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Rev. Charles Pritchard, D. D., F. R. S

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Rev. Charles Pritchard, D. D., F. R. S ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN. NP 3171. Band 133. 3. Rev. Charles Pritchard, D. D., F. R. S. I regret to have to inform you of the death of the Rev. Charles Pritchard, Savilian Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Oxford University Observatory. The deceased Professor was in the 8sth year of his age, and to within the last few days was able to take an active part in the conduct of the Observatory and in the duties connected with his chair. It was not till Professor Pritchcnrd was considerably advanced in life, that he began to take an active share in astronomical research or to give signs of that energy and zeal which characterized his later years. In 1866, he was made President of the Astronomical Society, and this seems to have been the turning point of his career, for shortiy after, he was appointed Savilian Professor of Astronomy, in succession to Prof. Donkin, and then began that energetic conduct of the University Observatory with which your readers are familiar. It may be as well to recall that at that date (1870) the Yniversity of Oxford pos- sessed no observatory and no instrumental equipment. it may not be unnecessary to remind your readers, that the control of the Radcliffe Observatory and its connection with the SaviliaD chair of Astronomy had ceased many years previously, and from the time of the appointment of Mr. Johnson to the duties of the Radcliffe Observer, the University had remained without any adequate means of educating its students in astronomy or of conducting any series of observations. This defect Prof. Pritchard set himself immediately to rectify, and found the University eager to assist him. Under these happy circumstances a small but well equipped Observatory was at once commenced, and this was fortunately enlarged by the munificent and well timed gift of the late Dr. Warren de la Rue. This latter contribution consisted chiefly of Reflectors, and since the University had ordered a refractor from Sir Howard Grubb, the Professor early found himself in possession of the necessary instrumental means to prosecute his enquiries in whatever direction he pleased. He first turoed his attention to the observations of Double Stars and Comets, but abandoned these branches of observations as they did not permit any scope to originality. Meanwhile he kept steadily in view a proposal made to him by Dr. De la Rue, to determine the Moon’s Physical Libration by means of measurements made on negatives of the Moon. The experience gained in this class of enquiry convinced Prof. Pritchrd of the superiority of the measurement of the photographic image over the more direct measurements made in the field of the telescope, at least, in some instances. In a climate where the observations were peculiarly liable to interruption from cloud, he appreciated the possibility of effecting an observation in a few seconds, whose measurement could be leisurely completed at another time. The lesson he learnt in those days with the old collodion films was destined to bear fruit later on; and his devotion to photography and his belief in its accmacy deepened as newer processes put within his reach iinpressions of fainter objects and more varied detail. In this spirit he was prepared to give the greatest assistance and cordial support to the scheme of the late Admiral Mouchez and the Brothers Henry. In the earhest days of that scheme, and before the slower machinery of departments of state could be made operative Prof. Pritchard assisted again by his friend Dr. De la Rue was urging on Sir Howard Grubb the necessity of providing him with a photographic Object Glass, of the pattern recommended by the Paris Congress ; and the writer well remembers the mortification fell by the late Professor at the delay that the difficulties of manufacture interposed, between the inception and the completion of the scheme. Some portion of the interval was practically and usefully filled by photometric comparisons carried out by means of a wedge of neutral tinted glass. This kiwedge photometers had been devised for the purpose of forming an Urano- metria on strictly scientific lines. It had been used not only for the determination of the magnitude of the stars in Argelander’s Uranometria but it had served likewise for investigating the amount of light absorbed by the atmosphere. This enquiry was conducted both in Egypt and in Oxford and the result is in practical unanimity with the more recent enquiries. The importance of these photometrical researches was recognized by the Royal Astronomical Society, and their gold medal was awarded to him in conjunction with Prof. Pickering, who had been engaged in stellar photometry about the same time. But Professor Pritchard returned to photography with more than his old ardour. Preliminary enquiries had convinced him o.f the accuracy of his measurements on photographic films and he believed that he held in his hand the means of rapidly increasing our knowledge of the parallax of the fixed stars, 4 43 j1j1 44 and with this view he sought to determine the distance of the stars of the second magnitude visible at Oxford. How he succeeded is known to the readers of the Astrononiische Nachrichten. He derived the parallax of some thirty stars, principally of this magnitude, and believed that he thereby made a step towards the solution of a great cosrnical problem. This last work received the reward of the Medal of the Royal Society, but the Professor did not think for one moment of resting on his well earned rewards. Other problems were engaging his attention and his indefatigable zeal overlooked the age at which he had arrived and in the midst' of his work he succumbed, on Sunday, May 28, after only a few days illness. WiZZiam E. PZummer. Stars with remarkable Spectra. By T. E. Espin. In the following list the numbers are continued from my last communication (A.N. sogo), the places have been brought up approximately to - 1900. - - - No. BD. etc. a 1900 d 1900 BD. Col. SP. 1892 Remarks ____ ~ -~ +58? 342 1~51m6 +58" 46' 8.6 OR HI! Jan. I +58. 352 I 54.2 +58 54 8.7 OR' III? >I +56. 441 2 4.8 +56 48 9.2 0 R' I11 ? PINearly certain. +57. 550 2 14.5 +57 24 8.5 QR 111 %I +51. 552 2 '5.7 +58 8 8.8 OR 111 I >I t55.1062 6 5.0 +55 37 7.8 0 III? Febr. 3 +55.1083 6 22.0 +55 46 7.7 0 R' III =3 +55.1109 6 34,s +55 35 8.5 OR III !! >3 t56.1195 7 14.0 +55 59 8.7 OR III !! >3 +54.1 142 7 16.8 +54 52 8.7 OR' I11 1 "3 +55.122 I 7 38.9 +55 52 8. I OR III! "3 +56.1249 7 453 +56 '3 8.9 0 R' 111 >3 '56.1255 7 48.8 +56 77 8.5. OR 111 >3 OR' III? + 5 5,1331 9 16.6 +55.37 7.8 )) 3 +54.'3'9 9 333 +53 54 7.3 OR' III? April 22 + 5 5.1349 9 38.9 +55 36 8.6 OR III! Febr. 3 +54.'337 9 49.7 +54 44 7.0 OR 111 April 22 +56.1428 9 j8.2 +55 51 8.0 OR m? " 22 9.0, blue, near. +56.1434 10 3.0 +55 47 8.0 OR' 111 > 22 + 54.14 14 II 0.4 +54 24 7.1 OK I11 x 22 +55. '494 11 46.2 +54 5' 8.5 R' B > 22 rn? i-55.1 500 11 53.5 +55 3 8 .o 0 R' 111 " 22 +55.'53' 12 21.7 +55 9 7.7 OR III " 22 + 55.15 32 12 21.9 +55 7 9.3 R III? = 22 Faint. +55.1586 13 10.5 +55 0 8.0 0 R' rn? )5 22 +52.1698 13 18.9 +52 10 7.7 OK' III! I) 22 +53.1635 I3 32.7 +53 12 7.2 OR III! v 22 + 53.7637 '3 33.3 +53 5 7.0 OR' III! I) 22 - 83 Ursae '3 36.9 +55 11 5.5 111 > 22 See Note. +55.1630 '3 40.3 +55 0 8.5 OR' 111 B 22 +55.1636 '3 45.8, +54 5' 8.6 OK' III! 22 +55.'637 73 46.3 +55 22 8.0 R III !! y 22 t55.1646 '3 53.4 +55 4 7 .O OR' 111 1 B 22 t55.1699 I4 33.9 +55 17 7.6 OR' III! B 26 +55.1704 I4 39.4 +55 14 8.0 OR III !! )) 26 +54.1708 14 46.1 +54 38 7.3 OR m I) 26 +55.I 7 '3 '4 47.9 +55 24 8.2 OR' LII n 26 +55. = 127 14 56.7 +55 23 8.4 OR' III? 3 26 4-55.1 136 I5 8.1 +55 49 8.4 OR' III > 26 +55.1775 15 43.0 +55 33 1.7 OR III! )) 2 6 .
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