8. Commission de l’Astronomie Méridienne

Since the last meeting of the International Astronomical Union, much attention has been given both in Germany and America to the systematic errors of the fundamental catalogues of Boss and Auwers. This is of special importance if the proper motions of any of the stars are to be used in the verification of the rotation in the plane of the Milky Way. The periodic errors in the proper motions, both in right ascension and declination, are of significance in this connection, while the motion of the equinox is required for the determination of precession, and the systematic correction to the proper motions of declination affects the position of the Solar Apex and the Vertices of the Star Streams.</jats:p

32. Commission des “Selected Areas”

The following lines give a summary of the work concerning Kapteyn’s Plan of Selected Areas up to December 1937.</jats:p

8. Commission de l’Astronomie Méridienne

Since the last meeting of the Union, Sir Frank Dyson, who for forty years had devoted himself to the advancement of meridian astronomy, has resigned the position of president of the Commission. The Executive Committee have done me the honour of inviting me to fill the vacancy.I have sent a circular letter to all members of the Commission asking for a report on the meridian astronomy being carried on in the institutions with which they are connected, and for suggestions of subjects which might be discussed in Paris. In some countries, particularly Germany and U.S.S.R., there are a number of observatories carrying on meridian astronomy but not represented on the Commission, and I have asked the representatives of these countries to send me details of the work of the various institutions in their countries. The following report is largely based on the replies I have received.</jats:p

8. Commission de L’Astronomie Méridienne

A circular letter was sent out to all members of the Commission in December 1937, to which the majority have replied. While work is going on steadily in the Observatories where meridian observations are carried out, comparatively few catalogues have been published since 1935. In view of the very full report made three years ago it is only necessary to draw attention to the progress which has been made in the interval.</jats:p