91

H.-34

of the spectrohelioscope, had offered to present one of these instruments to New Zealand.. The instrument -will be one of a number placed at different observatories around the world. The longitude of New Zealand is such as to make it a very valuable station, and it is hoped to obtain funds to install the instrument and keep it actively and regularly in use in order to assist in the international programme. " Neiv Zealand Nautical Almanac." An article on the Dominion time-service arrangements, giving full particulars of all the time signals supplied .by the Observatory, was prepared for and published in the " New Zealand Nautical Almanac." Occultations. In response to a request from Professor E. W. Brown, F.R.S., for more observations of occultations, the following New Zealand observatories have expressed their willingness to make the necessary observations: Christchurch, Dunedin, Hawera, Nelson, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Wellington. Accurate time signals are sent out from the Dominion Observatory on two evenings a week at 9h. G.M.T., and every day at 23 h. G-.M.T. It will be necessary to supply additional time signals to obtain the required accuracy in these observations. In addition to the ordinary occultation observations, a photographic method is in use at the Wellington Observatory by means of which the moon and surrounding stars are photographed on the same plate, and the time of the exposure of the moon is recorded on the chronograph. In this way a number of plates were obtained with the 9 in. telescope. The plates have not yet been measured, as there is no staff available for this duty. The occultations of stars were observed at Wellington on May 20th and 22nd, September 11th, October 16th, November 11th. Good observations were made of the occultation of Jupiter and its satellites on February 15th.

Meteors. Summary of Meteors for 1929.

The path of the last-mentioned meteorite was investigated by Mr. R. A. Mcintosh, of Auckland. Many observations of meteors are made by the members of the Meteor Section of the New Zealand Astronomical Society. Precision Pendulum. The precision pendulum made by Mr. E. C. Isaac, Wellington, was installed in the Observatory in November, 1926. A number of difficulties have arisen in its construction, and alterations have been undertaken by the workshops staff of the Post and Telegraph Department. The pendxilum is installed in the cellar, and will be used to operate an electric-impulse dial placed in the transit-room. Photographs of Moon and Surrounding Stars. This research was begun at the Lick Observatory in 1915, and has been continued from time to time in Wellington. The method is available for — (1) Fundamental determination of the position of the moon, and was undertaken originally in response to an invitation from Professor Ernest W. Brown to provide material for testing his tables of the motion of the moon. (2) This method may also be used as an independent one in the determination of longitude. (3) In the determination of latitude. In (2) and (3) the errors are different from those in the determination of longitude by wireless telegraphy and in the determination of latitude by zenith telescope observations. Summer Time. The Summer Time Act, 1929, provided for the time in New Zealand, being half an hour in advance of New Zealand standard time for the period beginning at 2 a.m. New Zealand standard time, on Sunday, 13th October, 1929, and ending at 2 a.m., New Zealand standard time, on Sunday, 16th March, 1930. Seismology. The Observatory has three seismographs in use—one Milne and two Milne-Shaws. These are all horizontal component machines, and with them excellent records are obtained. The records from the twin-boom Milne seismograph at Suva, Fiji, are sent to this Observatory for working up, and are valuable in supplementing the records obtained at Wellington.

Place. New Zealand Date. ! Notes. r i d. h. m. Auckland .. .. . . September 5 22 30 Newspaper reports. Meteorite ob- { served to fall to ground. Auckland .. . . .. September 10 22 30 I Newspaper reports. Meteorite observed to fall to ground. Oamaru .. . . .. October 7 18 40 Newspaper report. Christchurch .. .. .. October 7 18 40 Newspaper report. Meteorite obj served to fall into sea.