ASTRONOMY FOR AMATEURS.

There is now in progress at the Harvard College Observatory, under the immediate charge of Mr. S. C. Chandler, says Col. T. W. Higginson, an important work which must be carried on by the separate efforts of many persons who need not be experts in astronomy or possessors of large telescopes. Many observations are indeed needed which can best be made with an opera-glass or field-glass, or even with the naked eye. Professional observers would no doubt make these observations better than others, but such observers can rarely find time to make them; whereas useful contributions can be made by unskilled persons, provided that they are capable of identifying a star with accuracy. These observations relate to what are known as variable stars; and it is particularly desired by the Cambridge observers that they should have co-operation in their efforts.

In a pamphlet just issued upon this subject by Professor Pickering, the head of the observatory, he says:

"On the amateur and student of astronomy we must depend largely for the success of the plan here proposed. Many such persons spend evening after evening at their telescopes without obtaining results of any permanent value. Either no publication is made and the results are therefore valueless, or time is spent on objects that can be much more usefully examined with a larger instrument. Most commonly the observer has no special plan and spends many hours without result, while the same time might have been employed with equal pleasure to himself and results of great value collected. Those who have not tried it do not realize the growing interest in a systematic research and the satisfaction in feeling that by one's own labors the sum of human knowledge has been increased.