Papers of the Cape Observatory

The weekly register of the Cape Observatory, including daily reports of observations made and work carried out at the Observatory. The volume includes the following items:

A report by Thomas Maclear on 'The Repeating Time Ball upon the Lion's Rump Signal Station', 23 January 1854.

Material on the shipment of the transit circle from England on the 'Beyne', 30 January 1854.

Specifications of work to be carried out at the Royal Observatory Cottage, 13 February 1854.

The Annual Report of Her Majesty's Astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope for the year 1853, dated 20 February 1854.

Material on the discovery of a gold mine near Smithfield, 27 February 1854.

Weekly reports on the erection and first use of the transit circle, 13 March 1854 - 5 February 1855.

A dispatch from Dr Livingstone, 27 March 1854.

A copy of the contract made with J. Solomon for printing observations made for the Arc of the Meridian, 1 May 1854.

Observations of Klinkerfeus' Comet, 20 March and 21 August 1854.

A list of chronometers received from England, 2 October 1854.

A copy of correspondence with the Colonial Secretary regarding meteorological observations at Colonial Lighthouses carried out by T. Maclear, 22 January 1855.

Observations of De Vico's Comet, 11 June - 16 July 1855.

A record of the working of the Hardy Transit Clock, 8 October 1855.

A dispatch from Dr Livingstone, 22 October 1855.

Correspondence with the Colonial Office regarding the positioning of the lighthouse on Cape Point, 14-28 January 1856.

'Cape L'Agulhas Lighthouse and the wreck of the 'Equator', 11 February - 3 March 1856.

An account of a serious fire at Randebosch, 28 April 1856.

Further accounts of Dr Livingstone's travels, 26 May-2 June 1856.

Material on Denatis's Comet, 17 January 1859, with a record of regular observations made after that date

Material on the building of the new Magnetic Observatory, 8 May 1859, with weekly reports thereafter.

A list of instruments received from England, 23 January 1860.

Material on the relocation of the Time Ball, 5 March 1860.

Material on the parallax of Mars, 11 June 1860.

Material on the sighting of a comet, 16 July 1860, with weekly reports thereafter.

There are also the following loose papers:

A copy of weekly reports, 2 October - 25 December 1854.

The return of right ascension observations, 1 January - 7 May 1854.

A table of approximate places of the Comet, 1860.

A description of the Observatory Time Ball circuit.

A report by W. Mann on his administrative duties in the week, 7 May 1860.

Indexed