A NEW RUSSIAN OBSERVATORY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 282, 27 September 1878, Page 9

A NEW RUSSIAN OBSERVATORY.

On the 21st July was opened a new magnetic observatory at Pavlovsk &£3J,? anannexe *° the Physical Observatory of St. f£ t^ T ? 6 ?- GW ° bs . ervatoi 7 covers about eight hectares of surZ%£ ?"?* -° n . 1S ID , all res P ects favourable for the delicate workfor which it is intended. The establishment comprises three r^unZ hv^ tlfiC principal building of stone and su?lounded by a terrace for meteorological observations ; a double arched vSr m CoV f ed with earth for observations in magnetic IE»t P ' and r WooClen pavilion ' withoufc a P article °* iron, for BeSS tv ?* S » ; hC and for determinations of time! thp 1= f thr^ bmldm g s > d e™ted to the purely scientific work of *Ln* f 7 A, thcre are four wooden houses for lodging the staff, X" dother P u 7 oses - fl these structures art iofed with inS^faf Pa & Gl > a ? d v V ? need scarcel r sa 7 that the scientific buildings aie at a sufficient distance from the other buildings to prevent the scientific observations being affected by their neighbourhood. The Pavlovsk Observatory is furnished with the most improved and most recent scientific instruments, and, like the Central Physical Observatory of St. Petersburg, is a model establishment of its kind As we i^Jf 3 ?' * ? P avilio , Q absolute magnetic measurements is without *£« Jri* r- rm;r ° n; al L the metallic P arts - locks and Padlocks, keys, doors, and chimneys of stoves, &c, are of copper or brass, and each of

these objects has been tested by a particularly sensible magnetometer The same test has been applied for the limestones of the foundation? the bricks of the stoves and the chimneys, the granite supports of the instruments &c. In short, every precaution has been taken, both daring the building and after its completion, to prevent a trace of iron getting neat it. The instruments themselves have been put in their places under the personal superintendence of Dr. Wild, the Head of the Central Observatory at St. Petersburg. Provisionally the work of the establishment at Pavlov&k will be specially directed to the normal observation of the meterological elements and of terrestial magnetism for which we possess accurate methods of observation. As soon as trustworthy methods have been found for the constant measurements of other elements, such as atmospheric electricity, terrestial currents, radiation of heat, the optics and chemistry of the sun and sky, these elements will also form the objects of normal observations. -Times.