Small Planetary Nebulae, discovered at the Harvard College Observatory. (The Observatory, Oct. 1882; V. 294. The Sidereal Messenger, Oct. 1882; I. 139.)

A Plan for Securing Observations of the Variable Stars. Cambridge, 1882. 8°.

Whether the next five years shall prove as fruitful of results as the last, or whether the Observatory shall relapse to the much less active condition in which it was obliged to remain before the subscription of 1878, will depend on the result of the effort now being made to increase its endowment by one hundred thousand dollars.

EDWARD C. PICKERING.

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

DIRECTOR

OF

THE ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY

ог

HARVARD COLLEGE.

BY

EDWARD C. PICKERING.

PRESENTED TO THE VISITING COMMITTEE, NOVEMBER 22, 1882,

AND LAID BEFORE THE BOARD OF OVERSEERS,

JANUARY 10, 1883.

CAMBRIDGE:

UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON AND SON.

OF THE

DIRECTOR OF THE ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY

OF HARVARD COLLEGE

FOR 1881-82.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY:

SIR,The progress made in the reduction of the past observations has been the distinguishing feature of the last year. The micrometric observations of the large telescope, to the beginning of 1882, have been published, and the volume has been distributed. A large part of it is occupied with the work of my predecessor, the late Professor Winlock, upon double stars, nebulæ, and other objects, including spectroscopic results. The reductions of the zone observations made with the meridian circle from 1871 to 1879 are now approaching completion. The meteorological observations from 1840 to 1880 have been brought together and are nearly ready for publication. The most important piece of photometric work as yet undertaken here has been completed, and the catalogue giving the results of the measures of four thousand stars is now in the hands of the printer. It thus appears that if the present rate of work is maintained, it will not be long before the accumulated observations of the past are reduced and printed, and we may anticipate a publication of our future observations without a delay greater than is needed for their reduction. The work of the various instruments will now be considered in detail.

EAST EQUATORIAL.

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Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites. The observations of these eclipses photometrically, begun in 1878, have been continued during the past year. One hundred and eighty-five eclipses have been observed, thirty-two since Nov. 1, 1881.