On the Latitude of Harvard College Observatory
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ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN. NZ 2672. On the latitude of Harvard College Observatory. By S. C ChandZer jr. The principal object of this article is to give the stars situated between +so and -5" declination. In the result of a determination of the latitude of this observatory immediately following table are given the individual results recently made with the salmucantarc. On account of the of the separate observations of each star. The latitude novelty of the instrument and method it will perhaps be indicated is that of the almucantar pier, 80 English feet of interest to make a more detailed statement than would north of the centre of the large dome, which is the latitude ordinarily be deemed desirable, especially as the result reference-point of the observatory. The deviations in the confirms the fact, that the accepted value of the latitude column (C-0) are from the value +42O 22'48Y36 adopted requires a considerable correction. as the definitive result of this determination. 'The present determination is based on Berl. Jahrbuch i, Latitude of Almucantar Pier. Results of individual observations. i Date 1 Observed q~ c-0 Star Observed q~ c-0 _-___ - R Aquilae W 1884Nov. 9 , 42O22'48f52 -0Y16 B Aquilae W j 1884 Nov. 8 42O 22'48Y22 +o:'r4 " >> 10 i 48 19 + 0.17 *I a9 48.07 + 0.29 4 Virginis W 1885Apr. 6 48.60 - 0.24 ,I 2 I0 47.93 + 0.43 " 29 47.92 + 0.43 W '9 48.1 7 +o 19 D Dec. 16 -- 0.22 E m6 49.02 - 0.66 48.58 33 Sextantis W 1885Apr. 6 48.60 - 0.24 D '9 48.93 - 0.57 W '9 48.8 I - 0.45 10 Monoc. E 1885Mar. 5 48.00 0.36 + E Febr. 23 48.99 - 0.63 W a6 0.49 47.87 + W Mar. 2 49.43 - 1.07 12 Ceti W 1884 Nov. 29 48.57 - 0.21 m Apr. I 49.04 - 0.68 2 1885 Jan. 2 47.86 + 0.50 W "9 49,3' - 0.95 a "5 48.26 + 0.10 D " I0 49.3 1 - 0.95 6 Sextantis W 1885 Febr. 23 48.82 - 0.46 a Aqiiarii W 1884 Nov. 29 47.98 + 0.38 n Dec. 3 0.41 W )> 2 5 48.2 I +0.15 ' 47.95 + Nov. 9 W Apr. 19 48.42 - 0.06 E 47.92 + 0.44 D 8 I0 0.41 E Febr. 2 5 48.85 - 0.49 47.95 + W Mar. 2 48-31 + 0.05 Aquarii W 1884 Dec. 3 48. I 6 + 0.20 B Apr. I 48.14 + 0.22. >> 29 48.37 -. 0.0 I E Nov. IC 48.89 - 0.53 Br. 1197 W 1885 Febr. 23 47.99 + 0.37 u Leonis W 1885 Apr. 6 + 0.06, W 25 48.34 + 0.02 48-30 W - 0.40 W Mar. 2 48.26 + 0.10 a 19 48.7 6 D '7 48.68 - 0.32 7 Virginis E 1885Apr. 10 47.73 + 0.63 W w 21 49.14 - 0.78 5 Virginis E 1885 Apr. 9 48.43 - 0.07 W Apr. I 48.60 - 0.24 W ~6 48.83 - 0.47 x Piscium E 1884 Nov. 8 48.40 - 0.04 W w9 49.07 -0.71 m "9 48.24 4-0.12 E Febr. I 7 48.57 - 0.2 I 2 w I0 48. I3 -k 0.23 >> " 29 48.47 - 0.31 y Aquarii W 1884Nov. 29 47.83 + 0.53 W Dec. 3 48.09 + 0.27 I o 9 Virginis E 1885 Apr. 19 48.69 - 0.33 E Orionis E 1885 Febr. KT 47-91 + 0.45 p Virginis E 1885 Febr. 25 47.84 + 0.52 W Mar. 2 47.97 + 0.39 2 Mar. 17 48-03 + 0.33 Bd. 112. 8 I 16 Ilj 267 2 ~ - 0 Nr. of 01)s. Lat. or Star Date Observed (p c Date c-0 - Vest East Alrnuc. pier _- $ Virginis E 1885 Mar. 2 I 42' 22' 491'02 - oY66 m Apr. I o . 48.48 - 0.12 1884Nov. 8 I I 42O 22' 48:'31 -I- 01'0 j D '9 48.90 -- 0.54 n94 2 48 21 +o. I5 18 Monoc. W 1885 Febr. 25 41.90 4-0.46 )i I 0 4 3 48.29 +0.07 6 I 48.27 +om9 Q Mar. 6 41.61 +075 29 1) ec,.. 3 - 48. i4 +0.22 E Febr. I 5 48.1 I -t 0.25 3 > 16 I 48.58 - 0.22 > Mar. 2 47.53 + 0.83 1885 Jan. 2 2 I 48.04 +a32 rn D5 47.65 -t 0.71 I - 48.26 +O.lO 48.82 0.46 25 8 Hydrae W 1885 Febr.25 - Febr. I 5 __ I 48.1 I +0.25 1 Apr. 10 48.3 I + 0.05 - 2 48.24 +0.12 s >' 1 9 48.10 + 0.26 2 2 48.62 -0.2 6 48.06 E Mar. 6 + 0.30 4 3 48.3 8 -0.02 d Aquilae W 1884Apr. 9 48. I tl -k 0.17 2 4 48.25 +O.I 1 I 2 48.02 )) > I0 48.2 3 + 0.13 +0.34 P * 29 48.53 - 0.17 2 2 48.09 +0.27 I I 48.36 0.00 a Ceti W 1885 Mar. 2 48.00 0.36 + I I 49.08 -0.72 d Virginis E 1885 Febr.23 48.67 -- 0.31 I 2 48.58 --- 0.22 n 25 48.67 - 0.31 4 I 48.67 - 0.3 I n Apr. 10 47.97 + 0.39 I 2 48.93 -0.57 B '9 48.63 - 0.27 I 4 48.27 + 0.09 48.60 -0.24 6 Ophiuchi W 1884Nov. 9 48.35 + 0.01 5 4 Q n 10 48.73 - 0.3 7 From this table the observed values during different L Piscium W 1885 Jan. 2 48.2 I 0.15 + periods are: v Eridani W 1885Mar. 5 48.42 - 0.06 Nov.and Dec. 26 obs. 42'22'48Y26 $6 48.80 m - 0.44 Jan. D Febr. 17 > 48.43 March 17 R 48.27 From the preceding table we have April 25 48 17 47 obs. West (p = 42O 22' 481'35 There is manifested a slight tendency to system in the 38 B East 48.43 column C -- 0, which I note without comment. Whether Mean 42 22 48.39 f01'030 it is due to instrumental or personal causes, or is simply Reduction to Dome . -0.79 fortuitous, can be told only from more extended observation. Latitude of Dome 42 22 47.60 f0.030 I propose to continrie this series during the remainder of the current year. The residuals for 33 Sextantis and I 8 Monocerotis In regard to the accidental error pertaining to ob- show large systematic discordances. The places of these servations by this method we find from the first table stars are among the least certain of the Berl. Jahrbuch list. above, taking the stars observed four or more times each, The former does not belong to the 539 stars in the A. G. that the probable error of a single observation of is Publ. XIV, but is inserted provisionally from the 83 southern sp 0:)2 I. This is for a single observation of a star observed stars of Publ. XVII, for the purpose of filling an .incon- -+ either east or west. But what should properly be counted venient gap. The above observations indicate a needed as a single complete observation of is the result from correction of the adopted declinations, of -1y2 for 33 Sex- sp, one star observed both east and west, or from a pair of tantis, and of +1:12 for 18 Monocerotis. stars, one east and the other west, the observations in all Rejecting these two stars we have, cases being at moderate or small hour angles. The probable 43 obs. West sp = 42'22'48y36 error of such an observation is not over k01'15. 30 East 48.36 It will accordingly be seen that the precision attainable Mean 42 22 48.36+0!'028 with this instrument is of a high degree. With some obvious Reduction to Dome -0.79 and easily effected improvements in mechanical details, such as the illumination, more uniform azimuthal tangent motion Latitude of Dome 42 22 47.57 h0.028 etc , the accidental errors ought to be considerably further which is the value I adopt as the result of this determination. reduced. It may be of interest to give the results arranged The above value of sp (47:'57) accords nearly with according to the various nights of observation. that (47Y63) which I published in 1883 obtained with the 117 2b72 I I8 small Salmucantarc of inches aperture. It differs so Dr. Gould notes that the Bond-Peirce result above given materially from the heretofore accepted value (4811 as given would be considerably reduced by the substitution of new in the El. J. and N. A., and 4813 in the Am Ephem.) that star places, and also states that his own result is less by I have been led to examine former determinations with about 015. This latter inference, however, seems to be a some care. misapprehension as will appear from the following facts, First is the value obtained with a Transit in the which, of course, were unknown and inaccessible to Dr.