The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-29

sweep up and down IN the heavens of a certain
breadth and to have two engaged at the
other to observe the star by such plan the decpa-
ton OF each star observed depended upon reading
the SERVICES pEs a By the Washington plan
ment are dispensed with. and the declination Of
every star depends upon the reading Of six micro
complished by an ingenious contrivance which gives
molten to the eye piece instead Of the tsss ,ops during
meter diaphragm for cataIoguing is provided with
number OF parallel wires the intervals Of which have
been Ssrfay determined and by giving the eye-piecs
motion In altitude as we'll In szmuth, each instru-
ment made to belt Of from 40m to som broad
IN decnatioI The nadir point being carefully OBJ
served the telescope bat Of the mural for instance
icing set for the belt swept and all the
carefully read and recorded the takes his posi-
ton at the piece and begins to up and down,
the instrument itself remaining fixed he reads It, In
whatever part Of field star wire
scose at hand ESQ that there no loss Of time as with
edge Of the hed to the othsr and the star s bsece
with this nearest micrometer WIRE while the time at
which transs the several vertical wires Ia slso noted
The number Of the bsecting wire and the reading OF
micrometer being entered the observ alton Is
pee The observer thus keeps his eye at the telescope
for hours at time, and under favorable
observe with two three hundred stars during
the night The meridian circle in the same way will oc
cupy the belt below this while the transit instrument
which the Ingenuity Of the astronomer has
into difference decliuation instrument occupies tn,
belt above each instrument overlapping the belt OF the
other by or deg the stars in the parts thus over
Tapped, being common to two Instruments Thus tn,
meridian circle and transit instrument establish thu
right ascension Of certain stars which used by tn
mural many points Of departure; while the mura
meridian circle establishes the destinations Of certain
stars which the transit instrument points
departure for difference Of decnation This is the hrs
sweep The next night, the instruments change pls
and go over the same grounds the meridian crol,
the belt to- night which the former night
was swept by the mural Surprising the two nighti
equally favorable and the equal power
the latter Of which Is actually the case the
domal the stars that in the first sweep, by
the mural should be observed In the second by the
ridan circle. The two lists Immediately compared
and should there be any discrepancies between them
the large equatorial Is put in pursuit Of the peocan
stars.
This great American work contemplates the exsmina-
ton Of every star down to the tenth magnitude only
In the zodiac but In the whole hesvens 1t includes
revision Of all the European catalogues and, while II
looks to the discovery Of planets and unknown
stars 1t also aims to detect the any
catalogue aims at that degree perfection which,
future astronomers shall find unknown star may
justify the remark this star Is In the heavens
cause 1t is not In the Washington catalogue" Lieut.
Maury's original plan contemplated also measurement
for angle Of position and distance Of all double null
tple stars together with accurate drawings OF all cus
ters and nebu'@ This to be the work Of the equa
torisl but the undertaking to CLEAN after tho meri
for the present The observatory commenced It's ope
rstions in lS45 The first volume Quarto Of Ave hun
dred pages has already been published and has eiciet
many aud high Communications, both at homo ant
astronomers Of Europe, has, at once placed our ma
tonal observatory in the front rank with the oldest
best institutions Of the kind in Europe The volume fo
lS46 Is In press The catalogue for that year will
Der some 200 or stars most Of them unknown
any existing cAtalogues the whole work will comprise
qusrto volume of not less than 1000 pages and will b
the largest work Of the kind published by any
servatory US the result Of single years labor. .