The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

request OF the editor Of THE CALL and to
present here short review of recent astro-
nomical work in California in a popular
form. For more extended accounts refer
ence is made to the publications OF the
Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
This society is now in its seventh year
and regularly publishes journal which
reaches its 500 members who are scattered
all over the world. Those who desire to
follow the work of the Lick Observatory
from month to month cannot do better
than to join the society and contribute, in
so far, to the support and creation of
scientific spirit in the State.
Organization of the Lick Observatory.
1t is or should be known to all that the
observatory was founded by Mr.. Lick as
department OF the State University at
Berkeley. 1t is governed by the regents
of the university, and its support is de-
rived partly from the interest of 500, 600 re-
manning from Mr.. Lick's gift and the rest
by direct appropriation OF university funds
by the Regents. 1t is the best situated of
any existing observatory, and it is the best
equipped as to instruments. Unfor-
runateIy, it has a very small corps of OBJ
servers when it is compared with its great
rivals, Greenwich, Paris, Harvard College
Observatory, etc.
The Lick Observatory staff consists of
seven observers and computers, while
Greenwich has twenty-four Paris forty
eight and Harvard College Observatory
about fifty.
With the best will in the world our staff
of seven must compete under great disad-
vantages with the large corps of our
friendly rivals. So far we have no cause
to be ashamed of the quality and quantity
of work which has been done on Mount
Hamilton during the past seven years, but
there is a crying need here for more OBJ
servers. The most welcome gift to US
would be the establishment Of fellowships,
to produce about 5000 annually, so that we
could attract graduate students to the OBJ
seryatory, whose practical work with the
instruments would be an important as
sistance in our researches. Such fellow
ships would be named after their founders,
and would be of lasting benefit to the stu
dents and to the observatory.
The annual income of the observatory
exclusive of salaries), for all purposes is
5000, and this must provide everything.
AS matter of fact, it barely suffices to
keep the buildings and instruments in or
der, and the strictly scientific work (pro-
viding new instruments, publication of
plates, payment for extra calculations, ex-
penses of eclipse expeditions, ETC., has all
been done by means of gifts from generous
friends. These gifts sum up $40,74 since
the foundation of the observatory. With
out them the observatory would have been
cruelty cramped.
Observatories in California.
Besides the Lick Observatory there are
quite number Of others in the State. The
most important OF these are the Mount
Lowe Observatory, the Chabot Observatory,
the college observatories at Berkeley, Napa
and San Jose and the private observatories
of Professor Davidson, W. NJ. Pierson,
Captain Goodall, etc. Quite number of
he members of the Astronomical Society
of the Pacific own small telescopes and
regularly observe all eclipses, transits,
large sun-spots, etc. The Stanford Uni
yersity has no observatory at present.
The energies of the Lowe Observatory
and of the Chabot are largely given up to
the reception of visitors, although the for
mer finds time to search for and discover
comets. The college observatories and the
Chabot also are chiefly engaged in teach
ing.
Edward Crossley Esq, lately member of
Parliament for Halifax, England, pre-
sented his great 3-foot rejecting telescope,
with its dome and all its apparatus CON-
plete. to the Lick Observatory in April of
this year. Mr.. Crossley made no condl-
tons to his gift, except that the expense
of transporting the instrument and dome
from England to California should be
borne by Americans. The splendid instru-
ment which Mr.. Crossley offers is well
known 10 astronomers. 1t was constructed
by A. A. Common of London, and for the
magnificent photographs made with it
Mr.. Common received the gold medal of
the ROYAL Astronomical Society. 1t was
then purchased by Mr.. Crossley and set up
at his private observatory at Halifax, Eng
land. along with other instruments. An
experience of some years has shown Mr..
Crossley that the climate OF England is not
good enough to do justice to this telescope,
and he therefore determined to present it
m an observatory which w rs favorably sit
mated where it could be used to the fullest
advantage. 1t is a great compliment to
the Lick Observatory that Mr.. Crossley Sc
lected it to receive his gift, and it is prac
teal recognition of the fact that California
is the ideal climate for making astronom-
ical observations, as has been fully
shown by the experience OF the past seven
years.
The refractor is eminently suitable Tor
certain kinds of work. There are other
kinds in which the reflector possesses dis
tinct advantages. AS the Lick Observatory
will soon have a great telescope oil each
kind established in most favorable sltua-
ton. it will be admirably fitted IN the fu-
ture for every kind of astronomical work
1t may be mentioned that the original
plan of the Lick Observatory contemplated
the installation of great reflector as well
as great refractor. 1t was found
by the Lick trustees that the funds left by
Mr.. Lick were not adequate to provide
both these instruments, and the plan for
making the reflector was reluctantly aban-
doned The splendid gift of Mr.. Crossley
came TO complete the equipment OF the oD- !