In 1562 circulars were issued, both
in this count ry and in Kurope, invit
ing co-operation in a general attempt >
to determine the parallax of ?lars a I
opposition of that year. It was the
most extended effort that has been
made for a century, ami occupied for
weeks nearly all the observatories of
the world. Last year the working
up of Hiis great mass of facts was
placed in the liands of Professor
Newcombe, who ha- just completed
his labor. IL* obtains for the mean
equatorial parallax of the sun 8 sec
onds and 85-100 ol a second, with a
possible variation of nne-l;undred h
of a second.
Tii& corresponding distance is
000.01)*) miles.’ Tin-result ca ; hard
Iv be in error more than 200,000
miles. The velocity of light is thus
reduced to 186,500 miles per second.
