New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-12
TIE DETROIT OBSERVATORY OF THE
UNIVERSITY or MICHIGAN

But few Of our readers are probably aware that
within the last c S.. - -A-.-~-----.--l
vutory has sprung up at Ann Arbor about thirty
miles from Detroit, little town which may De re-
garded the seat of of the noblest institutions of
learning IN our country.
The Observatory building consists of center and
two wings. The former is srrnounted by a revolving
dome, aud contains an equatorial instrument manuiac-
tuled by Mr. Henry Fitz Of this city. TIE object
glass Of this instrument is l2l inches in diameter and
there were but two larger of the kind mounted in the
world till that Of l3 inches recently completed for
Hamilton College One Of these is at ths Imperial
Observatory at Puikova near ST. Petersburg, Russia
tle OF er at the Observatory Of Harvard College at
Cam ridge, Massachusetts,. This noble specimen OF
American skill does great credit to the maker and to
our city, which may well be proud of an artist who
can compete sth the best opticians of Europe in the
most difficult tasks which they ever have TO fulfill.
The instrument was three years in making and Is
mounted on a pier Of stone, the wooden stand which
was at firt tred and which answered very well or in
srumens Of less size, proving not sufficiently stable
for 20 large a telescope.
In one Of the wings Of the Observatory is mounted
meridian circle made by Pistar & Martens of Berlin,
under the supervision of Prof Ercke and his then as
socote at the Berlin Observatory DIR. Brinuow since
called to be the Astronomer OF the Observatory OF the
University Of Michigan. This circle was by far the
fnos; meridian instrument made at tie time il
was mounted, about three years ago, aud j. now
OILY eQualed by mn instrument from the makers
for the Dude, Observatory at Albany, FOR which il
served a. model Tie object glass Of its telescope IS
six inches in diameter. For hghtness, strength and
perfect adaptation in all its parts TO the purposes which
il Is to serve, this instrument is a masterpiece.
Tie other wing of the building is divided into COM
puhng and sleeping rooms for the observers.
Al the time the meridian instrument was ordered in
Berlin by Dr. Tappan, the present Chancellor of the
University of Michigan, the remark was made to him
by Dr. Byinnow You will have one of the finest Oh
servaores in the world" To which the Chancellor re-
plied And why should yOl not be its Astronomer ?"
''Wly not ?" was the accnicreoinder of Dr. Brnnow.
To this playful conversation may be attributed IN
offer aee about year afterwsrd of the appointment
of 4stronomer Of the Detroit Observatory of the Uni
v,rsitv of Michigan 10 Dr. Brlnnow-an offer which
vasaccepted.
DIR. Brnnow was educated under Encke Of Berlin
and aterwari became Director of the Observatory or
Bilk in Prussia While there he was crowned by the
Academy of the Netherlands and received 4 eoH
medal for his treatise the Comet of yico written in
French. He subsequently became the assistah, Of
Ereke &, Berlin, where he published his Spherical
Astronomy"
This work, which gives the professional student of
astronomy the most complete and practical d. vel 6
profound view OF the subject which it treats in
its latest and most improved state, certainly without
a rival of its class. DArrest, Astronomer Roval Of
Copenhagen, in recent letter TO the editor Of the
Mach iehten, announces French traus
lation, and allldes to contemplated English one
result he adds without parallel in the history ~
astronomy
Dr. Brd1uow has taken the lead OF all other astrono
ners in computing and publishing tables of the as.e.
rods Shortly after he came to this country bis first
tables, "Tables of Flora" were published by the |
Royal Academy of Sciences of Berlin, under the super
ntendence Of Encke. His tables OF Victoria ave been
computed since his arrival at Ann Arbor and are now
process OF publication al Detroit by the Regents of
he University.
The astronomical journals Of Europe and this ccun-