors by Amici of 11- and 9^-inches aperture (the mountings unfinished) can only find limited application. Rome, observatory of the Roman College, lat. + 41 53 53&quot; 7, long. O h 49 m 54 S 7 E. Established in 1787. Little was done until De Vico became director in 1838, when numerous observations of satellites, comets, &c. , were commenced with a 6|-inch refractor by Cauchoix. In 1853 a new observatory was erected on the unfinished piles of the church of St Ignatius, and furnished with a 9-inch refractor by Merz, a meridian circle by Ertel of 3.]-inches aperture (in use from 1842), a 3-inch refractor for observing sun-spots, &c. With these instruments, to which were later added powerful spec troscopes, Secchi has made a great many observations, chiefly relating to spectrum analysis and physical astronomy. Rome, observatory of the Capitol, lat. + 41 53 33&quot; 6. Estab lished in 1848 ; belongs to the university ; small transit circle and a 4i-inch refractor by Merz. The latter is used by Respighi for observations of solar prominences. Naples, royal observatory, situated at Capo di Monte, lat. + 40 51 45&quot; 4, long. O h 57 m O s 9 E. Erected in 1812-19 (an observ atory commenced in 1790 at the Royal Museum had been left un finished) ; furnished with a number of instruments, among which a 4-inch meridian circle and two repeating circles by Reichenbach, a 6 g-inch equatorial by Reichenbach and Fraunhofer, &c. Very little was done until De Gasparis entered the observatory, where he has discovered nine minor planets and made other observations, partly with a 6-inch Merz refractor. Palermo, royal observatory, lat. +38 6 44&quot;, long. O h 53 m 25 S- E. Erected in 1790 on a tower of the royal palace. The principal in struments were a reversible vertical circle by Ramsden of 5-feet dia meter, with a 3-inch telescope, and a transit instrument of 3-inches aperture. With these Piazzi observed the stars contained in his celebrated Catalogue of 7641 Stars (1814) ; this work led him to the discovery of the first minor planet, Ceres, on 1st January 1801. The activity was revived in 1857, when a meridian circle by Pistor and Martins of 5-inches aperture was mounted and a 94-inch re fractor ordered from Merz. The latter has been used by Tacchini for spectroscopic work, chiefly on the sun. Etna. In 1879-80 an observatory was built at the &quot;Casa degl Inglesi,&quot; 9650 feet above the sea. During the summer months a 12-inch object-glass by Merz is to be used here for solar observa tions, while there is to be a duplicate mounting for it at Catania for use during the winter. GREECE. Aihens, lat. + 37 58 20&quot;, long. 1^ 34 m 55 s 7 E. Commenced in 1845 ; founded by Baron Sina. There is a refractor of 6^-inches aperture, which has been used by Julius Schmidt (died 1884) for observations of the physical appearance of the moon, planets, and comets. RUSSIA. St Petersburg, observatory of the Academy of Sciences, lat + 59 56 29&quot;7, long. 2 h I m l3 s 5 E. Founded in 1725, restored in 1803 ; meridian circle by Ertel and other instruments. A small university observatory was founded in 1880. Pulkowa, Nicholas Central Observatory, lat. + 59 46 18&quot; 7 long. 2b im 18*7 E. Finished in 1839. Was under the direction of F. G. W. Struve till 1861, since then of his son 0. Struve ; the staff consists now of the director, four astronomers, four assistants, two computers, and a secretary. The principal instruments are : a transit instrument by Ertel of 6-inches aperture and 8-feet focal length ; a vertical circle by Ertel of 6-inches aperture and 6i-feet focal length (the circle of 3-feet diameter has been redivided by Repsold), these two instruments have been used for determining standard places of stars for the epochs 1845 and 1865 ; a meridian circle by Repsold (6-inches aperture, 4-feet circles), used since 1841 to observe all stars north of -15 decl. down to the 6th mag., and all others observed by Bradley ; a prime vertical transit by Rep sold with 6|- inches aperture, used for determining the constant of aberration; a 7^ -inch heliometer by Merz, which has been very little used ; an equatorial refractor by Merz of 22-feet focal length and 14 9-inches aperture (remounted by Repsold in 1880), which has been used incessantly by 0. Struve since 1841 to observe double stars. A 30-inch refractor is now in process of construction, the object-glass being made by Clark, the mounting by Repsold. In addition to numerous* memoirs and papers by the various astro nomers, published by the Academy of St Petersburg, the Pulkowa, Observations are published in large 4to volumes (10 vols. published up to 1883). Abo (Finland), university observatory, lat. + 60 26 56&quot; 8, long. Ih 29 8 s &quot;3 E. Founded in 1819. With the meridian circle by Reichenbach of 4 -inches aperture, Argelander observed the 60 stars (chiefly stars with proper motion) contained in the Abo catalogue. In consequence of a great fire in 1827 the university and observatory were moved to Helsingfors. Hclsingfors (Finland), university observatory, lat. + 60 9 43&quot; 3, long. l h 39 m 49 s &quot;2 E. Erected in 1832-35 ; furnished with a 6J-inch refractor and the instruments from Abo, including a transit instru ment by Fraunhofer of 5^-inches aperture. With the last-named instrument, furnished with a divided arc, Kriiger has observed the stars between + 55 and + 65 decl. Dorpat, university observatory, lat. + 58 22 47&quot; l, long, lh 4 6 m 533-6 E. Founded in 1808; from 1814 under the direc tion of F. G. W. Struve. With a meridian circle by Reichenbach observations were made from 1822 to 1843 of 2874 stars, chiefly double stars (Struve s Positiones mediae, 1852), while the 9i-inch refractor by Fraunhofer was used from 1824 to 1837 for measuring double stars (Mensuras micrometricae, 1837, also Cataloyus novus stcl- larum diqnicium, 1827). Dorpat was also the centre of important geodetic works. Mtidler, who succeeded Struve in 1840, continued the observations of double stars. The meridian circle has been used since 1870 for observations of stars between + 70 and + 75 decl. Vilna, lat. + 54 41 0&quot;, long. l h 41 ra ll s&amp;gt; 9 E. Founded in 1753. From time to time observations of planets have been made with a 6-inch refractor (Merz, 1845) and minor instruments. Of late years the observatory has been devoted to astronomical physics ; a photo- heliograph was in operation from 1869 to 1876. Warsaw, university observatory, lat. + 52 13 5&quot;7, long. l h 24 m 7 S&amp;gt; 4 E. Erected in 1820-24 ; meridian circle by Reichenbach, 6-inch refractor by Merz. Plonsk( Poland), Dr Jedrzejewicz s observatory, lat. + 52 37 38&quot; - 8, long. l h 22 m 4 s E. Established in 1875 ; a 6.J-inch refractor by Steinheil is being used for observations of double stars. Moscow, university observatory, lat. + 55 45 19&quot; 8, long. 2h 3om i7s-o E. An observatory was built in 1825-32 ; the present building was erected about 1850. There is a 107-inch refractor by Merz (used for observations of planets and comets and spectroscopic observations of the sun), a meridian circle by Repsold of 5 3-inches aperture, &c. The Annals, published since 1874, contain many researches on the nature of comets by the director, Bredichin. Kasan, university observatory, lat. + 55 47 24&quot; - 2, long. 3 h 16 m 28 S 9E. Founded in 18i4, restored in 1842 ; 10-inch re fractor by Merz, meridian circle by Repsold. Kharkoff, lat. + 50 10&quot; 2, long. 2 h 24 54 s 7 E. Kieff, university observatory, lat. + 50 27 ll&quot; l, long. 2 h 2 m O s&amp;gt; 6 E. Erected in the years 1840-45 ; has a 9-inch refractor, a meridian circle, and smaller instruments. Odessa, university observatory, lat. + 46 28 36&quot; &quot;2, long. 2 h 3 m 2 s 4 E. Recently established ; 5-inch refractor by Steinheil. Nikolaieff, naval observatory, lat. + 46 58 20&quot; 6, long. 2 h 7 m 54 S&amp;gt; 1 E. Erected in 1824 ; meridian circle by Ertel with 4 -inches aperture, 9^-inch refractor by Repsold. Tiflis. Founded in 1863 to assist the geodetic operations in the Caucasian provinces. SWEDEN, NORWAY, AND DENMARK. Stockholm, lat. + 59 20 33&quot; 2, long. l h 12 m 14 S&amp;lt; E., is under the Academy of Sciences. Founded in 1750 ; is best known by AVargentin s observations of Jupiter s satellites, carried on for many years. Meridian circle by Ertel of 4 J-inches aperture, 7 - inch equa torial refractor by Repsold ; the latter is now being employed by Gylden for researches on the annual parallax of bright stars. Upsala, university observatory, lat. + 59 51 31&quot; 5, long. l h 10 m 30 s 6 E. Founded in 1730, but very little was done until the observatory acquired a 9-inch refractor by Steinheil, which has been used by the present director, Schultz, for micrometric observa tions of 500 nebulfe. Lund, university observatory, lat. + 55 41 52&quot; 0, long. O h 52 m 45 s -0 E. Built in 1866 (an observatory had existed since about 1760, but only with very small instruments) ; 9J-inch equa torial refractor, object-glass by Merz, used for observations of double stars and minor planets ; meridian circle by Repsold of 6|-inches aperture, used for observing stars between + 35 and + 40 decl. Christiania, university observatory, lat. + 59 54 43&quot; 7, long.