 <»«Hi 
AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS 
IN 
ASTRONOMY 
IN 
THE Y E A. R 18 8 G. 
HY 
WILLIAM C. WINLOCK. 
FROM THE SMITHSONIAN REPORT FOR 188G-’87. 
WASHINGTON: 
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 
1889. RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
ASTRONOMY, FOR. 1880. 
By William C. Winlock, 
Assistant Astronomer, United States Naval Observatory. 
In preparing the review of Astronomy for 1886, the method and ar- 
rangement adopted by Professor Holden from 1879 to 1884 have been 
adhered to without essential modification. The record is intended pri- 
marily to serve as a series of notes for those who have not access to a 
large astronomical library, but it is hoped that the bibliography will be 
found useful to the professional astronomer as a reference list of tech- 
nical papers. 
Much assistance has been derived from the reviews and abstracts in 
the Bulletin Astronomique, the Observatory, Nature, the Athenmum, 
and other periodicals, and the writer is indebted to the directors of 
many observatories for the communication of information not otherwise 
available. 
A subject-index to the review has been effected by inserting the nec- 
essary page-references in the bibliography. 
DISTRIBUTION OF STARS. 
Distribution of the stars in SchonfeUTs Durchmusterung.—The comple- 
tion of the Durchmusterung to — 23° of declination by Argelander’s 
successor, Dr. Schonfeld, has given Professor Seeliger the opportunity 
of extending his counts of stars to a considerable portion of the south- 
ern hemisphere. Professor Seeliger’s paper “ Uber die Vertheilung 
der Sterne auf der sudlichen Halbkugel nach Schonfeld’s 4 Durchmus- 
terung,has been published in the Proceedings of the Bavarian Acad- 
emy of Sciences, and resumes may be found in the Bulletin astrono- 
mique (3:593-6), the Observatory (9 : 399), and Nature (34: 627*). An 
abstract of Professor Seeliger’s previous work was given in the “Ac- 
count of the Progress in Astronomy” for 1884, and his present discus- 
sion has been carried out on a plan similar to that there described. 
99 100 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
The stars are divided into eight classes, one more than previously 
used, as Schonfeld has included stars of the tenth magnitude, whereas 
Argelander stopped at 9.5. 
Schonfeld’s zones begin at - 2°, but the “ counts ” may be carried up 
to the equator by utilizing Argelander’s work ; the slight difference in 
limiting magnitude will not affect materially the result. The stars 
embraced in each degree of declination have been divided into groups 
of twenty minutes in right ascension, though only the sums for each 
forty minutes’liave been published. 
The number of stars in each of the eight classes is as follows: 
Classes. 
Magnitudes. 
A. 
Number of 
stars 
-2° to -23°. 
13. 
Number of 
stars 
0° to - 23°. 
I 
1 - 6. 5 
1,265 
1,369 
11 * 
6. G- 7. 0 
1,276 
1,347 
Ill - 
7.1- 7.5 
1,828 
1,952 
IV 
7. 6- 8. 0 
3,51G 
3, 800 
V 
8.1- 8.5 
7,601 
8,313 
VI 
8. G- y. 0 
18,633 
20,509 
VII 
9. l- 9. 5 
65,505 
61,540 
Vill 
9.6-10. 0 
43,89G 
43,896 
Total 
133, 580 
142,726 
The numbers in column A comprise Schonfeld’s stars only ; column 
B includes Argelander’s stars, from 0° to —2°, for the first seven 
classes: to complete Class VIII about 3,600 should be added. The 
number of stars thus counted in the “Southern Durchmusterung” proper 
is, therefore, 133,580, and adding to thi&79 objects which are classed as 
nebulae or variables, tlmre results the grand total, 133,659. 
In order to investigate the influence of the Milky Way on the distri- 
bution of these stars, Professor Seeliger proceeds, as in his former 
paper, to form the “ gradient,” which expresses for each class the 
rapidity of increase in the number of stars as we approach the Milky 
Way. Comparing the values of the gradient with these found for 
Argelander’s Durchmusterung, it is seen that, as far as Schonfeld’s 
work can be considered typical of the southern hemisphere as a whole 
(it must be remembered, however, that it only embraces one-third 
thereof) the influence of the Milky Way on stellar distribution, at least 
lor stars down to the eighth magnitude, appears to be less marked for 
the southern than for the northern hemisphere. But it may well be 
that, especially in the higher classes of stars, local and accidental irreg- 
ularities are the cause of this apparent difference. With regard to the 
question as to which hemisphere is the richer in stars, it appears that 
there is no decided difference shown by the two surveys under consider- 
ation. When Argelander’s numbers are corrected so as to be compara- 
ble with SLioufeld’s, taking stars down to the ninth magnitude, inclq- 101 
ASTRONOMY. 
sive, the totals are, for the former, 34,324, and for the latter, 34,119, 
a difference which may reasonably be attributed to accidental circum- 
stances. 
The whole discussion of the distribution of the stars will no doubt 
be much facilitated by the application of photography. 
A writer in L’Astronomie has concluded that the total number of 
stars in u our nebula”—on the assumption that the combined light of 
the stars is equal to one-tenth that of the full moon—must be sixty-six 
thousand million. 
NEBULAE AND STAR CLUSTERS. 
New nebulae.—Two lists, embracing 470 new nebulae discovered with 
the 20-inch equatorial of the Leander McCormick Observatory, have 
been published in the Astronomical Journal (7: 9, 57) by Professor 
Stone. The observers were Professor Stone himself, Mr. Leavenworth, 
and Mr. Muller. In the earlier observations Hersehel’s abbreviations 
were used to designate brightness and size. Afterwards numerical 
magnitudes were employed to indicate brightness, assuming that the 
faintest nebula visible in the 20-inch refractor with power 107, is 10.3, 
that being the theoretical limit for stars. The magnitudes given refer 
to the nucleus, or, in case there is no nucleus, to the brightest part. 
Still later the custom was instituted of estimating the diameters of the 
liebulm in fractions of the diameter of the field, and from these deducing 
their dimensions in minutes of arc. 
Dr. Swift has published (Astrou. Haclir., 115: 153, 257 ; 110 : 33) cata- 
logues 3, 4, and 5 of nebulae discovered at the Warner Observatory. lie 
states in the report of the observatory that 540 nebulae have been dis- 
covered up to January 1, 1887. Mr. Muller has found that fifteen of 
“ Catalogue No. 5 ” have already been announced by other observers. 
(Sid. Mess., 0 : 83.) 
The Pleiades.—M. Iiayet, in order to test the penetrating power of 
the 14-inch Bordeaux equatorial, has made a revision of Wolf’s chart 
of the Pleiades, and has determined accurately the positions of 143 
stars, most of them of the fourteenth or fifteenth magnitude, not given 
by Wolf. 
The Henry brothers have also compared their photographs of the 
Pleiades with Wolf’s chart, and have been able to detect 1,421 stars 
where Wolf shows but 625, the telescopes used being of nearly the same 
aperture. In order to avoid errors which might arise from impurities 
in the photographic plate, three exposures, of an hour each, were made, 
and the plate was shifted between exposures, so that three images of 
each star are obtained, forming an equilateral triangle. Stars as faint 
as the sixteenth magnitude are depicted. All the stars of Wolf’s chart 
are found upon the photograph except ten, and these the Messrs. Henry 
have been unable to find in the sky. A number of faint companions 
have been detected close to several of the brightest stars of the group, 102 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
and in several cases where M. Wolf has observed a faint companion to 
a bright star, the photograph has shown that the magnitude of the 
former was underestimated. One of the advantages of photography 
seems to be that it brings out faint objects which are lost to the eye, on 
account of their proximity to bright stars. Besides the nebula discov- 
ered about Mala, a nebulous streak has been seen near Electra, and 
details of the Merope nebula have been made out, which had not been 
recognized before, except by Common. 
Dr. W eiss has expressed a strong suspicion that all of the region to the 
north and west of Alcyone is a vast nebula, only the brightest portions 
of which are shown by our best telescopes. He recalls a statement by 
Schmidt in 18G3, that a small planet seemed to lose a part of its light 
in traversing the region between Alcyone and Electra. 
Dr. Kammermann has been able to see the new Ma'ia nebula with 
the 10 inch refractor of the Geneva Observatory by masking the bright 
star, and by using a special eye-piece provided with diaphragms, and 
a plate of uranium glass, to increase the intensity of the chemical rays. 
A paper by Dr. Elkin upon “A comparison of the places of the Pleiades 
as determined by the Konigsbergand Yale College heliometers ” was read 
at the Buffalo meetiugof the American Association. Provisional results 
show unquestioned change of position with reference to rj Tauri since 1840. 
Most of the brighter stars of the group, as shown by Newcomb in his 
“ Standard Stars,” go with rj Tauri, but among the smaller stars there 
are departures from this community of proper motion. Professor Pick- 
ering has pointed out that the agreement of the spectra of certain of 
these stars strongly confirms the probability of their physical connec- 
tion. 
ASTRONOMICAL CONSTANTS. 
Leewy's method of determining the elements of refraction.—M. Lcewy 
has elaborated his method of determining the elements of refraction by 
means of a reflecting prism placed in front of the object-glass of an 
equatorial, and has submitted the problem to a careful mathematical 
analysis in several papers communicated to the French Academy. The 
full titles of these important papers are given in our “biobligraphy.” Dr. 
Gill speaks very highly of the plan, and has suggested some modifica- 
tions of the details which he thinks would increase the ease and accu- 
racy of observations. 
Opjjolzer’s astronomical refraction.—The late Dr. von Oppolzer pub- 
lished iu the Transactions of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, of 
Vienna, a paper containing a theoretical discussion of the problem of 
astronomical refraction followed by numerical tables intended to facil- 
itate the practical application of the results at which he arrived. When 
the approximations are carried far enough, the method seems capable 
of giving results of great accuracy, even for large zenith distances. 
A correction for gravity in the use of refraction tables.—Prof. Cleve- ASTRONOMY. 
103 
land Abbe has directed attention to a neglected correction in the use 
of refraction tables, which appears as a function of the latitude. 
Thirty inches of mercury in the barometer at the equator indicate a 
less density of the atmosphere than 30 inches at the poles, consequently 
the barometer readings should be corrected for differences of lati- 
tude. This is accomplished by simply adding to the formula one more 
factor for gravity. Professor Abbe shows that the difference of latitude 
between Pulkowa and Washington makes a difference of 0". 1 in the 
refraction at 45° zenith distance, and increases with the zenith distance. 
We have here a partial explanation, at least, of systematic differences 
in declination shown by different catalogue*. 
Correction for differential refraction in declination.—Professor McNeill, 
of Princeton, has devised (Astron. Nadir., 114:385) a method of correct- 
ing micrometer observations for refraction, applicable to the diagonal- 
square micrometer, the ring micrometer, and others of the same class. 
The correction to the observed difference of declination is not deter- 
mined by a special separate computation, but the true difference is 
directly determined, the corrections being applied to the logarithms in 
the course of the computation. Tables are given which will be found 
very useful to observers. 
In a “Zusatz” to this communication, Dr. Krueger gives a resume of 
differential refraction formula} for ring and filar micrometers. 
M. Pad an suggests (Bull, astron., 3:373) that Professor McNeill’s prin- 
cipal table may be replaced by a simple graphical table which will give 
at a glance the correction sought. 
The diurnal nutation of the earth’s axis.—M. Folie, about three years 
ago, submitted to the Paris Academy a theory of the diurnal nutation 
of the earth’s axis, based upon the assumption that the earth has a 
fluid nucleus; and he has recently given (Compt. Rend., Dec. 13, 18SG) 
some practical of his formulae. These formulae contain 
two constants to be determined by observation: the constant of diurnal 
nutation itself, and the longitude, referred to an initial meridian. Very 
accordant results are obtained from the rather meager observational 
material available, the value of the diurnal constant being about 0".2. 
The new correction applied to a series of observations of Polaris made 
at Pulkowa, smooths out the discordant observations in a most surpris- 
ing manner. Further investigation of this subject seems highly desir- 
able. 
An abstract of the paper read by Prof'. J. C. Adams at the Phila- 
delphia meeting of the American Association, September 11, 1884, “ On 
the general values of the obliquity of the ecliptic, and of the precession 
and inclination of the equator to the invariable plane, taking into ac- 
count terms of the second order,” has appeared in the Observatory for 
April, 188G, vol. 9, p. 150-154. 104 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 188(5. 
STAR CATALOGUES, ETC. 
SchonfelcPs Southern Durchmusterung (1855.0).—This catalogue con- 
tains the approximate positions of 133,659 stars between 2° and 23° of 
south declination—that is, all stars between those limits down to the 
tenth magnitude. It carries Argelander’s “ sweeps ” as far south as the 
latitude of Bonn will permit, and is on essentially the same plan as the 
Northern Durchmusterung. In the details of the work, however, several 
improvements have been made: Instead of Argelander’s little 3-inch 
glass, magnifying nine times, Dr. Schonfeld used a telescope by Schroder 
of inches aperture with a magnifying power of twenty-six, and with 
the field slightly illuminated. The width of the zones wms H°, instead 
of 2°, the width of the older zones. This involved more hours of obser- 
vation, but the accuracy of the work and the certainty of catching faint 
stars were increased, since the observer was not obliged to take in every- 
thing up to the limit of visibility. A further advantage which the 
Southern Durchmusterung possesses is that Dr. Schonfeld lias himself 
made all of the observations and revisions, so that the work is more 
homogeneous than the Northern Durchmusterung. The observations 
were begun, after some preliminary experiments, on the 6th of June, 
1876; by the 28th of March, 1881, the zones had all been observed for 
the second time. There are, including sixteen zones subsequently re- 
observed, 363,922 observation s, all reduced to 1855.0. The revision, 
also by Dr. Schonfeld and with the same instrument, embraced 5,700 
positions, and was finished between April, 1881, and March, 1884. 
From the summary of the stars in each square degree it appears that 
the Southern Durchmusterung is richer in stars than the Northern, in 
the ratio of 1.21 to 1. The fainter stars (under the ninth magnitude) 
are much more thoroughly observed than before, the limit being the 
tenth magnitude instead of 9.5, that adopted by Argelander. The prob- 
able error of a single estimation of magnitude for stars of the 9.5 mag- 
nitude is only 0.11 magnitude, and for the seventh magnitude, 0.26 
magnitude. The charts accompanying the catalogue contain an hour 
each in right ascension. 
The Argentine General Catalogue.—The observations from which this 
catalogue was formed were made with the meridian circle of the Cor- 
doba Observatory during the years 1872-’80. During these years the 
zone observations were the chief object of attention, and the catalogue 
contains the places of 32,448 stars whose positions were more elabo- 
rately determined during the progress of that great work, and consti- 
tutes an addition to our knowledge of southern stellar positions of per- 
haps not less importance than the Cordoba Zone Catalogue. The Gen- 
eral Catalogue gives the positions for the epoch 1875.0 ot most of the 
southern stars brighter than magnitude 8£, the deficiencies in this re- 
spect being chiefly found north of the parallel of 23°, at which the zone 
begins. These omissions will be of comparatively small importance, ASTRONOMY. 
105 
inasmuch as the Durchmusterung of Professor Scbonfield comprises all 
the southern stars within this region, while accurate determinations of 
the brighter ones will have been made in the re-observation of Lalande’s 
stars now nearly completed at the Paris Observatory. 
Pulkowa ca talogue of 3,542 stars for 1855.0.—Volume vm of the Pul- 
kowa Observations is to contain two catalogues of stars deduced from 
observations made with the meridian circle from 1840 to 1809. The first 
of these—the one that has just been published—contains, with the ex- 
ception of the Pulkowa fundamental stars (observed with the transit 
instrument and vertical circal), all Bradley’s stars between the north 
pole and 15° south declination, and also a comparatively small number 
of other stars down to the sixth magnitude, inclusive, given in the 
Uranometria Nora of Argelander, in the same part of the sky. A few 
fainter stars have also been taken into the catalogue. The whole work 
has been in the hands of Dr. Backlund. (Bull, astron., November, 1886.) 
Kam's catalogue of u Nachriehten ” stars for 1855.0.—“ Dr. N. M. Kam 
of Schiedam has published in Verhandelingen derKoninklijke Akademie 
van Wetenschappen, Deel. 24 (Amsterdam), a star catalogue compiled 
from the places of stars determined by meridian observations, which 
have been extracted from volumes 1 to 00 of the Astronomische Nach- 
richten, and reduced to the epoch 1855.0. The positions of the stars 
contained in this catalogue were determined in connection with obser- 
vations of planets and comets, and it was in compliance with Arge- 
lander’s express desire that the work of collecting them and reducing 
the positions to a common epoch was commenced by Iloek, then di- 
rector of the Utrecht Observatory. Dr. Kam, who was Hoek’s assist- 
ant, continued the work after the death of the latter, and has at length 
been able to publish his results. The principal catalogue contains the 
completely determined places of 4,350 stars, and is followed by two 
subsidiary catalogues, the first giving the places of 236 stars, and the 
second those of 335 stars; all of the latter, however, are incomplete, 
i. e., the place is given in one element only. The catalogues are followed 
by a comparison of the places of the stars contained in them with 
their places as given in the Bonn Durchmusterung, or, for stars south 
of — 2° declination, with other authorities. Notes on proper motions, 
corrigenda, etc., are appended, which are of considerable interest and 
value.” (Nature, June 3, 1886.) 
Romberg's catalogue of u Nachriehten” stars (1855.0).—Herr Romberg, 
of the Pulkowa Observatory, has compiled a catalogue of about 8,000 
stars extracted from the Astronomische Nachriehten, volumes 67 to 112, 
and his work now appears as Publication xvm of the Astronomische 
Gesellsckaft. This is a continuation of a similar compilation (Pub. vitt, 
Astron. Gesellsch.), by Schjellerup, from the first sixty-six volumes of 
the Nachriehten, and is prepared on much the same plan. The stars 
have appeared in the Nachriehten as comparison stars for planets, com- 
ets, etc., and have been collected by Romberg and reduced to 1855.0. 106 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 188G. 
Eight ascensions are given to seconds of time, declinations to the nearest 
tenth of a minute of arc. The catalogue proper is followed by several 
useful pages of notes. 
Edinburgh catalogue.—Prof. Piazzi Smyth has given in volume XV of 
the Edinburgh Astronomical Observations the results of observations 
made from 1833 to 3872 upon some 3,890 B. A. 0. stars, reduced to the 
epochs 1830, 1870, 1880, and 1890. The catalogue begins with 4h 0m of 
right ascension, the first four hours having appeared nine years ago as 
volume xiv. The notes contain information in regard to the proper 
motion, color, or duplicity of the stars. 
Second Armagh catalogue o/3,300 stars for 1875.0.—After the comple- 
tion of the observations of Bradley’s stars, the results of which were em- 
bodied in the catalogue commonly known as the “ Armagh Catalogue,” 
Dr. Kobiusou formed the plan of re-observing a number of stars from 
Lalande’s “ Ilistoire celeste,” occurring in Baily’s catalogue. Observa- 
tions were commenced in 1859 with the mural circle and transit, 
but were stopped after 18G0 in order to change the mural iuto a 7-inch 
transit circle. Work was resumed in 18G3, and continued with more or 
less regularity till 1883. The right ascensions of this catalogue depend 
on the standard stars of the “Nautical Almanac;” the north polar dis- 
tances upon observations of the nadir. Dr. Dreyer, who succeeded Dr. 
Eobinson in 1882, found from 400 observations of 80 stars between 30° 
and 100° N. P. D,, that the probable error of a single observation in 
right ascension was ±0S.081, (the single errors having been multiplied 
by cos tf); and in north polar distance Eor systematic errors 
Armagh has been compared with Glasgow, and, indirectly through the 
latter, a comparison is obtained with Auwers’ fundamental system. 
From this comparison it appears that the north polar distances are in 
fair agreement with Auwers’ catalogue, while the right ascensions 
show considerable discordances. 
Reliability of the star places of Auxcers1 Fundamental Catalogue.—Mr. 
Chandler, having pointed out the possibility of error in the places of 
certain stars (Observatory 8: 387), as given in the Berlin “ Jahrbuch,” 
Herr Auwers has been induced to publish (Astron. Nachr., 114:1-20) 
some valuable and interesting remarks on the reliability of the places 
of his Fundamental Catalogue (Pub. d. astron. Gesellsch., 14), from which 
those given in the Berlin “Jahrbuch” are derived. Herr Auwers ex- 
plains the provisional character of the data on which some of his star- 
places depend, and repeats in a more definite manner what he has already 
said on the subject in Publication xiv. In fact the proper motions 
adopted for some of the stars are merely provisional, as has been pointed 
out in the introduction to the catalogue. The proper motions employed 
have been, as a rule, obtained from a comparison of Bradley’s places 
with those of Greenwich, 1861, aud in those cases in which Bradley has 
only one observation, or observed the star in one element only, the 
proper motion is given to one decimal place less than usual. The reader ASTRONOMY. 
107 
is thus put on his guard, and knows that he should use the places of 
certain stars with circumspection. Herr Auwers thinks that it would 
be premature to attempt any correction of the catalogue-places before 
the completion of the general revision, which has been undertaken by 
the observers of the zones and by the Pulkowa astronomers. lie, how- 
ever, takes this opportunity of publishing the results of investigations 
he has made as to the mean errors of the different catalogues employed 
m the formation of the Fundamental Catalogue, viz, Pulkowa, 1845 and 
J8G5; Greenwich, 1861 and 1872; Cambridge (U. S.), 1872; Leipzig, 
18G8; and Leiden, 18G8, for the principal stars ; and in addition to these, 
Pulkowa, 1871, for the supplementary stars. 
The following are, in the mean (for declination — i0° to -j- 90°), the 
mean errors, referred to the unit of weight, for the principal stars : 
P. 1845. 
P. 1805. 
G.1801. 
G.1872. 
C.1872. 
Lp. 1868. 
L. 1868. 
R. A. (e cos 5). . 
Decl. (e) 
09.040 
0".51 
0s.033 
0/7.61 
09.038 
0".55 
08.032 
0".52 
0s.031 
0".86 
0".46 
077.58 
And for the supplementary stars : 
P.1845. 
P. 1871. 
G.1861. 
G.1872. 
C. 1872. 
Lp. 1868. 
L. 1868. 
R. A. (e cos S) . 
Decl. (e) 
0s.043 
0s. 057 
0".72 
0«.053 
0/7.04 
0s. 034 
O'7.52 
0s. 035 
0'7.89 
’" 677!72* 
"b’77".52’ 
We have then, finally, for mean error of the right ascensions 08.033 
(for supplementary stars 0S.042), and for the declinations 0".59 (for sup- 
plementary stars 0".G7). The somewhat considerable difference in the 
results for principal and for supplementary stars arises from the cir- 
cumstance that Herr Auwers gave relatively too much weight to Pul- 
kowa 1871, at least for the right ascensions. For the catalogue-places, 
the mean errors are 03.009 and 0".14 in E. A. and Deck, respectively, for 
the principal stars, and 03.020 and 0".19 for the supplementary stars; 
where the mean error in E. A. refers to the total number of stars be- 
tween — 10° and + 50°. At the present time, in Herr Auwers’ opinion, 
the probable error of the star-places is not greater than 03.02 in E. A. 
(for moderate declinations), and 0".15 in Decl. (Observatory, 9 : 202, 
May, 188G.) 
In response to a suggestion by Dr. Gill, a number of astronomers 
have expressed their willingness to co-operate in the systematic observa- 
tion of stars which have been used in comet comparisons, faint stars 
whose occupations have been observed, zones of stars used for scale or 
screw values, or stars that have been used for geodetic purposes. Among 
the observatories ready for this work are, the Cape of Good Hope, 
Neucliatel, Bruxelles, Cointe, Taschkent, and Cordoba. 108 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Professor Holden, while at the Washburn Observatory, compiled a 
list of all published corrections to his star catalogues, inserting the 
errata in the bodies of the books themselves. The original sources from 
which the errata were copied are given in the fourth volume of the 
Publications of the observatory. The value of this list will be appre- 
ciated by all astronomers who have occasion to make use of star cata- 
logues. 
The catalogue of stars of the British Association has been advertised 
recently at 170 mark, or about $43. 
STELLAR PARALLAX. 
Prof. A. Hall has given in Appendix n to the Washington Observa- 
tions for 1883 the results of recent observations made with the 26 inch 
equatorial to determine the parallaxes of a Lyrm, 61 Cygni, 40 (o2) 
Eridani, and 6 /3 Cygni. The results are as follows: 
Date. 
Star. 
Parallax. 
No. of 
observa- 
tions. 
February 23,1883,to March 4,1884.. 
40 (o2) Eridani. 
a n 
+ 0.223 ± 0.0202 
30 
July 31,1883, to April 15,188(5 
6 B Cvgui 
— 0. 021 -±- 0 0077 
54 
May 24,1880, to July 2,1881 
a Lyra? 
+ 0. 134 0.0055 
128 
October 24,1880, to January 26,1886- 
61 Cygni 
-t- 0. 270 ± 0.0101 
101 
Dr. W. Schur has published in the Astronomische Nachrichten (vol. 
114, p. 161), a discussion of the parallax of the double star tp5 Aurigm 
from measures of position, angle, and distance made with 6-inch Strass- 
burg refractor, in 1883-’85. The final value for the parallax of the 
fainter (ninth magnitude) star is -f O'Mll ± 0" 034. “ Herr Schur 
thinks that he is justified in asserting that the parallax of this star is 
at least 0".l—a remarkable result, considering the fixity of the object.” 
40 (o2) Uridani.—Mr. J. E. Gore, using Professor Hall’s parallax, 
0//.223, has obtained by means of elements which he has computed, the 
following figures: 
Distance of 40 Eridani from the earth 924,955 
Mean distance between the components, B C 20. 8(5 
Sam of masses BC ) 
Sun’s mass = 1 5 
The unit of distance is the mean distance of the earth from the sun. 
DOUBLE STARS. 
Two recent papers on personal equation in double-star observations 
will be found of especial interest to those engaged in this class of work. 
The first paper forms the subject of a thesis by M. Bigourdan, of the 
Paris Observatory, submitted for the degree of doctor of physical ASTRONOMY. 
109 
science. M. Bigourdan reviews the work of others in this field, gives 
a description of apparatus which he has devised for investigating the 
problem by means ot artificial stars, and deduces his own personal 
equation from a large number of measures made with this apparatus, 
lie finds that his personal equation is not affected by the position of 
the eyes with respect to the line joining the stars nor by the altitude; 
the brightness of the stars, on the other hand, does affect his measures. 
The second paper referred to is by Mr. II. 0. Wilson, formerly of the 
Cincinnati Observatory, and is published in the Sidereal Messenger 
(vol. 5, pp. 174, 211). Mr. Wilson gives an interesting sketch of the 
history ot the subject, together with an investigation of his personal 
errors, obtained from observations made between 1882 and 1880, with 
the equatorial of the Cincinnati Observatory. He finds that his meas- 
ures, both of position angle and of distance, are slightly intlueuced 
by the inclination of the head. 
Spectroscopic method of determining the distance of a double star.—Mr. 
A. A. Pambaut, ot the Dublin Observatory, in a paper communicated to 
the Koyal Irish Academy on May 24, 1880, discusses at some length the 
possibility of determining the distance of a double star by measures of 
the relative velocities of the components in the line of sight. Dr. 
Huggins having demonstrated that it was practicable to measure the 
rate of approach or recession of a star, it was seen that it would be 
at least theoretically possible to determine the distance of a star by 
this method. Mr. Pambaut’s critical examination of the conditions of 
the problem shows however that the method can have but little prac- 
tical application. 
Orbits of double stars.—The following table gives the “ period of revo- 
lution” in years, and “semi-axis major,” in seconds of arc, obtained for 
a number of binary stars in recent determinations of elements : 
Star. 
Period. 
Semi-axis 
major. 
Computer. 
Published in— 
Tears. 
// 
02 234 
G3 45 
0 330 
Coro 
C Sagittarii 
18. 69 
o'. 53 
.. .do 
IA • Zl ckiVvllJL.y 1 ill • TT1 • 
Month. Not., 4ti: 444. 
r Cygni 
53. 87 
1.19 
...do 
Astron. Nachr., 115:215. 
40 (o'*) Eridam 
139.0 
5. 99 
...do 
Month. Not., 40 :291. 
[1 Delphini 
30.91 
0.517 
.. .do 
Proc. Roy. Irish Acad., 2 
s., v. 4, No. 5. 
y Coronai Australis 
81.78 
1.885 
.. .do 
Month. Not., 4G: 103. 
y Corona} Australis 
78. 80 
1.85 
Wilson... 
Sid. Mess., 5:251. 
a Centauri 
87.44 
18. 89 
Powell... 
Month. Not., 40:289, 33G. 
VARIABLE, NEW, OR TEMPORARY STARS—COLORED STARS. 
Observations of variable stars in 1885.—Professor Pickering prints in 
the twenty-first volume of the Proceedings of the American Academy 
his third annual report upon observations of variables, giving particij- 110 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 188t>. 
lara of nearly two hundred stars for 1885. The work has been done by 
co-operation. All who are willing’ to assist (a lield-glass is sufficient 
instrumental equipment), are requested to send accounts of their work 
to the Harvard Observatory as soon as possible after the close of each 
year. Professor Pickering undertakes to make photometric observa- 
tions of all comparison stars needed. 
Mr. Espin, the special observer of the Liverpool Astronomical Society, 
has commenced the issue of a circular calling attention to various vari- 
able stars or stars suspected of variability. 
Several interesting cases of variability have been discovered by 
Messrs. Chandler and Sawyer, of Cambridge. The most interesting case 
is a new variable of the Algol type discovered by Mr. Chandler in the 
constellation Cygnus (E. A.201' 48mj Deck + 81° 11'). The range is from 
7.1 magnitude to 7.8 magnitude, the whole variation taking place in 
about six hours. The only doubt is in regard to the interval during 
which the star remains at its normal magnitude. Mr. Chandler sus- 
pects that the whole duration between two successive periods of change 
will be found to be about one day, twelve hours. 
Gore's new variable near x] Orionis (Nova Orionis).—A mass of obser- 
vations by skillful observers has accumulated, and will repay a thor- 
ough study. 
It seems to be clearly established that this interesting star is a sim- 
ple variable, and not one of the class to which the title “temporary” 
can properly be applied. M. Duner, who observed the star at inter- 
vals from December, 1885, to April, 1886,'found (Astron. Nachr., No. 
2755), on renewing his observations at the end of October and the 
beginning of November, 1886, that it had unmistakably increased 
in brightness in the interval, and was continuing, to do so. Herr 
Er. Schwab and Mr. Espin confirm this conclusion, the.former having 
observed the star early in last July, and having found it then fainter 
than the twelfth magnitude. Its period would appear to be not far 
from one year; Herr Schwab gives it as one or two weeks longer than 
one year, and as ranging in brightness from the sixth magnitude to 12£, 
whilst M. Dun6r assigns a period of 350.5 days. (Nature.) 
According to Dr. Vogel and others who have examined its spectrum, 
it belongs to Type III a, resembling the spectrum of a Orionis. 
The new star in the (jreat nebula of Andromeda.—Professor Seeliger 
has published (Astron. Nachr., No. 2710) an interesting paper contain- 
ing an attempt to represent the observed variations of the light of the 
Nova in Andromeda by a formula expressing the rate of cooling of a 
hot sphere. Supposing that such a body has its temperature suddenly 
increased to an enormous extent by some shock, its brightness will of 
course be increased also. And assuming that the latter is proportional 
to the «th power of the temperature, and using Pogson’s scale for trans- 
forming brightness into stellar magnitude, Professor Seeliger (making 111 
ASTRONOMY. 
some furt her more or less probable assumptions) deduces ail ex pres 
sion for the magnitude of the cooling star at any time. In order to 
compare this formula with Herr Muller’s photometric measures of the 
Nova, extending from 1885, September 2, to October 13, Professor Seel- 
iger assumes that w=l, and that the epoch for which the time t=0, 
is 1885, August 27, 8U Berlin mean time. Using quite approximate 
values of the constants involved in his formula, it appears that there is 
a good general agreement (the mean discordance being 0.11 of a stellar 
magnitude) between the computed and observed values. The computed 
magnitude corresponding to the epoch for which t=0, is 7.73. The fair 
agreement shown by this comparison induces Professor Seeliger to 
think that the form of the expression which he has deduced is such as 
would accurately represent the observations, provided that it were pos- 
sible to determine the necessary constants with sufficient precision. 
And as there is evidence to show that the nebula in Andromeda is, 
partly at least, composed of a vast number of faint stars, it appears, in 
Professor Seeliger’s opinion, not unreasonable to suppose that a collis- 
ion was the cause of the sudden development of heat and light which 
revealed itself to us as the appearance of a “ new ” star. 
With reference to the point thus raised by Professor Seeliger, Herr 
Auwers points out (Astron. Nachr., No. 2715) that the great similarity of 
the outburst in Andromeda in 1885 to the phenomenon observed by him 
in I860 in the cluster 80 Messier in Scorpio is a strong confirmation of 
Professor Seeliger’s views. The probability that two variable stars of 
such exceptional character should be projected, in one case on a close 
star-cluster, in the other case on an object which appears to be, in 
part at least, a close star-cluster, is so small that it is almost necessary 
to refer these outbursts to physical changes in the nebulae in which they 
respectively appeared. (Observatory, April, 1880.) 
Hr. Mills (Nature 33 : 440) in criticising Professor Seeliger’s collision 
hypothesis suggests that the blazing out of the Nova may be merely a 
physico-chemical consequence of cooling; and it has been pointed out 
by Mr. Castell-Evans (Nature, 33 : 486) that practically the same expla- 
nation was suggested in 1878 by Prof. R. Meldola in a paper published 
in the Philosophical Magazine for July of that year. Professor Mel- 
dola says: “ It is conceivable that in certain cases the composition of 
a star’s atmosphere maybe such as to permit a considerable amount of 
cooling before any combination takes place among its constituents; un- 
der such circumstances a sudden catastrophe might mark the period of 
combination, and a star of feeble light would blaze forth suddenly, as 
occurred in 186G to r Corome Borealis. In other cases, again, it is 
possible that the composition of a star’s atmosphere may be of such a 
nature as to lead to a state of periodically unstable chemical equilib- 
rium ; that is to say, during a certain period combination may be going 
on with the accompanying evolution of heat, till at length dissociation 112 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
again begins to take place. In this manner the phenomena of many 
variable stars may perhaps be accounted for.” 
J)r. von Kovesligethy observing with a 7-inch Merz equatorial at the 
observatory of Ilaron Podmaniezky at Kis Kartal, in Hungary, an 
nounced the re appearance of the Nova on September20, 1880. From 
this date lie found that it became more star-like, and up to the evening 
of October 2 both nucelus and new star were visible. From October 
2 to October 17 the old nucleus was invisible. By October 23 the nu- 
cleus had assumed its normal state, but the new star was not seen. 
A number of telescopes were immediately turned upon the nebula, but 
in the main failed to detect the changes suspected. (See Astron. Nadir., 
2750-2752.) It is probable that the object seen was one of the very 
faint points of light known to exist near the nucleus of the nebula. 
A very complete series of observations of Nova Andromedre is given 
by Dr. Copeland, of the Dun Edit Observatory, in the Monthly No- 
tices for December, 188(5. 
Catalogue of colored stars.—Mr. W. S. Franks has presented to the 
Koval Astronomical Society a catalogue (not printed,apparently) of 
1,730 colored stars situated between the pole and —20° of declination, 
and including all stars down to the (5.-5 magnitude. The introduction 
to this catalogue, giving a tabular analysis of the colors recorded, is 
published in the Monthly Notices for April, 1886. 
We should mention also a list of thirty-one prominent colored stars of 
the southern hemisphere published by Mr. A. S. Williams in the Astro- 
nomical Register for October. 
Mr. Chambers stated at the meeting of the Royal Astronomical Bo- 
ciety on March 12,1886, that he was preparing a catalogue of red stars. 
Photometric observations at Harvard College Observatory.—Professor 
Pickering, in liis annual report, states that 59,800 separate photometric 
comparisons were made with the meridian photometer in 1880. The in- 
strument has been found to give entire satisfaction both in the accuracy 
and the rapidity of its work. Various tests have been applied to de- 
tect the presence of systematic errors, but so far with negative results. 
“A comparison of the seven hundred stars common to the observations 
of Wolff, Pritchard, and the Harvard Photometry, showed that our re- 
sults differed on the average from Wolff, after allowance for systematic 
differences, by 0.140 of a magnitude; from Pritchard by 0.145; while 
Wolff and Pritchard differed from each other by 0.192. A comparison 
of the fifty five stars proposed by Professor Pritchard as standards, and 
measured by him on several nights, showed that the average deviation 
from the Harvard Photometry was only 0.104. - - - A comparison 
between the results obtained at Pulkowaand Cambridge shows that the 
average deviation of a measurement of the difference in brightness be- 
STELLAR PHOTOMETRY. ASTRONOMY. 
113 
tween two stars observed at both places does not exceed one terth of 
a magnitude.” • 
The principal work of the meridian photometer, the revision of the 
Durchmusterung magnitudes, is now approaching completion, nine- 
tenths of the observations having already been made. During 1887 the 
observing list will be extended to include stars in the first 20° of south 
declination. 
Observations of the eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites, comparison stars 
for variables, etc., are made with the photometer attached to the 15- 
inch equatorial. 
A comparison of photometric methods.—Mr. S. C. Chandler, jr., pre- 
sented at the Buffalo meeting of the American Association an important 
paper on “ A comparative estimate of methods and results in stellar 
photometry,” in which he reaches the conclusion (also reached by Dr. 
G. Muller, of Potsdam,—Vrtljschr. d. astron. Gesellsch., 20: 2G1-267), 
that the photometers now in use give no advantage, in point of accu- 
racy, over direct eye estimates of differences in magnitude made accord- 
ing to Argelander’s well known method. With regard to accidental 
errors, Mr. Chandler concludes that “eye-estimates” are nearly three 
times as accurate as photometric measures, and he also points out that 
several variables have been detected and their periods and light-curves 
well determined by careful eye-estimates, whose whole range of bright- 
ness is no greater than the range of error in photometric observations. 
Reference should be made to Mr. Chandler’s paper in the Astronomische 
Nachrichten, vol. 115, p. 145, merely an abstract of his communication 
having been published in the Proceedings of the American Associa- 
tion. 
A proposed new catalogue of magnitudes of southern stars.—Mr. E. F. 
Sawyer, of Cambridge, has been at work since 1882 upon a determina- 
tion of the relative magnitude of the stars included between the* equa- 
tor and 30° of south declination, and not fainter than the seventh mag- 
nitude. The observations are made with an opera glass (magnifying 
two and a half times) put slightly out of focus. The number of stars 
comprised will approximate 3,500, and the average number of observa- 
tions for each star will be about three and one-half. Mr. Sawyer finds 
from 593 stars,each observed twice, that the average difference between 
two independent determinations of a magnitude of a star is 0.112 of a 
magnitude, which corresponds to a probable error of a single observa- 
tion of ±0.0G5. It is expected that the work will be completed and 
ready for publication within a year. 
STELLAR SPECTRA. 
Photographic study of stellar spectra at Harvard College Observatory.— 
Professor Pickering has announced in his annual report an extensive 
investigation in stellar spectra, by means of photography, undertaken 
H. Mis. GOO 8 114 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
at the Harvard Observatory. Provision has been made by Mrs. Dra- 
per for meeting the expenses of this work, a* a memorial to her hus- 
band, the late Dr. Henry Draper. 
Three researches are now in progress. 
The first includes a general survey of stellar spectra. Bach spectrum 
is photographed with an exposure of not less than five minutes, and 
these photographs generally exhibit the spectra of all stars brighter 
than the sixth magnitude with sufficient distinctness for measurement. 
The greater portion of the sky north of —30° has been surveyed in this 
work, which will be repeated during the coming year. One hundred 
and fifty-one plates have been measured and 5,431 spectra examined 
and classified. Of these 4,148 have been identified and the name and 
position of the corresponding star entered opposite each. The com- 
pleted work will form a catalogue probably containing three or four 
thousand stars, each photographed on several plates. 
The second research relates to a determination of the spectra of the 
fainter stars. Each photograph taken in the course of this research 
receives an exposure of one hour, so that the spectra of all the stars 
not fainter than the eighth or ninth magnitude, and included in a region 
ten degrees square, are represented upon the plate. On fifty-eight 
plates 2,41(1 spectra have been measured, and of these 2,359 have been 
identified. 
In both of these investigations the 8-inch Bache telescope has been 
employed. 
The third research relates to a more careful study of the spectra of 
the brightest stars. For this work Mrs. Draper has lent the 11-inch 
photographic lens employed by her husband. She has also furnished 
an admirable mounting for the instrument and a small observatory to 
contain it. Two prisms have been constructed to place in front of the 
object-glass, the large one having a clear aperture of 11 inches square 
and an angle of nearly 15°, the other being somewhat smaller. The 
preliminary results attained with this apparatus are highly promising. 
A recent photograph of the region in Cygnus where four stars were 
known, exhibiting the interesting peculiarity of bright-line spectra, 
brought out four more spectra of the same kind. One of these is the 
comparatively bright star P Cygni, in which bright lines, apparently 
due to hydrogen, are distinctly visible. This phenomenon recalls the 
circumstances of the outburst of light in the star T Coro me, especially 
when the former history of P Cygni is considered. According to Scliou- 
feld, it first attracted attention as an apparently new star in 1G00, and 
fluctuated greatly during the seventeenth century, finally becoming a 
star of the fifth magnitude, and so continuing to the present time. 
Another of the stars shown by the photograph to have bright lines is 
DM. + 37°, 3821, where the lines are unmistakably evident. ASTRONOMY. 
115 
ASTRONOMICAL PHOTOGRAPHY. 
The improvements in astronomical photography during the past two 
years, following the introduction of the modern dry plates, have at- 
tracted wide-spread attention, and the great merits of the new method 
scarcely call for any exaggeration in order to establish photography 
permanently as a means for astronomical research. We find Greenwich, 
Harvard, Paris, Cape of Good Hope, and Lick taking steps to make 
stellar photography a part of their routine work, and arrangements have 
been made by Admiral Mouchez for holding an international conference 
at Paris in April, 1887, for the purpose of elaborating a plan of co-op- 
eration in photographing the whole sky. It is hoped that ten or twelve 
observatories will be ready to co-operate and that all will be supplied 
with instruments of the same power, so that the work will form a homo- 
geneous whole. It will require 11,000 plates of 4° each to cover the sky, 
and ten years will probably be necessary for the completion of the un- 
dertaking. 
Stellar photography at the Paris Observatory.—An article in Nature 
(May 13, 1886), which gives a wood-cut of the apparatus used by the 
Messrs. Henry, gives also the following table of the time of exposure re- 
quired (with the Monckhoven gelatino-bromide plates) to obtain stars 
of different degrees of brightness: 
Magnitude. 
Time of exposure. 
1 
0s. 005 
2 
0.013 
3 
0.03 
4 
0.08 
5 
0.2 
6 
7 
The limit of magnitude visible to naked eye 
0.5 
1.3 
8 
3’ 
9 
8 
10 1 
> 
( 
20 
11 
>Mean magnitude of the asteroids 
< 
50 
12 1 
► 
( 2m 
0 
13 
5 
0 
14 
13 
0 
15 i 
16 < 
> The smallest stars visible in large telescopes 
lh 23 
0 
These figures represent a minimum. To secure good reproductions 
on paper the time of exposure would have to be increased threefold. A 
two hours’ exposure gives stars much fainter than Herseliel’s debilissima. 
The Henrys have successfully photographed the clusters in Hercules, 
Sobieski, Ophiuchus, and Perseus, and the major planets. They have 
obtained the trail of an eleventh-magnitude asteroid—a fine line among 
the stellar points. The new method seems well adapted, also, to the 
search for a trans-Neptunian planet. 
The observatories at Algiers and Rio Janeiro are to be supplied with 
instruments similar to those at Paris, and an equatorial coude of 0.6 
meter (24 inches) apertue provided with a photographic objective is 
to be constructed for the Paris Observatory, to test the adaptability of 
this form of instrument for photographic work. 116 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Stellar photography at Harvard College Observatory.—Professor Pick- 
ering’s investigations, which were briefly referred to in last year’s re- 
port, have been published in full in the Memoirs of the American 
Academy (vol. 11, pp. 179-22G). His paper contains a sketch of tbe 
history of the subject, description of the apparatus, discussion of 
theoretical considerations, and some results obtained in the three depart- 
ments of “ star-charting, photographing star trails, rmd spectrum pho- 
tography.” His work on the photography of stellar spectra we have 
already alluded to in the present review. 
In the report of the Harvard Observatory for 1886 it is stated that 
the investigation in stellar photography undertaken with the aid of 
the Bache fund is now nearly completed. The principal results ob- 
tained include photographs of the entire sky north of — 30°, on which 
all stars bright enough to leave trails without the aid of clock-work are 
depicted. One series of plates exhibits the effect of atmospheric ab- 
sorption on nearly every night of observation for a year \ and among the 
miscellaneous observations may be mentioned some experiments in the 
application of photography to transit instruments, which showed that 
the accidental errors did not reach one-half of those affecting eye- 
observations. Various photographs were taken of the nebula of Oriou 
to show the relative brightness of different portions of this object. 
The nebulae in Andromeda, in Lyra, and in the Pleiades were also 
photographed. An attempt was made to photograph a satellite of 
Jupiter while undergoing eclipse, and thus to determine the time of this 
phenomenon. 
Astronomical photography at the Licit Observatory.—In a very interest- 
ing article upon astronomical photography, published in the Overland 
Monthly for November, 1886, Professor Holden thus summarizes the 
facilities of the California observatory for investigations in this field: 
u We expect to have a photographic objective as large as 36 inches in 
aperture, if the glass for this can be obtained. This will be mounted 
in the most perfect manner, and we shall employ the 12-iuch Clark 
telescope, now at the observatory, as a pointing telescope for the large 
objective. The 12-inch telescope will be mounted alongside the other. 
An electrically-controlled driving clock will keep the two telescopes 
accurately directed during the exposure. Our objective will collect nine 
times the light of any other photographic telescope now made. - - - 
The focal length of the combination will be about 580 inches, and 1" on 
the plate will therefore be 0.002 inch. This is a quantity whose part 
can easily be measured. A single exposure will give us a map of the 
sky comprising four square degrees on a plate 24 by 24 inches. ■ 
The sun’s image unmagnified will be 6 inches in diameter; a large sun- 
spot will be the size of one’s finger-nail. - - - The photographs of 
the moon in the focus of the Lick equatorial will be 6 inches in diam- 
eter, and will probably stand an enlargement of twelve times, so as to 
be 6 feet finally.” ASTRONOMY. 
117 
Stellar photography at Cordoba.—Dr. Gould, iD a paper read at the 
Buffalo meeting of the American Association, has described the photo- 
graphs taken at Cordoba from 1872 to 1882. About seventy southern 
clusters and more than a hundred double stars were repeatedly photo- 
graphed. Some sixteen plates of the Pleiades and five of Proesepe 
were obtained; the total number of photographs being somewhat less 
than thirteen hundred. Dr. Gould lays great stress on the necessity 
of promptly converting the photographs into a permanent numerical 
record: and considerable uneasiness is aroused by the discovery that 
the collodion or gelatine films are readily detached from the plates. 
Some progress has already been made in the reductions, under Dr. 
Gould’s immediate supervision at Cambridge. 
Pritchard's “ Researches in stellar photography—In a paper with the 
foregoing title, read at the meeting of the Royal Society, May 27,1880, 
Professor Pritchard gives an account of a number of photographs of 
the Pleiades which he has submitted to a critical examination, with the 
following objects in view : 
(1) To ascertain, by means of definite and accurate measurement, the 
relation between the diameter of a star-disk impressed on a photo- 
graphic plate with a given exposure, and its photometric magnitude; 
a simple formula seems to connect the two. (2) To ascertain whether 
the photographic plate remains an absolutely accurate picture of the 
actual relative positions of the stars in the sky itself, and, moreover, 
whether these are measurable with that extreme degree of precision 
which is attainable with the best instrumental means. The satisfactory 
accordances of measures of different plates have afforded a sufficient 
answer to this inquiry. (3) The third subject of investigation was the 
relation between the areas of the impressed star-disks and the time of 
exposure of the plates. As far as at present appears, these areas vary 
as the square root of the time, though the investigation is not to be 
regarded as complete. Bond, in 1858, considered that the areas varied 
directly as the time. 
In the course of his work Professor Pritchard noticed what appeared 
to bo a distortion of the photographic film on a small portion of the 
plate, and he detected a somewhat similar distortion upon one of eight 
plates of 01 Cygni aud neighboring stars. He has hopes that in the 
course of a year the parallax of certain stars will be re-determined by 
photography, even to a greater degree of accuracy than has hitherto 
been achieved by direct instrumental application. 
Professor Harkness has suggested that great increase in the accuracy 
of transit observations of the sun would be gained by inserting a sensi- 
tive photographic plate just behindthe wire system of the instrument, and 
making an instantaneous exposure at the time of the sun’s transit. 
This would avoid the disturbance of adjustments of the instrument 
arising from the exposure to the sun for several minutes, which is nec- 
essary in the present mode of observing. Stars would be observed and 118 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
the instrumental constants determined by using the eye-piece in the 
usual way. 
COMETS. 
Professor Bredicliin in continuing liis researches upon the mathe- 
matical theory of comets has re-determined the repulsive forces which 
produce the tails of different types. Making use of some forty comets in 
his discussion, he has found for tails of type i, a mean value, 1 — pi = 14; 
but the comet of 1811, by far the most favorable for the determination 
of the repulsive force of this type, gave 17.5, and this represents quite 
well the tails of other comets. In this type the initial velocity g varies 
from 0.1 to 0.34, the mean being 0.23 (0.1=1.9 miles per second, about). 
In type n the forces vary from 0.5 to 2.2, and the initial velocities from 
0.03 to 0.07, mean 0.05. For the axis of the tail 1 — ju=1.1. In type 
hi the repulsive forces lie between 0.1 and 0.3, and the velocities be- 
tween 0.01 and 0.02. 
Dr. Holetschek’s investigation upon the conditions of visibility of a 
comet have been followed up by Dr. W. Meyer, who finds that if the 
great comets of 1843, 1880, and 1882 had reached perihelion in May 
they would have escaped unobserved. The orbit of the comet seen 
during the total eclipse of May 10, 1882, must have been very much 
like that of the comet which appeared four months later (1882 II); it 
seems, indeed, that the observed position can be represented to half a 
degree by the elements of the September comet, merely changing the 
time of perihelion of the latter and fixing it for the 17th of May. The 
ephemeris computed by Dr. Meyer with these elements shows very 
plainly why the Sohag comet could not be found after the eclipse, or 
had not been detected before; it was too faint when in a position favor- 
able for observation. The comet is probably one of a regular stream of 
comets with small perihelion distance, such as 1843 I, 1880 I, 1882 II. 
If the orbits of the cornets of 1843 and 1880 were sufficiently alike in 
other respects, the failure in repeated returns would be no objection to 
their identity, for if the returns have taken place in the month of May, 
the comet must have been invisible. A revolution in thirty-seven 
years is hardly to be reconciled, however, with the observations of 
1843, and for the great comet of 1882 Frisby has found a period of 
seven hundred and ninety-four years. 
Mr. Monck, in the Observatory for August and September, brings 
out some interesting statistics in support of his view that there exists 
a sort of u companionship ” among comets—that is, cases in which the 
elements show a striking similarity-; but it is improbable that the 
bodies are identical. Several of the comets of short period exhibit a 
family likeness which can hardly be attributed to their capture by 
Jupiter unless they previously formed members of a system. The ques- 
tion derives further iuterest from its bearing upon meteoric showers, 
for, if a family of comets can be supposed to be accompanied by a ASTRONOMY. 
119 
family of meteors, a shower from nearly the same point might continue 
for a considerable time, giving rise to stationary radiants to which Mr. 
Denning has called attention. 
It may not be out of place here to point out the value of physical 
observations of cometary phenomena—accurate observations of jets, 
tails, brightness, etc.—which may furnish data for testing any theories 
of their origin and constitution that may be put forward. 
Encke’s comet.—The progress of investigations upon Encke’s comet 
may be briefly stated thus : The comet which has now been observed at 
twenty-four apparitions since its first discovery in 1786 “ was shown 
by Encke to be subject to a remarkable decrease in the length of its 
period, a decrease which could not be accounted for by the attract- 
ive force of the sun and planets. Encke surmised that this was pro- 
duced by the effects of a resisting medium. His calculations, which 
extended up to 1848, were continued by von Asten, who in a great 
measure confirmed Encke’s conclusions, but found the curious anomaly 
that between the apparitions of 1865 and 1871, the acceleration of the 
mean motion which had been exhibited until the former of these years 
ceased to appear. Since the death of von Asten the work has been con- 
tinued by Dr. Backlund, who has succeeded in showing that the appar- 
ent anomaly in question was due to an error in the formulae of pertur- 
bations employed, and vanished when this was corrected. He was led 
however to the remarkable and interesting result that the acceleration 
of the mean motion of the comet is subject to a progressive diminution, 
and amounted between 1871 and 1885 to scarcely one-half of what it 
was between 1819 and 1865.” It was reduced from O'MOd to 0//.062. 
It seems very probable that about the year 1868 the acceleration under- 
went a change, duo no doubt to some unknown modification in the 
physical condition of the comet. 
Dr. Backlund has recently resumed his labors, which were inter- 
rupted by illness, and the first memoir, relating to the return in 1885, 
has just been printed; the second, treating of the comet’s motion since 
1865, will soon be presented to the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences; 
while the third, which is in preparation, will comprise the period 1819- 
1868. For these researches the author has been awarded the Lalande 
prize of the Paris Academy. 
Comet Tempel-Swift.—Bossert has given in the Bulletin astronomique 
an elaborate discussion of the orbit of the comet discovered by Tempel 
in 1869, but not recognized as periodic till its rediscovery by Swift in 
1880. The period is about five and one-half years, but the comet es- 
caped notice in 1875 and again in 1886. 
Comet 1873 VII.—M. Schulhof has published (Bull, astron., 3 :125 et 
seq.) a discussion of the orbit of this comet, and has gone into the ques- 
tion of its possible identity with 1818 I and 1457 I (the observations of 
which byToscanelli have recently been discussed by Professor Oeloria). 120 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
His conclusion, expressed with some reserve, is that 1873 YII and 1818 I 
are distinct bodies, with a short period of revolution but having a com- 
mon origin. Comet 1457 I is probably identical with 1873 YII, but it is 
also possible that the two comets 1873 YII and 1818 I are fragments of 
1457 I. 
Comet 1877 YI.—Dr. Larssen, of Upsala, has completed the definitive 
determination of parabolic elements of the comet discovered by Coggia 
at Marseilles on September 14, 1877, and observed to December 10 of 
that year. The observations have been newly reduced aud combined 
in five normal places, with a very satisfactory result. (Astron. Nadir. 
116: 23-26.) 
Comet 1881 Y.—The close agreement of the elements with those of the 
orbit of a comet discovered by Blanpain on the 28th of November, 1819, 
has led to a conjecture that the two comets are identical, although Blan- 
pain’s was computed to have a period of less than five years aud Den- 
ning’s of nearly nine, it being supposed that planetary perturbation 
had lengthened the period between the appearance of 1819 and that of 
1881. It has been noticed both by Mr. Plummer and by Mr. Denning 
that the longitude of the ascending node of the 1881 comet corresponds 
almost exactly with that of the descending node of Biela’s comet, which 
has not been seen as a comet (or rather double comet) since 1852, though 
it has been supposed to be connected with a very brilliant meteoric dis- 
play seen on the 27th of November, 1872. The other elements of Den- 
ning’s comet exhibit a remarkable agreement with those of Biela’s 
comet; and the suggestion in question is that these comets are identi- 
cal, or rather that Denning’s is identical with the principal remaining 
portion of Biela’s, which underwent violent perturbation through near 
approach to the earth in 1872, sufficient to lengthen its period and 
reverse the nodes (a necessary consequence of altering the inclina- 
tion through zero). Colonel Tupman, whose calculations well confirm 
this theory, remarks “that on the 27th of November, 1872, it is prob- 
able that the comet was very near the earth and mixed up w ith the 
meteoric shower.” The comet passed its perihelion on the 13th of Sep- 
tember, 1881; the computed length of its period was 8.83 years, or about 
3,225 days; and this was almost exactly the interval which had elapsed 
since the meteoric display of the 27th of November, 1872. If this theory 
be true, we can not expect another similarly brilliant display on that 
day until the year 1916, five periods of the comet’s revolution in its or- 
bit being very nearly equal to forty-four of the earth’s. (Athenaeum.) 
Comet 1881 YIII.—Olsson finds a period of 612 years; that found by 
Oppenheim was 2,740 years, though Oppenheim remarks that 900 years 
would satisfy the observations almost as well. 
Comet 1882 II.—The valuable series of observations of this comet 
made at the Cape of Good Hope, including the remarkable observation 
of the disappearance of the comet at the limb of the sun, has been pub- 
lished as vol. ii, part 1, of the Annals of the Cape Observatory. Inter- ASTRONOMY. 
121 
esting observations of the tail, accompanied by numerous sketches, are 
found in vol. i of the Publications of the McCormick Observatory, the 
observers being Messrs. Leavenworth and Jones. 
Comets of 1880.—Nine comets passed perihelion in 188G; three of them 
visible to the naked eye. One was a well-known periodic comet return- 
ing at the appointed time, and two of the new-comers appear to be 
periodic, one of them identical possibly with De Vico’s lost comet of 
1844. Olbers’s comet of 1815 was not detected, but as an uncertainty of 
some three years exists in the period of revolution, it may be picked up 
during the coming year. The Tempel-Swift comet due at perihelion on 
May 9 seems to have escaped notice on account of its excessive faint- 
ness. Of these nine comets, three belong to Barnard, three to Brooks, 
two were found by Finlay, and one by Fabry; two were discovered in 
1885, one in 1887 ; leaving six discovered in 1886. Comet 188G IX was 
picked up by three observers independently, on three successive morn- 
ings in October, showing what a careful watch is kept by comet-hunt- 
ers. Warner prizes to the amount of $800 were paid for the captures. 
Comet 188G I: I This comet, as noted in last year’s report, was dis- 
covered on December 1, 1885, at Paris. From a 
faint little patch of nebulosity it grew steadily in 
size and brightness, and on March 29,188G, Fabry described it as hav- 
ing a diffused nucleus about 15" in diameter, comparable with a star of 
the seventh magnitude; a tail about 20' long and 4' broad, was thrust 
out in a position angle of 325°, while the nebulosity extended about V. 5 
beyond the head. It became rapidly more prominent, and on April 3 
was visible without difficulty to the naked eye. On April 23 the head 
was as bright as a third-magnitude star, and the tail 4° long. The 
greatest length of the tail was probably about 9°, but the comet was not 
a very conspicuous object on account of its slight elevation above the 
horizon before sunrise, and also on account of the moon light. It is said 
to have remained visible to the naked eye from the early part of April 
to beyond the middle of May. Observations were continued in the 
southern hemisphere until about the end of July. 
The determination of the orbit presented some difficulties, and the 
elements from early observations were not entirely accordant. Dr. S. 
Oppenheim’s elements (Astron. Nachr., 2722), derived from observa- 
tions extending to March 28, placed perihelion passage on April 5,1880; 
the nearest point to the earth and greatest brilliancy (about four hun- 
dred and seventy-five times as bright as when discovered) were reached 
about May 1. 
The spectrum was studied by Trepied, Perrotin, Kayet, Vogel, and 
others. The three bauds common to comets and hydrocarbons were 
found—the central baud, perhaps, somewhat intensified; and besides 
these bands there was also a continuous spectrum. 
Dr. Muller, of Potsdam, has published in the Nachrichten (No. 2733) 
=Comet d 1885. 
=Fabry’s comet. 122 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
a very interesting series of photometric observations of this comet and 
of the comet discovered by Barnard on December 3,1885. The observa- 
tions extended over the months of March and April, 1886; and both 
comets were increasing in brightness. Reducing the measures to a dis- 
tance unity, the intrinsic brilliancy seems to have been tolerably con- 
stant; from which it may be concluded that the comets shone almost en- 
tirely with borrowed light. This conclusion is confirmed by Dr. Muller’s 
spectroscopic observations, according to which the continuous spectrum 
predominates. Trepied, on the other hand, found that in Fabry’s comet 
the proportion of reflected sunlight was small, gaseous elements pre- 
dominating and the bands being much brighter than the continuous 
spectrum. Dr. Miiller remarks that his observations show no effect of 
phase, and he suggests that this may be due to a variation in the in- 
herent light of the comet as it approaches the sun and earth, or we may 
assume that the nucleus is made up of discrete particles by which the 
phase phenomena must to a great extent be modified. 
Comet 1886 IT : | A brief account of this comet was given last year, 
as it was discovered by Barnard on December 3, 
1885, with a 6-inch Cooke equatorial. A small tail 
about 15' long was detected by Tempel as early as December 31. In 
April and May the comet developed into quite a fine object with stellar 
nucleus and fan-shaped tail, 2° or 3° in length. It was seen with the 
naked eye on May 7 and 12 by Mr. Barnard, at Nashville, and on May 
31 and June 3 by Mr. Tebbutt, at Windsor, New South Wales. The 
last observation published was made on July 19, at Cordoba. A care, 
ful series of “ extinction observations ” is given by Dr. Holetschek in 
the Nachrichten, No. 2739. The spectroscope showed the three ordi- 
nary cometary bands, with faint, continuous spectrum of the nucleus. 
The latest elements computed by Thraen from observations between 
December 5, 1885, and May 10, 1886, place perihelion passage on May 
3, and give a slightly hypeibolic orbit (eccentricity=1.0004). Whether 
the curve really differs from a parabola can not be decide 1 until all the 
observations, including those from southern observatories, can be taken 
into account. Morrison has obtained hyperbolic elements agreeing 
tolerably well with those of Thraen. Earlier elements showed a slight 
resemblance to comet 1785 n, but it is not probable that the comets are 
identical. 
Comet 1886 III: This was discovered by Mr. W. R. Brooks, 
at Phelps, New York, on April 30, 1886, or 
j in civil reckoning on the morning of May 
1; his second comet within four days. Mr. Brooks described it as hav- 
ing a small but bright and star-like head, and a conspicuous tail. On 
May 4 there was a tail 10' or 12' long; very bright near the origin. 
Engelhardt, on May 6, found the tail 10' long and nearly straight, while 
8' from the nucleus there was a faint secondary tail bending towards 
the south. Pechiile, observing from May 3 to May 12, detected two 
=Comet e 1885. 
=Barnard’s cornel. I 
=Comet b 1886. 
=Comet 1886 (Brooks 2). 123 
ASTRONOMY. 
nuclei or condensations in tlie head. Barnard says it was a most sin- 
gular looking telescopic comet—“a perfect miniature of the naked-eye 
appearance of a great comet.” It does not seem to have been observed 
beyond the last week of May, when its theoretical brightness was about 
half that at the time of discovery. 
According to Wendell’s elements the comet passed perihelion on May 
5. Dr. Weiss called attention to the fact that at the ascending node 
the orbit approached quite near the orbit of the earth, so that when the 
earth passed the line of nodes, July 9, a meteoric shower visible in the 
southern hemisphere might result from particles following in the wake 
of the comet. We believe, however, that no unusual display was re- 
ported. 
Comet 1886 IY: Discovered on the evening of May 22, 
1886, by W. R. Brooks, in the constellation 
Virgo, a large, nearly round, and feebly 
luminous spot with a slight condensation occasionally visible. It was 
decreasing in brightness when detected, and passed out of sight early in 
July. Mr. Sherman, of the Yale Observatory, found the three cometary 
bands in its spectrum. Dr. S. Oppenheim has calculated an elliptic 
orbit with a period of about nine years. Dr. Hind makes the period 
very much shorter, not much more, in fact, than six and a quarter years, 
according to which the comet would return in the autumn of 1892. The 
perihelion passage took place on June 6 or 7. A new discussion of the 
orbit has been undertaken by Drs. Oppenheim and Bidschof, of Vienna. 
Comet 1886 V: Discovered by Brooks on the evening of 
April 27, the first comet found in 1886. 
Until May 3 or 4 it was a round nebulous 
object V or 2' in diameter. An uncertain nucleus could occasionally be 
made out. On May 5 and 9 several bright points were seen in the 
nucleus, giving it a “granular” appearance. On May 18 the nucleus 
was of the eighth magnitude, and May 21 and 25, sixth to seventh mag- 
nitude with nearly circular coma 2' 20" in diameter. Dr. Krueger’s ele- 
ments show that the comet’s nearest approach to the sun, 0.27 (the 
radius of the earth’s orbit being unity), occurred on June 7. 
Comet 1886 VI: J Winnecke’s periodic comet (five and two- 
thirds years) for which an ephemeris had been 
j prepared by Dr. Lamp, was detected by Mr. 
Finlay, of the Cape of Good Hope Observatory, on August 19. During 
its two or three weeks of visibility it was a faint, misty object, V or 2' 
in diameter, without tail, but with some central condensation. Perihel- 
ion was passed on August 19,-about twelve days earlier than predicted 
by Dr. A. Palisa. An attempt was made at Paris to photograph the 
comet, but without success. 
Comet 1886 VII: Discovered by Mr. W. H. Finlay, of the Cape 
of Good Hope Observatory, on September 26, 
1886, and reported as “ faint, Circular, about P 
= Comet c 1886. 
= Comet 1886.. ..(Brooks 3). 
= Comet a 1886. 
= Comet 1886 (Brooks 1). 
= Comet d 1886. 
= Winnecke’s comet. 
= Comet e 1886. 
= Finlay’s comet. 124 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
in diameter, with some central condensation, and no tail.” The pos- 
sible identity with “De Vico’s lost comet,” 1844 I, (for which Briiu- 
now found a period of 5.5 years), immediately attracted attention, and 
elliptic elements have been calculated by Boss, Krueger, Oppenheim, 
and Holetschek. The computation of the orbit presents some difficul- 
ties, and it is impossible to settle the question of identity until all ob- 
servations at this return have received a thorough discussion—if it can 
be settled then. The last set of elements obtained by Professor Boss 
(Astron. Journ., v. 3, p. 43) place perihelion passage on November 22, 
1885, and give an approximate period of G.675 years. With this period 
the comet, if undisturbed, should return to the sun in July, 1893, under 
conditions quite favorable for observation. It is still visible, nearly 
live months after discovery. 
Comet 1880 VIII: A faint, telescopic comet was found by Barnard 
at Nashville on January 23, 1887 (the morning of 
i January 24 in civil reckoning), which proved to 
have passed perihelion on November 25, 1886, and it therefore takes 
a place preceding the comet discovered by Barnard on October 4. As 
it was receding from the earth and the sun, it rapidly grew fainter. 
Perihelion distance obtained by Weiss was 1.4 times the mean distance 
of the earth from the sun. 
Comet 1886 IX: This comet was discovered by E. 
E. Barnard, at Nashville, Tenn., on 
October 4, 1886 (or morning of Oc- 
tober 5). It was also discovered in- 
dependently by Dr. E. Hartwig at the Bamberg Observatory on Octo- 
ber 5, and by Dr. C. F. Pecliiile, at Copenhagen, on October 6. It 
was an easy object in the telescope, and developed a tail early in 
October. By October 29 the nucleus was as bright as a star of the 
eighth magnitude, and the comet was visible to the naked eye as an ill- 
defined spot. Two distinct tails were detected about this time, and 
Barnard found a third on November 23. The comet was now easily 
seen with the naked eye, as conspicuous as a star of the fourth magni- 
tude, with a slender train traceable for 7° or 8°. The tail seems to 
have reached a maximum length of about 10° during the first week of 
December, the theoretical brightness of the comet being then about 
twenty-five times that at discovery. 
Bicco, of Palermo, found the spectrum composed of the three hydro- 
carbon bauds, of which the middle one (green) was longest and bright- 
est. The spectrum of the nucleus was continuous, but re-euforced at 
the bright bands. 
Elements computed by Lieutenant Allen from observations reaching 
to December 10 show that perihelion was passed on December 16,1886. 
No deviation from a parabola is indicated. 
= Comet c 1887- 
= Barnard’s comet. 
= Comet / 1886. 
= Comet 1886/(Barnard, October 4). 
= Comet 1886.. ..(Barnard-Hartwig). ASTRONOMY. 
125 
METEORS AND THE ZODIACAL LIGHT. 
The Biela meteors of November 27, 1885.—Professor Newton has col- 
lected all the published data in regard to this great shower, and has 
submitted it to a thorough discussion in an article of nearly twenty 
pages of the American Journal of Science for June, 1886. 
We quote merely his summary statement of conclusions : 
“ 1. The maximum of the shower was near 6h 15m Greenwich mean time. 
“ 2. Three hours after the maximum the number of meteors had dimin- 
ished to one-tenth the maximum number, and it is not unreasonable to 
assume six hours as containing the principal part of the shower. 
“ 3. The total hourly number of meteors visible at one place in a very 
clear sky to some one or other of a very large group of observers may 
at maximum be regarded as 75,000. 
“4. In the densest part of the meteor stream, where and when the 
earth encountered it, the space that corresponded to each meteoroid 
was equal to a cube whose edge was about 20 English miles. 
“ 5. The dense part of the stream was not over 100,000 miles in thick- 
ness. 
“ 6. The zenithal attraction of the Biela meteors was about one-tenth 
of the observed zenith distance of the radiant. • 
“ 7. The radiant was an area several degrees across. 
u 8. It is reasonable to suppose that the meteoroids, while in the upper 
part of the atmosphere, before the paths become luminous, change di- 
rection by a glancing due to irregularity of form. After the resistance 
has developed heat enough to melt or burn off projecting angles of the 
stones, and the tracks become luminous, the forms of the bodies become 
rounded in front and the paths described are straight lines. 
“9. The meteoroids encountered by the earth on the 27th of Novem- 
ber, in 1872 and in 1885, did not leave the immediate neighborhood of 
the Biela comet earlier than 1841-’45, and may be treated as having at 
that time orbits osculating that of the comet. The determination of the 
paths of these meteoroids through their five and seven last revolutions 
about the sun seems to be a problem capable of complete solution.” 
Professor Newton’s presidential address at the Buffalo meeting of the 
American Association, on “ Meteorites, meteors, and shooting stars,” 
has been published in Science (8 : 169-76), and in Nature (34 : 532-36). 
M. P. F. Denza reports that a careful watch maintained on the night 
of November 27, 1886, at seven observatories on the Italian peninsula, 
showed no repetition of the great shower of 1885. This would indicate 
that the stream is of small extent but very dense, and would tend to 
strengthen the hypothesis that it originated in the recent disintegra- 
tion of Biela’s comet. 
Herr Forster finds for the radiant points of the great meteor showers 
of 1872 and 18S5: 
1872 R. A. 230.3 Deck + 43°.3. 
1885 230.5. + 43°.3. 126 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
A recent bulletin of the New England Meteorological Society gives 
a discussion, by Professor Newton, of a meteor seen on September 6, 
1886, height, time and place of appearance and disappearance, etc. It 
is desired that observers should report the position of bright meteors, 
noting their paths among the stars, and trails, if any, with as much 
accuracy and detail as possible. 
Mr. Henning publishes in the Monthly Notices for November some 
interesting results he has obtained from the study of a catalogue of 
more than 82,000 meteors from 3,035 radiants. Mr. Denning himself 
contributes to his catalogue no less than 7,000 meteors. He also, in 
another place, calls attention to the marked agreement between the 
orbit of Halley’s comet and a pronounced meteor shower with radiant 
close to rj Aquarii. The maximum shower occurs about May 6. This 
radiant needs further observation. 
Relation of the zodiacal light to Jupiter.—Dr. Geelmuyden, speaking 
of Professor Searle’s researches upon the zodiacal light, says : “ If the 
zodiacal matter has the same position among meteoric matter in general 
as comets of short period among comets, it is to be expected that the 
fundamental plane of the zodiacal light will have some relation to Jupi- 
ter as the principal motor in deflecting the orbits, and therefore in col- 
lecting the matter. Now it is worth remarking that the most north- 
erly point of Jupiter’s orbit has the heliocentric longitude 188°, or with 
60° east elongation 178° geocentric longitude; and for matter in the 
same plane, but nearer the sun, the approximation to coincidence with 
160° is still greater.” 
THE SUN. 
Motion of the solar system in space.—Several attempts have lately been 
made to obtain the direction and rate of motion of the solar system in 
space. These results are discordant among themselves, and, as the in- 
vestigators have remarked, are not entitled to very great weight, on 
account of the meagerness of the data available, but it may not be with- 
out interest to give the values obtained. 
Herr Homann, from a discussion of the spectroscopic observations 
made at Greenwich, and from the observations of Huggin and Sea- 
broke, finds: 
' 
Velocity of 
translation, 
in miles 
per second. 
Apex of solar 
motion. 
K. A. 
Decl. 
* 
24. 4 + 2.7 
30.1 + 14. 3 
15. 2 + 9.8 
320°.1 
+ 410.2 
309 .5 
+69 .7 
278 .8 
+13 .6 ASTRONOMY. 
127 
There is only a rough sort of agreement, but all three unite in 
placing the apex considerably in advance, in right ascension, of the 
apex as found from the proper motions of stars by Struve, Airy, Dun- 
kin, and others (the mean position generally assigned is, R. A. 260° 5 
Decl. +35°), while Struve found a velocity of translation of only 
about 4£ miles per second. 
Herr Homann is inclined to think that the velocity of translation of 
the sun does not differ very much from the velocity of the earth in its 
orbit, that is, 18£ miles per second. Dr. von Kovesligethy in 1883 found 
from spectroscopic observations that the rate of motion of the solar 
system was 8.C geographical miles per second. The spectroscopic ob- 
servations were insufficient to determine the direction, and he assumed 
the apex in R. A. 216°.0, Decl. +35°.l. 
Dr. Ubaghs, of Liege, in making a preliminary examination of the 
aberration due to the motion of the solar system, pointed out by M. 
Folie, has obstained a result which would give a velocity of only about 
180 feet per second. 
The velocity of light and the solar parallax.—Professor Newcomb has 
published in vol. 2 of the “ Astronomical papers prepared for the use 
of the American Ephemeris” the details of his researches on the velocity 
of light, made during the summer months of 1880,1881, and 1882. The 
apparatus used, to which the name “ photo-tachometer” has been given, 
is a modified form of Foucault’s revolving mirror. The result obtained 
for the velocity of light in vacuo is 299,8G0 kilometers, or 186,327 miles 
per second, with a probable error of 30 kilometers. Michelson found 
in 1879 a velocity of 299,910 kilometers, and repeating his work at Cleve- 
land in 1882, he obtained 299,853. Accepting the value 299,860 as the 
true one, it becomes of interest to consider the value thereby deducible 
for the parallax and distance of the sun. The latest and probably the 
most accurate determination of the constant of aberration is that of 
Dr. Nyrdu, 20".492. Combining this with the above velocity of light and 
Clarke’s value of the earth’s equatorial radius (6,378.2 kilometers), we 
obtain 8//.794 for the value of the solar parallax, almost exactly the same 
as that obtained from heliometer observations of Mars in 1877. The cor- 
responding distance of the sun is 92,960,000 miles. 
With regard to a possible difference between the velocities of rays of 
different colors, it is pointed out that the phenomena of variable stars 
seem to be conclusive against the hypothesis of any such difference. 
Were there a difference of one hour in the times of the blue and the red 
rays reaching us from Algol, this star would show a well-marked color- 
ation in its phases of increase and decrease. No such effect, however, 
has been noticed. Recent researches by Professors Michelson and Mor- 
ley have led to a similar result. 
Transits of Venus 1874 and 1882.—The work of the United States 
Transit of Venus Commission is being rapidly carried to completion 128 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
under the immediate supervision of Prof. William Harkness. The re- 
ductions of observations made at the various stations for time, latitude 
and longitude are finished, the determination of longitudes having re- 
quired a thorough examination of all the great chains of telegraphic 
longitude. A volume containing all of the observations for 1874—all of 
the 1874 work except the discussion of the photographs—is now in press. 
Dr. Auwers reports, under date of January 11, 1886, that the reduc- 
tions of the German heliometer measures are well advanced and that 
the printing has been begun; and M. Bouquet de la Grye announces 
for the French commission that the photographic plates, 1,019 in num- 
ber, have bfen measured, and that the reductions are now half done, 
and will be finished about the end of 1887. 
Theory of sun-spots.—Professor Young, in an article on “Recent ad- 
vances in solar astronomy,” makes the following comments upon an 
important paper by M. Belopolsky, of the Moscow Observatory, pub- 
lished in the Astrouomische Nachrichten, No. 2722: 
“Some recent investigations upon the rotation of fluid masses, by 
Jukowsky, of Moscow, as applied to solar by his colleague Bel- 
opolsky, seem to warrant a hope that the phenomena of surface-drift in 
longitude, and even the periodicity of the spots, may soon find a ra- 
tional explanation as necessary results of the slow contraction of a non- 
homogeneous and mainly gaseous globe. The subject is difficult and 
obscure; but if it can be proved, as seems likely, that on mechanical 
principles, the time of rotation of the central portions of such a whirl- 
ing mass must be shorter than that of the exterior, then there will be 
of necessity an interchange of matter between the inside and outside of 
the sphere, a slow surface-drift from equator toward the poles, a more 
rapid internal current along and near the axis from the poles toward 
the equator, a continual 1 boiling up ’ of internal matter on each side of 
the equator, and, finally, just such an eastward drift near the equator as 
is actually observed. Moreover, the form of the mass, and the intensity 
of the drift and consequent ‘boiliug-up’ from underneath might and 
probably would be subject to great periodic variations. 
“ This theory falls in well with the facts established by Spoerer 
respecting the motion of the sun-spot zones, and the general though 
slow poleward movement of sun-spots.” 
Sun-spot observations at Kalocsa.—A summary (Astron. Nachr., 116: 
31) of suu-spot observations at Kalocsa, 1880-1885, shows the predom- 
inance of spots in the southern hemisphere of the sun over those in the 
northern hemisphere, particularly well marked, since the beginning of 
1883. A similar result is shown in the Greenwich observations, and has 
also been pointed out by Dr. Spoerer; on the other hand, from 1880 to 
1883 the northern hemisphere had the greater number of spots. It has 
been noticed, furthermore, that since 1880 the spots show a tendency 
towards the equatorial zones. ASTRONOMY. 
129 
Observation of sun-spot spectra.—Professor Young mentions a some- 
what curious observation of sun-spot spectra, which he has recently 
made. He finds that under high dispersion the spectrum of the darkest 
part of the spot is not continuous, but is made up of countless fine, 
dark lines, for the most part touching or slightly overlapping, but leav- 
ing here and there unoccupied intervals which look like (and may be) 
bright lines. “ It seems to indicate that the principal absorption w hich 
darkens the center of the sun spot is not such as would be caused by 
minute solid or liquid particles—by smoke or cloud, which would give 
a continuous spectrum ; but it is a true gaseous absorption, producing 
a veritable dark-line spectrum, in which the lines are countless and con- 
tiguous.” 
Solar activity in 1886.—According to Professor Tacchini’s observa- 
tions (Comptes Rendus, 103:120 ; 104: 216), it appears that there was a 
decided falling off in the number and size of sun-spots during the year 
1886. In March, however, there was a considerable temporary increase; 
and on the 8th of May a magnificent group of spots was visible in the 
sun’s northern latitude. A well-marked minimum occurred in November, 
and rather peculiar “secondary minima” seem to have fallen in the 
months of February, May, and August. Prominences also showed a 
diminution in number and size compared with those seen in 1885, but 
the fluctuations were much fewer than in the case of the spots. A par- 
ticularly remarkable eruption was observed on March 9 and 10. 
Professor Tacchini places the last great minimum of spots in March, 
1879, and the last maximum in February, 1884; if then the decrease 
in the number of spots during the latter part of 1886 corresponds to a 
new minimum, we shall have an interval from the last maximum of 
only 2.8 years, whereas the mean interval is seven years. So short an 
interval between maximum and minimum is very exceptional, for the 
shortest known since 1750 is 4.3 years; the longest is ten years. 
Total eclipse of the sun, August 28-29, 1886.—A party consisting of 
Lockyer, Tacchini, Schuster, Maunder, Perry, and others, was sent out 
by the British Government to the island of Grenada, in the West Indies, 
to observe the total eclipse of August 28-29, 1886. A full review of 
the results of the expedition can not be given until the detailed report 
is ready. Preliminary accounts show that only one division of the 
party, that with Mr. Lockyer at Green Island, failed entirely on ac- 
count of clouds, though the observations at some of the other stations 
were more or less interfered with. Photometric observations and pho- 
tographs of the corona and of its spectrum were obtained, and also 
good spectra of the prominences, showing the bright lines of highly 
incandescent vapors. In this respect the result resembles that obtained 
in the two previous eclipses, though it was thought possible that this 
year, being one when sun-spots were tending to a minimum, would be 
marked by the more continuous spectrum that bespeaks lower tempera- 
ture. 
H. Mis. 600 9 130 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Prof. W. H. Pickering, of Boston, observing from Fort Green, ob- 
tained a number of photographs and some interesting photometric 
observations. He also organized a series of observations of .the shadow 
bands. 
Observations of the partial phase were made at the Azores, Mar- 
tinique, Port au Prince, and at several points along the eastern coast 
of the United States. No parties were sent out by the United States 
Government. 
Photography of the solar corona.—Dr. Huggins’s method of photograph- 
ing the corona in full sunshine seems to have failed when submitted to 
a crucial test in the eclipse of last August. In a letter to Science, 
dated September 11, 1886, Dr. Huggins says: “The partial ph ases of 
this eclipse furnished conditions which would put the success of the 
method beyond doubt if the plates showed the corona cut off partially 
by the moon during its approach to and passage over the sun. As the 
telegrams received from Grenada, and a telegram I have received this 
day from Dr. Gill, at the Gape of Good Hope, state this partial cutting 
off of the corona by the moon is not shown upon the plates, I wish to 
be the first to make known this untoward result. I regret greatly that 
a method which seemed to promise so much new knowledge of the 
corona, which, under ordinary circumstances of observation, shows it- 
self only during total eclipses, would seem to have failed. At the same 
time I am not able to offer any sufficient explanation of the early favor- 
able results.” 
Mr. Common thinks it probable that this failure to get a picture of 
the moon projected on the corona was due entirely to the state of the 
sky ; and Professor Langley, in a recent letter to Nature (35 : 53), adds 
his testimony as to the great effect of atmospheric diffusion upon the 
visibility of the corona. Moreover, Dr. Huggins says that he has not 
himself been able to obtain any satisfactory results since 1883, and 
that the plates taken by Mr. Ray Woods in 1884, in Switzerland, are 
inconclusive. The failure may be due to the abnormally large amount 
of air-glare from finely divided matter of some sort which has been 
present in the higher regions of the atmosphere since the autumn of 
1883. 
It is interesting to note that Professor Wright, of New Haven, in ex- 
perimenting upon the visibility of the corona, succeeded in obtaining 
what he believed to be a coronal image upon a screen, when he, too, 
was brought to a standstill by these same “white skies” and “ red 
sunsets.” Professor Wright’s method was to admit the sun’s rays re- 
flected from a heliostat, into a darkened room, and to cut out all but 
the blue and violet rays by a suitable absorbing cell, and then to form 
an image of the sun and its surroundings upon a sensitive fluorescent 
screen, stopping out the sun’s disk itself. 
Professor Young seems to have some slight hope of ultimate success 
of these efforts to reach the corona without au eclipse. 131 
ASTRONOMY. 
Langley's observations of hitherto unrecognized wave-lengths.—Profes- 
sor Langley having traced the solar spectrum in the infra-red as far as 
wave-length =0.0027 of a millimeter, where it suddenly ceased, has 
since, with more delicate instruments, examined the emission spectra 
of various terrestrial substances at temperatures from that of fusing 
platinum to that of melting ice, and more particularly of temperatures 
corresponding to the ordinary conditions of the soil. The result has 
been to show that the maximum of heat from cold and black bodies has 
in every case a wave-length greater than 0.0027—greater, that is to say, 
than that of the lowest solar heat which reaches us. Professor Lang- 
ley thus sums up (Am. J. Sc., 132 : 84-106) his investigation : “ Broadly 
speaking, we have learned through the present measures with certainty 
of wave-lengths greater than 0.005 millimeter, and have grounds fores-, 
timating that we have recognized radiations whose wave-length ex- 
ceeds 0.03 millimeter, so that while we have directly measured to nearly 
eight times the wave-length known to Newton, we have probable indica- 
tion of wave-lengths far greater, and the gulf between the shortest vi- 
bration of sound and the longest known vibration of the aether is now 
in some measure bridged over.” 
The visual solar spectrum in 1884.—Professor Piazzi Smyth made a 
careful map of the solar spectrum in 1884 in order to determine whether 
any perceptible effect had been produced by the “ white skies” so prev- 
alent in that year. His observations have lately been published in a 
series of sixty plates, in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edin- 
burgh, vol. 32. He finds that the red and violet ends of the spectrum 
show a marked general dulling, such as should arise from the upper 
air being laden with minute opaque particles—whether from the Kra- 
katoa explosion or any other source. 
Tholloris map of the solar spectrum.—M. Thollon, in the Bulletin as- 
tronomique for July, gives some interesting details in regard to the 
great map of the spectrum for which the Lalande prize of the Paris 
Academy was awarded him about a year ago. An earlier map from A 
to 11 was finished by Thollon in 1879, but he determined to go over 
the work again with improved instruments, and to make a chart 
representing, with all the accuracy attainable, the positions, breadths, 
and relative intensities of the lines, a chart which will enable us to 
determine in the future whether any changes have taken place. For 
even now, from the comparison of M. Thollon’s chart with that of Augs- 
trom, there is a strong suspicion that some change has occurred in the 
intensity of several lines between B and O. 
M. Thollon has carried the map from A to 6, and it is to be continued 
to the violet by M. It is now more than 33 feet long (though 
it covers little more than one-third of the spectrum), and contains 
about 3,200 lines, nearly 900 of which are distinguished as of telluric 
origin. The instrument employed was a large spectroscope with bi- 132 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
sulphide of carbon prism, kept at an even temperature by running 
water. The measures were made with a fine glass pointer. 
Cornu's device for distinguishing the telluric lines in the solar spec- 
trum.—At the meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society, on June 11, 
1886, M. Cornu gave a description of an ingenious method he has de- 
vised for distinguishing between those lines of the solar spectrum which 
are atmospheric and those which are due to solar absorption. The east 
and west equatorial limbs of the sun are alternately thrown on the slit 
of the spectroscope by means of an oscillating mirror. As one limb of 
the sun is approaching us and the other receding, there is a real'diff'er- 
ence of wave-length in the same radiation as obtained from the two 
limbs, and consequently the solar lines appear to oscillate while the 
atmospheric lines remain perfectly stationary. “It is as if you shook 
the spectrum; and if a line were a solar one it moved, if a terrestrial 
one it remained steady.” 
The absorption spectrum of oxygen.—About three years ago M. Egoroff 
was able to show that the great groups A and B in the solar spectrum 
were due to the absorption of oxygen. More recently the a band was 
also found to be due to the same gas. M. Janssen, studying the ab- 
sorption of oxygen, has now discovered that, under certain conditions, 
the gas yields another spectrum, composed no longer of lines easily 
separated, but of shaded bands, which can only be resolved with great 
difficulty. This system of bands appears for moderate pressures much 
later than the spectrum of lines, but it shows itself very quickly with in- 
crease of the density; the two systems are so different that it is possible 
to obtain either the first without the second, or vice versa. M. Janssen 
was at first unable to explain how it was that these bauds were not 
visible in the solar spectrum when they were easily obtained by passing 
light through thicknesses of oxygen far less than the sun’s light has to 
traverse before reaching us. But further experiments showed that 
these bands did not develop in proportion to the thickness of the stratum 
of oxygen producing them, multiplied by its density, but in proportion 
to the thickness multiplied by the square of the density. The density 
of our atmosphere being small as compared with some of the pressures 
at which M. Janssen worked, the non-appearance of these bands amongst 
the telluric lines of the solar spectrum is readily explained. 
M. Janssen is continuing his experiments at Meudou, and is building 
tubes which can be loaded with 1,000 atmospheres of hydrogen, oxy- 
gen, or carbonic acid. In this last case the real density of the gas will 
be superior to the density of water. (Nature.) 
For a thorough and authoritative review of recent advances in our 
knowledge of the sun the reader should consult Professor Young’s ar- 
ticle which appeared in the Popular Science Monthly for November, 
1886 (30:24-33), and also his “Ten Years’ Progress in Astronomy,” in 
vol. 5 of the Transactions of the New York Academy of Sciences. ASTRONOMY. 
133 
THE PLANETS. 
Mercury : The 7nass of Mercury.—Dr. Backlund has published in the 
Bulletin astronomique for October a new mass of Mercury, obtained in- 
cidentally in his discussion of the motion of Encke’s comet. The new 
result in question is 2 6 6"8 7o~o, the sun’s mass being unity, and this is the 
largest value of the mass of the planet yet obtaiued. Dr. Backlund 
states that, even supposing the acceleration of the comet’s mean motion 
to have been constant during the entire period, 1871-’85, it is not pos- 
sible to represent satisfactorily the five apparitions of the comet during 
that period on the assumption of a mass of Mercury less than Vooo¥oo. 
Venus: Semi-diameter of Venus.—Mr. Thackeray, discussing the ob- 
servations of Venus made at Greenwich from I860 to 1884, finds that 
the amount of personality in the measures is much greater than the cor- 
rection due to the instrument, and that, though a greater number of 
observers by compensating one another might give increased accu- 
racy to the value of the semi-diameter, it is just as likely that they 
should not. 
The Earth: Geodetic Congress.—We learn from Nature that the In- 
ternational Geodetic Conference met at Berlin in October, 188G, to settle 
the organization of the central geodetic bureau (which is to have its per- 
manent seat at Berlin), and to determine upon the best method of exe- 
cuting the resolutions passed at Eome and Washington in 1883 and 
1884, respecting the actual measurement of a degree on the earth’s sur- 
face. The adoption of Greenwich as a first meridian is to be strictly en- 
forced, but the introduction of international normal time is postponed 
on account of insuperable practical difficulties. 
The proposed change in the beginning of the astronomical day.—It is to 
be regretted that no agreement has yet been reached by astronomers 
upon the proposition to change the beginning of the astronomical day 
from noon to midnight. 
The general sentiment is opposed to making any change until it is 
clear that it will be adopted by a majority of astronomers, and until the 
proper modifications have been introduced into our principal ephemeri- 
des. The new day has been provisionally adopted by Mr. Christie, at 
Greenwich, and the board of visitors have recommended that it be in- 
troduced into the Nautical Almanac for 1891. On the other hand, the 
superintendents of the German and American ephemerides oppose any 
change; and there seems to be great danger that the agitation of the 
question by the Washington Meridian Conference in 1884 may introduce 
new confusion rather than remove the old. At present there is little 
prospect of the plan meeting with anything like a general acceptance 
before the beginning of the next century. 
Theory of the moon’s motion.—Several valuable papers upon the lunar 
theory have been published by Hill and others. Reference should be 
made to the papers themselves, cited in our Bibliography. 134 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Mr. Hill has received the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical 
Society for his laborious and masterly researches upon this difficult 
subject. 
An interesting historical note on the inequalities of the motion of the 
moon which depends on the figure of the earth, is given by Professor 
Hall in the Annals of Mathematics, vol. 2, No. 5. 
Mars: The “canals” of Mars.—M. Perrotin and his colleagues at 
Nice succeeded in recovering many of Schiaparelli’s enigmatical “ canals ” 
at the last opposition of Mars, although the planet was seen under very 
unfavorable conditions. Its apparent diameter at this opposition was 
only 14", against 25" at the opposition of 1877, when the canals were 
discovered. The canals were made out by several observers at Nice, 
and were recognized as having the same general outline and position 
attributed to them by Schiaparelli in 1882. They seem, therefore, to be 
essentially permanent, forming a sort of network of grayish lines pro- 
jected against the brighter equatorial regions of the planet. Compared 
with the thickness of the spider lines of the micrometer, the finest of 
these lines appear to have a width which corresponds to an arc of 2° 
or 3° on the surface of Mars. Some of them measure from 50° to 00° 
in length, and several are double, composed of lines strictly parallel, 
separated, according to Schiaparelli’s estimate, by intervals of from C° 
to 12°. All of this speaks well for the purity of the atmosphere at 
Nice, the excellence of the 15-inch Henry refractor, and the keenness 
of the observers. 
During the study of the planet (from the end of March to the middle 
of June) some change seemed to be taking place near Kaiser Sea. On 
May 21 this region, from 10° to 55° north latitude, was hidden by a 
luminous veil somewhat softer in color than the continents, very much 
as if clouds in regular parallel bands were stretched across the planet 
from northeast to southwest. At moments these clouds became trans- 
parent, exposing the outline of the prolongation of Kaiser Sea. Other 
similar cloud phenomena were observed on subsequent days. M. Per- 
rotin suggests that these phenomena were really produced by clouds 
or mists circulating in the atmosphere of Mars, and concludes that they 
are, in such case, the act of an element belonging to the atmosphere, 
or to the surface of the planet, susceptible of motion and modification 
in a comparatively short time. 
Mr. Denning, who has been an attentive observer of Mars, has not 
been able to make out the canals in the detail assigned to them by 
Schiaparelli, although he has distinguished a large number of appear- 
ances highly suggestive of these configurations. Mr. Denning con- 
cludes a review of his recent observations of the planet (Nature, 34: 
105) as follows : 
“Many of our leading treatises on astronomy attribute a dense atmos- 
phere to Mars, but nothing has been observed during my recent obser- 
vations to corroborate this theory. It seems to me far more plausible ASTRONOMY. 
135 
to assume that the atmosphere of this planet is extremely attenuated. 
The chief spots are invariably visible, and the phenomena occasionally 
observed are rather to be imputed to the vagaries of our own atmos- 
phere than to that of Mars. 
“ Jupiter and Saturn are doubtless enveloped in dense vapors shroud- 
ing their real surfaces from terrestrial eyes. Their markings are atmos- 
pheric, though in some cases very durable, and constantly undergoing 
changes of aspect and displacements of position by longitudinal cur- 
rents. On Mars a totally different nature of things prevails. Here 
the appearances described are absolute surface markings displaying 
none of the variations which are so conspicuously displayed on Jupiter. 
It seems to me that the very pronounced character of the 
markings and their great permanency are quite opposed to the idea that 
the planet is surrounded by a dense cloud-laden atmosphere.” 
Dr. Lohse has used, in observing Mars, a double-refracting prism, 
achromatized for the extraordinary ray; this prism, placed before the 
ocular of the telescope, brings out more sharply the details of the 
planet’s surface by reducing the polarized light reflected from its at- 
mosphere. 
Satellites of Mars.—Professor Hall was able to observe the outer 
satellite, Deimos, on four evenings in March, 1880, but the inner satel- 
lite was seen only once, and was then so faint that no measurements 
could be made. Both little bodies were near their predicted places. 
The minor planets.—Eleven minor planets were added to the list 
in 1886, the last one bearing the number 204; the brightest was of the 
eleventh magnitude. Seven of the new-comers belong to Dr. Palisa, 
making the total number discovered by him fifty-seven. Dr. Peters has 
now discovered forty-six and Dr. Luther twenty-three. 
The dates of discovery and the names, as far as assigned, are given 
in the following table: 
Minor planets discovered in 1886. 
No. 
Names. 
Date 
of discovery. 
Magui- 
tude 
at dis- 
covery. 
Discoverer. 
Observatory. 
254 
Augusta 
March 31,1886 
13.5 
J. Palisa 
255 
Oppavia 
do 
13.5 
do 
Do. 
256 
Walpurga 
12.5 
do 
Do. 
257 
Silesia 
April 5 
13 
do 
Do. 
258 
Tyche 
M ay 4 
11.3 
R, Luther 
Dusseldorf. 
259 
Aletheia 
12 
C. H. F. Peters 
Clintou. 
260 
Huberta 
13.5 
J. Palisa 
Vienna. 
261 
Prymno 
October 31 
11.2 
C. H. F. Peters 
Clinton. 
262 
Valda 
12 
J. Palisa 
Vienna. 
265 
Dresda 
12 
... do 
Do. 
264 
Libussa 
December 22 .. 
11.5 
C. H. F. Peters 
Clinton. 136 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Number 253, discovered by Dr. Palisa on November 15,1885, has been 
named Mathilde. 
The influence of phase on the brightness of the minor planets.—Dr. G. 
Muller, of the Potsdam Observatory, is led to believe from observations 
of seven asteroids with a Zollner photometer, that there is a real con- 
nection between the phase of these bodies and their apparent bright- 
ness, and that Lambert’s law of phase brightness does not apply to 
them. The planets are separated into two classes. In the first class, 
class, which embraces Vesta, Iris, Massilia, and Amphitrite, the changes 
in brightness are only perceptible as the planet approaches opposition, 
thus resembling Mars in their behavior ; in the second, which contains 
Ceres, Pallas, and Irene, the changes in brightness seem to be coexten- 
sive with the changes of phase, giving a light curve, like that of the 
the moon or Mercury. 
The asteroid ring—M. A. Svedstrup gives in the Nachrichten, Nos. 
2740-41, an interesting abstract of a recent investigation, for which he 
received the gold medal of the Royal Danish Academy—a statistical 
examination of the orbits of 198 of the small planets, considered as 
part of a cosmical ring around the sun. The orbit obtained for the 
“ mean planet” shows an inclination of about 6° and a mean distance 
of 2.64. The mass of this fictitious planet corresponds to an apparent 
magnitude, at opposition, of 6.7.* 
Relation of the asteroid orbits to that of Jupiter.—Professor Newton 
points out the interesting fact that the plane of Jupiter’s orbit coincides 
almost exactly with the mean plane of the orbits found for the first 251 
asteroids, understanding by the mean plane, the plane whose pole is the 
center of gravity of the poles of the asteroid planes$ the difference be- 
tween the poles is, indeed, only 30'. 
Jupiter : The “ red spot.”—The “ great red spot,” some 30,000 miles 
in length by 8,300 in width, has now been the principal object of inter- 
est on the planet for eight years. It was faint during the last season, 
but far more conspicuous than in 1885. Professor Young obtained, 
from eight observations made between March 17 and June 29, 1886, a 
rotation-time of the spot of 9h 55m 40B.7 ± 0B.2, showing that the 
remarkable retardation of the period still persists. This is brought 
out by the following figures: . 
In 1879 Mr. Pratt made the period 9h 55m 34*. 9 
1880-81 Mr. Hough made the period... 37 .2 
1882- Mr. Hough made the period... 38.4 
1883- Mr. Hough made the period... 38.5 
1884- Mr. Hough made the period... 40.1 
1886 Mr. Youug made the period... 40.7 
Professor Youug, on re-reducing Mr. Pratt’s observations of 1879, ob- 
tains 9h 55m 348.05, and he finds from a series of observations made by 
Prof. C. W. Pritchett, in 1882, 9h 55m 388.15. A small round white spot 
*In tho Bull, astron., 3: 415, this is corrected to 6.0 magnitude. ASTRONOMY. 
137 
observed at Princeton in March and April, 1885, gave a period of 9 
551U 118.14. “It is noteworthy that although this spot was in a higher 
latitude (about 50° south) than the red spot, it yet rotates more rapidly.” 
Professor Young remarked the apparent overlapping of the southern 
belt and the red spot which took place towards the end of March and 
the beginning of April, and which was seen by many English observers 
(Observatory, May, 188G, vol. 9: p. 188); but whilst admitting that it 
was impossible to say which was uppermost, he was inclined, in oppo- 
sition to Mr. Denning’s viewr, to believe the red spot to be the lower. 
Mr. Denning has pointed out that the apparent partial coalescence of 
the two markings was simply due to an arm of the southern belt over- 
taking the red spot, the former having a rotation period shorter by 
about 19® than the latter. 
Mr. Denning finds evidence of regular recurrence in many of the 
prominent markings on this planet. 
Saturn : The satellites of Saturn.—Professor Hall has finished a very 
important discussion of the six inner satellites of Saturn, and his work 
has been published as Appendix i to the Washington Observations for 
1883. The observations of Professor Newcomb in 1874, and Professor 
Hall’s own observations from 1875 to 1884, are given in detail; these are 
followed by the formation of equations of condition and their solution, 
and the work concludes with useful tables of the satellites’ motions. 
A remarkable result of the discussion is that the Washington obser- 
vations of the five inner satellites can be satisfied within the limits of 
their probable errors by circular orbits. It was hoped that the observa- 
tions would determine the positions of the lines of apsides with such 
accuracy that the motions of these lines would be known, and that thus 
we might obtain data for a new determination of the mass of the ring 
and of the figure of the plant. But the resulting circular orbits for the 
inner satellites make the position of a line of apsides indeterminate, and 
for the present the mass of the ring remains unknown. 
The mass of Saturn has been computed from the elements found for 
Titan, Bliea, Dione, and Tethys with the separate results for the re- 
ciprocal of the mass, — 
From Titan 3480. 07 ± 1.138 
Rhea 3450. 43 ± G. 202 
Dione. * 3463. 68 ± 8.379 
Tethys 3463. 41 ±10. G29 
or, the mean result from the four satellites, is 
Mass of Saturn = 34.73 1 iq 
the mass of the sun being unity. 
In a paper in the Astronomische Nachrichten (No. 2743) entitled 
“ Comparison of the five inner satellites of Saturn made at Toulouse in 138 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
1876 and 1877,” Professor Hall discusses the old method of observing 
these difficult objects by noting their conjunctions with the ends of the 
ring, or with some other marked feature of the Saturnian system, but 
concludes that the filar micrometer measures are at present among the 
best we have. He is inclined to think that the heliometer, if it can be 
made large enough, must be one of the best instruments for dealing 
with measurements of such objects as Saturn and Jupiter. This sug- 
gestion is being carried out by Mr. Asaph Hall, jr., in a series of obser- 
vations of Titan with the 6-inch heliometer of the Yale College Obser- 
vatory. 
The following table represents the results of Professor Hall’s inves- 
tigations upon these satellites. The elements of Titan, however, and 
the values of the node and inclination of the ring aie adopted from 
Bessel. Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, and Bhea are assumed to 
move in the plane of the ring, and Hyperion in the plane of Titan. 
Elements of the satellites of Saturn, 1880. 
Mean distance from 
Satellite. 
Mean daily motion. 
tion. 
Saturn. 
0 
d 
„ 
381.99078572 
0. 9424311 
20. 80 
Enceladus 
202.7317727 
0 
1 
37021875 
34.40 
Tethya 
190. 09838434 
1.88779785 
42. 734 
131.53500029 
2. 7309140 
54.734 ± 0.0442 
Shea 
79. 09010973 
4. 5174991 
70.537 ±0.0459 
Titan 
22.57700000 
15.9454245 
170.915 ±0.0193 
10. 919883 
21. 270742 
213. 98 
Iapetus 
4.53794773 
79 
.3310152 
515. 5195 ±0.02045 
Longitude of 
Eccentric- 
Inclination to 
Longitude of 
Satellite. 
Peri-Saturnium. 
ity. 
ecliptic. 
node. 
o / 
// 
o / // 
Zero 
28 10 
10.7 
107 55 5.9 
do 
28 1C 
10.7 
107 55 5.9 
..do 
28 10 
10.7 
107 55 5.9 
28 10 
10.7 
107 55 5. 9 
do 
28 10 
10.7 
107 55 5.9 
0 / '/ 
2G8 37 56. 0 
0. 02841830 
27 33 
50.7 
108 10 34.8 
83 37 55. 2 
0. 1 
27 3: 
50.7 
108 10 34.8 
Iapetua 
353 14 50.5 
0. 027795 
18 33 
39.5 
142 20 41. 4 
The motion of Hyperion.—Tisserand in investigating tlie case of two 
satellites moving around tlieir primary in orbits but little inclined to 
each other has shown that if the mean motions are very nearly com- 
mensurable, and if the motion of one was originally circular and uni- 
form, the perturbations caused by the other would have for their princi- 
pal effect to transform this motion into motion in a Kepleriau ellipse 
with a uniform rotation of the major axis. Applying this to the case of 
Hyperion perturbed by Titan, which has been investigated by Hall and 
!Newcomb, and in which there is one of the nearest approaches to com- 
mensurability of mean motions to be found in the solar system, M. ASTRONOMY. 
139 
Tisseraud finds that his results agree closely with the facts of observa- 
tion, the computed rate of retrograde motion of the perisaturnium of 
Hyperion being 18°.8 per annum, whilst the observed quantity is 20°, 
and he also finds that his value of the mass of Titan differs little 
from that obtained by Newcomb. (Observatory, November, 1886, 
9:360.) 
Uranus.—Observations of the planet made by Dr. H. C. Wilson at 
the Cincinnati Observatory in 1883 (recently published in Astron. 
Nadir., 2730), seem to confirm Professor Young’s observations (As- 
tron. Nachr., 2545), that the equator of the planet does not coincide 
with the plane of the satellites’ orbits. 
Neptune: Satellite of Neptune. — Marth calls attention (Month. Not., 
46: 507) to what appears to bo a remarkable change in the position of 
the plane of the orbit of Neptune’s satellite. He noticed that the orbit 
from the Malta observations of 1863-’64 did not agree with that from 
the observations of 1852. The node and inclination obtained by New- 
comb in 1874 showed a movement in the same direction, and the motion 
of these elements is still further confirmed by the orbit recently pub- 
lished by Professor Hall from his own observations at Washington. 
The probable errors are so small that it seems hardly plausible or pos- 
sible to attribute the change to systematic errors of observations. Mr. 
Marth calls for careful observations to strengthen the evidence. 
REPORTS OF OBSERVATORIES. 
The following account of the recent activity of astronomical observa- 
tories is compiled from all available sources, the “ Vierteljahrsschrift” 
furnishing, as usual, the data for most of the observatories, although the 
latest reports there published are for the year 1885. I am indebted to 
the directors of many observatories for the direct communication of 
information in regard to the institutions under their control. 
An alphabetical list of astronomical observatories, compiled by Mr. 
Boehmer, will be found in the Smithsonian Report for 1885. 
M. Lancaster, of the Bruxelles Observatory, has published a useful 
directory of observatories and astronomers. 
Algiers Observatory {1886).—The French Government has granted the 
fuuds necessary for the completion of the observatory, and two assist- 
ants have been sent to join M. Tr6pied. A time service has been organ- 
ized for the cities of Algiers and Tunis, and the observatory will co- 
operate in geodetic work with field parties. Stellar photography will 
receive special attention. The observatory possesses a spectroscope by 
Thollon giving a spectrum 10 meters in length. 
Allegheny Observatory (1886).—The work during 1886 has consisted of 
an extension of former researches on invisible radiations, and on the 
absorption and radiation of heat by the earth’s atmosphere, and also of 
researches upon the absolute temperature of the lunar surface. In con- 140 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR L886. 
nection with this latter investigation a new field of exploration has 
been opened in spectral regions, where the planet’s own radiations to- 
wards space, of very great wave-lengths—exceeding one one hundredth 
of a millimeter—are now for the first time found. 
Professor Langley, in giving a portion of his time to the Smithsouian 
Institution, has not resigned the active directorship of the observatory, 
and all communications relative to the scienti fic or business affairs of that 
institution should be addressed to him at Allegheny as usual. Mr. F. 
W. Very continues at the observatory as senior assistant. Mr. Keeler 
is now at the Lick Observatory, and has been succeeded at Allegheny 
by Mr. James Page, jr. 
Amherst (1885).—This observatory, named in honor of the Hon. Abbot 
Lawrence, was built in 1847, and has been employed chiefly for purposes 
of instruction. Professor Todd was appointed director in July, 1881, 
and his report covers the years 1881-1885, inclusive. The instruments 
of the observatory are: A inch Clark equatorial, a 3-inch Gambey 
transit circle, and a Gf-inch Pistor & Martins transit instrument, with 
mean time and sidereal clocks, chronograph, and subsidiary apparatus. 
The equatorial is provided with two small cameras for celestial photog- 
raphy. Observations at e made of sun-spots, of the phenomena of Jupi- 
ter’s satellites, occultations of stars by the moon, etc. The provision- 
ally adopted position of the observatory is: Latitude, +42° 22' 17".l; 
longitude, 4h 50m 48.67 west of Greenwich. 
Ann Arbor (1886).—The observatory is known as the Detroit Observa- 
tory, having been founded through the liberality of citizens of Detroit. 
Valuable additions and improvements have been made by means of 
further contributions from the same source and from the city of Ann 
Arbor, and also by appropriations made by the board of regents of the 
University of Michigan, to which the observatory is attached. The 
building consists of a main part, with a movable dome, and two wings. 
The east wing contains the large meridian circle by Pistor & Martins 
and a sidereal clock by Tiede, of Berlin. The west wiug contains the 
library of the observatory, a chronograph with Bond’s new isodynamic 
escapement, and the smaller instruments. This wing connects with the 
residence of the director. In the dome is mounted a large refracting 
telescope, with an object-glass 13 inches in diameter, constructed by 
the late Henry Fitz, of New York. 
Much attention is given to instruction in astronomy, and through the 
liberality of the legislature a small observatory for the purpose of in- 
struction has been erected on the observatory grounds near the main 
building. It contains an equatorial telescope of 6 inches aperture and 
a transit instrument of 3 inches aperture, with zenith telescope attach- 
ment. A building near by contains computing rooms and rooms for 
observers, and a workshop where necessary repairs and attachments 
for the instruments can be made. A set of self-registering meteorologi- ASTRONOMY. 
141 
cal instruments has recently been added. It consists of Hough’s baro- 
graph and thermograph and an anemograph. 
The observatory is under the direction of Prof. M. W. Harrington, 
who is assisted by Mr. J. M. Schaeberle and a meteorological observer. 
Professor Harrington has devoted considerable time during the past 
few years to photometric observations, especially of the asteroids. Mr. 
Schaeberle has made observations with the meridian circle. 
The observatory plant is valued at about $40,000, and the annual ex- 
penditures amount to about $3,000. It should be mentioned that the 
American Meteorological Journal is edited here by Professor Harring- 
ton. 
Armagh (1886) Under the direction of Hr. Dreyer the Armagh cat- 
alogue of 3,300 stars has been published. 
Bamberg (1886).—This observatory, founded by the will of the late 
Dr. Bemeis, of Bamberg, who died in 1882, will be provided with a 7- 
inch heliometer, the largest instrument of its kind made. Dr. Hartwig 
proposes to take up the systematic investigation of stellar parallax, and 
the investigation of the physical libration of the moon. 
Berlin (1885).—With the meridian circle, Dr. Kiistner has observed a 
series of comparison stars for planets and comets, stars which have been 
occulted by the moon, stars for heliometer investigations, etc. There 
have been made in all 2,096 observations of right ascension and 1,936 of 
declination; the reductions are up to date. A new observing list, con- 
taining the Pulkowa “ Zusatzsterne” and Argelander’s proper motion 
stars—about 1,000 objects in all—was started in 1886. The transit has 
been used for observations of circumpolars, and also for continuing the 
observations upon seven selected pairs of stars, which are to furnish 
data for determining the constant of aberration. With the 9-inch re- 
fractor Dr. Knorre has observed a large number of comets and planets, 
and with the aid of his 11 declinograph ” he has determined the positions 
of about a thousand stars, some as faint as the thirteenth magnitude. 
Dr. Battermann observed occultations with the 4.6-inch refractor. The 
investigations upon the movements of piers have given interesting re- 
sults, and the clock which has been for four years in a hermetically 
sealed case, continues to perform most satisfactorily. 
Bonn (1885).—The meridian circle was devoted, mainly, to continu- 
ing the Gesellschaft zone observations. Volume viii, the Southern 
Durchmusteruug, was published during 1886, and the printing of the 
twenty-four charts which are to accompany this work has been begun. 
The reduction of the zone work is not quite finished. The director, 
Dr. Schonfeld, has been assisted in observing by Drs. Scheiuer, Deich- 
iniiller, and W. Luther. Dr. Scheiner was absent a considerable por- 
tion of the year, serving a term of military duty. 
Breslau (1885).—The observatory, under the charge of the veteran 
Dr. Galle, is engaged in meteorological aud magnetic work. Assistant, 
Dr. Lachmann. 142 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Buchtel College Observatory (1886).—Professor Howe has devoted his 
time to instruction in practical astronomy. The cost of the observa- 
tory was about $5,000. 
Bucknell University Observatory.—Mr. William Bucknell has given 
the sum of $10,000 for an observatory at Lewisburgh, Pa. A 10-iuch 
equatorial has been ordered from Clark and a 3-iuch transit from 
Ertel. The building is of brick, 25 feet by 150 feet, a dome 16i feet jn 
diameter surmounting the central tower. 
The observatory, under the direction of Prof. W. C. Bartol, is to be 
used for instruction in practical astronomy, and will be ready in June, 
1887. 
Chabot Observatory (1886).—This new observatory, the gift of An- 
thony Chabot, esq., to the city of Oakland, Cal., is under the direction 
of Mr. F. M. Campbell. The instruments are, an 8-inch equatorial, 
with micrometer and spectroscope, a 4£inch transit, chronograph, 
clocks, etc. The geographical position given (Sid. Mess., 5:286) is: 
Latitude, +37° 48' o" ; longitude, 3h 0m 548.3 west of Washington. 
Cincinnati (1886).—The Cincinnati Observatory was founded in 1842 
by an astronomical society, and was afterward transferred to the Uni- 
versity of Cincinnati, of which it now forms one of the departments. A 
new building was erected in 1870 upon Mount Lookout, about 4 miles 
east and 2 miles north of the central portion of the city. The observa- 
tory grounds comprise 4 acres on the summit of the hill. The building 
is of brick; it consists of a central portion supporting the dome, and two 
wings, the western being furnished with meridian shutters, and the east- 
ern containing the library. 
The observatory possesses the Mitchel refractor of 11 inches aper- 
ture, made by Merz & Mahler, and supplied with a filar micrometer and 
a double-ring micrometer. The magnifying powers range from 90 to 
1,500. There is also a portable equatorial of 4 inches aperture by Clark, 
with magnifying powers ranging from 15 to 250. The transit instru- 
ment, by Buff & Berger, has an aperture of 3 inches and is furnished 
with a latitude level and an eye-piece micrometer for measuring differ- 
ences of declination. The total value of the instruments is estimated to 
be about $12,000. The library contains over fifteen hundred bound vol- 
umes besides a large number of pamphlets. 
' The financial support is derived from a city tax, the yearly income 
from which is about $5,000. This provides for the salary of the direc- 
tor, one assistant, and a janitor, the payment of the ordinary expenses, 
and the publication of results. The purpose of the observatory is both 
educational and scientific. Instruction in astronomy is given in con- 
nection with the university, and the observatory is also open to the 
public for the first hour of each evening. 
The principal work of the past year (1886) has been the prosecution 
of the zone observations with the 3 inch transit instrument. In these 
zones about 4,000 stars between the declinations —19° and —22° have ASTRONOMY. 
143 
been observed, most of them three times or more. The work of pre- 
paring this catalogue for publication is already commenced, and in the 
progress of the work Professor Porter has detected a number of inter- 
esting cases of proper motion. The catalogue will probably be issued 
during the coming year. A few observations of nebulae, double stars, 
and comets were also made during the early part of the year, but were 
suspended owing to the resignation of Mr. H. C. Wilson, assistant 
astronomer. 
The work proposed for 1887 is the completion of the observations 
required for the zone catalogue, and after that the continuation of 
a series of charts of southern nebulae. 
Cointe (1886).—The new observatory attached to the University of 
Li&ge, Belgium, is under the direction of M. Folie, the director of the 
Brussels Observatory. The instruments are a 10-inch equatorial and 6- 
incli meridian circle (diameter of circle about 31.5 inches), both by 
Cooke, with numerous smaller astronomical and geodetic instruments, 
and a set of magnetical and meteorological instruments. M. Folie is 
assisted by Dr. L. de Ball and M. P. Ubaghs. 
Columbia College Observatory (1886).—The observatory is upon the 
top of the college library building, 100 feet above the level of Forty- 
ninth street, New York City. The 13 inch Rutherford equatorial, 3-inch 
transit, and zenith telescope are mounted in a room about 24 by 30 feet. 
The instruments rest upon solid piers of masonry, which are supported 
by heavy iron girders, the floors and ceilings nowhere touching the 
girders. The instrumental equipment embraces also a 5 inch equatorial 
(not mounted at present), a Troughton & Simms transit, spectroscope 
and subsidiary apparatus, clock, chronometers, portable transit, per- 
sonal-equation machine, etc. The dome is by Waters & Son, of Troy, 
New York, and consists of a paper covering with wooden ribs. The 
shutters of the transit slits are also paper, and open by the action of 
springs. 
Some trouble is caused by vibrations from the railroad trains (over 
one hundred a day) constantly passing within 100 feet of the building, 
but at times the instruments are very steady. 
A careful redetermination of the geographical position of the observ- 
atory will be made, as the old longitude seems to be somewhat in error. 
It is also hoped to devote the Rutherford equatorial, which is supplied 
with a photographic corrector, to astronomical photography. 
Professor Rees, the director, has but one assistant, and the greater 
part of his time is required to carry on a very complete course of in- 
struction in practical astronomy, designed especially for training engi- 
neering students. 
Dearborn Observatory (1886).—The Dearborn Observatory is the prop- 
erty of the Chicago Astronomical Society, but is upon ground leased to 
it by the now extinct University of Chicago, and may at any time be 
required to vacate. A new site has not yet been selected. Observa- 144 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
tions of Jupiter and of double stars have been made with the equato- 
rial during 1886, and the necessary observations for furnishing time to 
the city of Chicago have been made with the meridian circle. A cata- 
logue of two hundred and nine new double stars has been sent to the 
Nachrichten. It is expected that observations of double stars, Jupiter, 
and the satellites of Uranus will be kept up during the coming year. 
The instruments of the observatory are valued at $30,000. There is 
no permanent endowment, and Professor Hough carries on his work 
without assistants. 
Deutz (1885).—Herr Emil Mengering established in 1884. a private 
observatory, the principal instrument being a 5-iuch refractor by Reiu- 
felder & Hertel. Physical observations of the moon and Jupiter have 
been made, and attention is being directed to astronomical photography 
and spectroscopy. Approximate geographical position: Latitude, +50° 
56' 33"; longitude, +0h 25m 45M) west of Berlin. 
Dresden (1885).—At Baron von Engelhard t’s observatory observa- 
tions were made of comets, nebulae, double stars, the phenomena of Ju- 
piter’s satellites, occultations by the moon, etc. 
Dresden (1885)—Dr. Drechsler, of the 11 Mathematischer Salon,” con- 
tinues a series of meteorological observations begun in 1828. 
Ditsseldorf (1885).—Since 1847, 1,271 observations of 157 asteroids 
have been made. 
Frankfort-on-the-Main (1885).—Herr Epstein continues his star-gauges 
and his observations of sun-spots. 
Geneva (1885).—Four hundred and ninety eight chronometers were 
tested during 1885, some of them showing an uncommon degree of ex- 
cellence. Forty-two chronometers were entered on December 1, 1885, 
for a twelve-weeks’ special trial of temperature compensation. M. Kam- 
mermann has employed the 10-inch equatorial in observations of com- 
ets, nebulae, and satellites. Meteorological observations are continued 
as in former years. 
Gotha (1885).—Dr. Becker has given up the greater part of his time 
to the reduction of his zone observations. The equatorial which has 
received anew objective by Reinfelder & Hertel, and has been 
thoroughly repaired, was remounted in October. A series of observa- 
tions was made with the meridian instrument. 
Greenicich (1886).—The annual report of the astronomer royal, Mr. 
Christie, was submitted to the board of visitors of the Greenwich Ob- 
servatory on June 5, and gives an account of the progress and activ- 
ity of the observatory for the year ending May 20, 1886. The regular 
work of the transit circle and the altazimuth has been continued, and 
very satisfactory results have been obtained with the apparatus for de- 
termining absolute personal equations brought into use with the former 
instrument some months ago. Spectroscopic observations include a 
considerable number made of the new star which burst out in the great 
nebula of Andromeda. The spectroscopic observations of Sirius indi- ASTRONOMY. 
145 
cate, as in the last three years, a displacement of the F line towards 
the blue; this displacement would correspond to a motion of the earth 
towards Sirius at a rate of something more than 20 miles per second, 
though, from the nature of the observations, the amount of such a mo- 
tion can not be considered as very accurately determined. For the year 
1885 a photographic record of the sun’s surface can be made out for 
three hundred and sixty days by filling up the gaps in the series of 
Greenwich photographs from photographs obtained in India and the 
Mauritius. Observations of comets and of casual phenomena have been 
made with the equatorials; and the magnetic and meteorological ob- 
servations, the time service, etc., have been kept up as in previous years. 
The full import of the statement that the reductions of the observations 
are keeping pace with their registration will be appreciated by all who 
are engaged in routine astronomical work. 
In regard to the new equatorial Mr. Christie sa}rs: “The construc- 
tion of an object-glass of 28 inches aperture and 28 feet focal length, 
with suitable tube, to be mounted on the southeast equatorial, has been 
authorized by the Government, and the necessary funds have been pro- 
vided in the estimates. The work has been intrusted to Mr. Grubb, 
with whom I have arranged the details of the tube, which is to be of 
special construction, adapted to the conditions of the mounting, and 
available for spectroscopy and photography as well as for eye observa- 
tions. Mr. Grubb proposes to provide means for readily separating the 
lenses of the object glass to such a distance as will give the proper cor- 
rection for photographic rays.” 
It is proposed to refit the 12f-incli refractor for astronomical pho- 
tography by placing a combination of a convex flint and a concave 
crown lens about 2 feet within the focus, in order to correct the chro- 
matic aberration of the objective for the photographic rays without 
alteration of the focal length. 
Grignon (1885).—Observations of sun-spots and of the physical ap- 
pearance of planets, etc. 
Hamburg (1885).—Only one hundred and nineteen nights in the year 
were favorable for observing. Besides the meridian observations and 
the observations of planets and comets, a large number of chronom- 
eters have been tested. Dr. Schrader has left the observatory to take 
part in a scientific exploring expedition, and his place is filled tempo- 
rarily by Dr. Wilhelm Luther. The time-balls at Ouxhaven and Breiner- 
haven have worked satisfactorily, the former having failed only four 
times and the latter five. The Hamburg ball has given more trouble, 
having failed, from various causes, twenty-one times during the year. 
Harvard College Observatory (1886).—The forty-first annual report of 
the director covers the year ending November 1,1886. About half the 
Paine bequest, or $161,198, has become available for the support of the 
observatory; and the funds, which in 1875 amounted to $161,067 and 
in 1885 to $226,988, have now risen to $398,016. This increase must for 
H. Mis. COO 10 146 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1880. 
the present be devoted to the publication of observations already made, 
and to effecting repairs in the buildings and instruments. A new 
mounting for the 15-inch equatorial is required, and Professor Pickering 
expresses the hope that at no distant day means may be found for re- 
placing the present building by one better adapted to the requirements 
of modern astronomy. 
The most important extension of the work of the observatory which 
has recently been made is in the field of stellar photography. With the 
aid from the Bache fund almost the entire visible sky has been photo- 
graphed, and a large number of photographs of stellar spectra have 
been obtained. For continuing the researches upon a stellar spectra 
Mrs. Draper has lent the 11-inch photographic lens employed by her 
husband, the late Dr. Henry Draper, and has provided means for a new 
mounting at Cambridge, and for the proper reduction and publication 
of the results. This investigation has been referred to uuder “Astro- 
nomical photography.’’ 
The 15-inch equatorial has been used for photometric observations, 
observations of new comets, and of the new stars in Andromeda and 
Orion, and for experiments in photography. 
The work projected for the meridian circle is now completed, and 
the reductions are being pushed as rapidly as possible. Volume 
xv, part i, containing the annual results for the fundamental stars, 
1870-'79, and the individual results, 188.‘3-’8G, has been published; it 
includes also the results from the separate observations of stars belong- 
ing to various special classes, and the catalogue of 1,213 stars, sepa- 
rately issued in 1885. The second part of this volume will contain the 
catalogue of zone stars. Volume xvi (published) contains a tabular 
statement of the instrumental constants and a journal of the observa- 
tions. A volume corresponding to volume xvi, but relating to the zone 
stars instead of the fundamental stars, and another, containing the obser- 
vations for absolute right ascension and declination made from 1879 to 
1883, will complete the work of the meridian circle still requiring publi- 
cation. The resignation of Prof. William A. Rogers, who has had charge 
of this instrument since it was mounted in 1870, is greatly to be re- 
gretted. Professor Rogers has accepted the position of professor of 
astronomy at Colby University, Waterville, Maine, but will, however, 
superintend the reduction of his meridian observations and their publi- 
cation. 
The meridian photometer, Professor Pickering states, has given en- 
tire satisfaction, both in accuracy and in rapidity of work. (See Pho- 
tometry.) A time-ball is dropped at the Boston post office, and the 
telegraphic announcement of important discoveries has been continued 
under the management of Mr. Ritchie. The report concludes with a 
list, embracing twenty two titles, of contributions to astronomical litera- 
ture made by officers of the institution during the year. ASTRONOMY. 
147 
The following financial statistics, sonic of which may be found in 
further detail in the report of the treasurer of the university, will be of 
interest: 
Value of grounds, Harvard Observatory $80,000 
Value of buildings 25,000 
Value of iustrumeuts — - 40,000 
Endowment 398,000 
Total 543,000 
The available annual income, including gifts for immediate use, is 
$152,000. The salary of the director is $3,400, the use of the house being 
estimated at $000 more. The sale of time signals brought in nearly 
$3,000 during the year. The principal items of expenditure are— 
Total expenditure for salaries, including that of director $12,000 
Total expenditure for iustrumeuts 800 
Total expenditure for publications 3,500 
Repairs and improvements on buildings and grounds 940 
The personnel includes Professor Pickering, the director; assistant, 
Prof. W. A. Rogers (resigned September 1, 1886); assistant, Prof. A. 
Searle; and Messrs. Wendell, Edmands, Ritchie, Gerrish, Gifford, and 
Metcalf; with six computers, ladies. 
The Boyden fund, which was left for the purpose of astronomical 
research “ at such an elevation as to be free, so far as practicable, from 
the impediments to accurate observations which occur in the observa- 
tories now existing, owing to atmospheric influences,” has been trans- 
ferred to Harvard College and will be administered at the observatory. 
The fund at present exceeds $230,000. Professor Pickering proposes to 
establish an experimental observing station in Colorado, but desires to 
occupy ultimately some high mountain peak in the southern hemisphere 
where observations—largely photographic, probably—can be carried on 
in co-operation with Cambridge. Information in regard to eligible sites 
south of the equator is much desired. 
Heidelberg (1886).—Private observatory of Dr. AVolf. The principal 
instrument is a 6-inch equatorial; objective by Reiufelder & ilertel, 
mounting by Sendtner, of Munich. A photograph of the observatory 
is given in Sirius, vol. 19, Heft 12. 
Helsingfors (1885).—Dr. Donner has continued to observe the moon, 
moon culminating stars, and planets, with the large transit instrument. 
This instrument is to be remodeled by Repsold into a meridian circle. 
A portable transit of 6.9cm (2.7 inches) aperture by Repsold has been 
mounted in the prime vertical. The equatorial has been used for ob- 
serving comets. 
Hereny (1885).—The mirror of the 10|-iuch reflector having been re- 
silvered by Professor Safarik, the instrument has been arranged for 
experiments in celestial photography. Herr von Gothard has succeeded 
in photographing several constellations, star-clusters, nebuhe, and stel- 
lar spectra, but the work is still regarded as experimental, Spectro- 148 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
scopic observations and drawings of the planets have been continued 
as heretofore. 
Hillsborough, Ohio.—Private observatory of Henry A. Pavey. Ap- 
proximate position: Latitude, +39° 12'; longitude, 5h 34m west of 
Greenwich. The instruments are a 4-inch equatorial by Benjamin 
Pike’s Sons, with mean-time clock and chronometer, and other accesso- 
ries. Physical observations of the sun and Jupiter have been made, 
and observations of the zodiacal light. Variable stars have been ob- 
served in accordance with the plan proposed by Professor Pickering. 
Kalocsa Observatory (188G).—Dr. C. Braun has published a report of 
the observatory founded by Cardiual Haynald, archbishop of Kalocsa. 
The instruments are a refractor, by Merz, of 7 inches; another of 4 
inches; a transit, by Cooke, of 2.3 inches; altazimuth, clocks, spectro- 
scopes, photometers, etc. The latitude from geodetic observations is 
+4G° 31' 41/,.92; astronomical methods give it O'7.07 greater. The lon- 
gitude is lh 15m 54s.343 east of Greenwich. A valuable series of sun- 
spot observations has been made and discussed. 
Karlsruhe (188G).—The observatory at Karlsruhe (Baden) is still iu 
a small, temporary, wooden building, the instruments having been re- 
moved in 1881 from Mannheim to the present quarters in Karlsruhe, 
where the observatory forms a part of the u Techniche Ilochschule.” 
Unfortunately the financial condition of the Grand Duchy of Baden has 
thus far precluded the establishment of a thoroughly equipped observa- 
tory, which has been in contemplation. The temporary building has 
twro small meridian rooms, and a dome. The instruments are: (1) a 
G inch refractor by Steinlieil, lately remounted by Pecker & Co., of 
Wetzlar; (2) an old repeating circle by Reichenbach some years ago 
changed into a meridian circle by Hildebrandt & Schramm, of Freiberg; 
the telescope has an aperture of 84 millimeters (3.3 inches); the divided 
circle is 3 feet in diameter; (3) a large portable transit instrument by 
Bamberg, of Berlin ; (4) two fine clocks by Hohwti, of Amsterdam— 
one with break-circuit attachment; (5) chronographs, chronometers, 
etc. 
The personnel consists, at present, of the director, one regular assist- 
ant, and a temporary assistant. The director, Dr. W. Valentiner, has 
begun with the meridian circle a series of observation of all stars down 
to the eighth magnitude between 0° and 20° of south declination, each 
star will be observed six times. So far about nine thousand observa- 
tions have been made, and most of these have been reduced and pub- 
lished in parts 1 and 2 of the “ Veroffentlichungen ” of the observatory. 
The assistant, Dr. von Rebeur-Paschwitz, uses the refractor for observa- 
tions of comets, occultations, etc.; his principal work is the micromet- 
rical measurement of star-clusters; two groups will soon be finished. 
The filar micrometer has been carefully investigated. Herr von Rebeur 
has also completed an exhaustive discussion of comet 1882 I (Wells). 
The second assistant, Herr L. Stutz, makes regular observations with ASTRONOMY. 
149 
the transit instrument for the time-service of the observatory, and 
also observes moon-culminations and right ascensions of the fundamen- 
tal stars for the southern zones of the “ Astronoinisclic Gesellschaft.” 
Kew (188G).—The magnetical and meteorological observations and 
observations for time are kept up. Sketches of sun-spots projected on 
the photo-heliograph screen are made in order to continue Schwabe’s 
enumeration. 
Kiel (1885).—Observations with the meridian circle and equatorial 
are continued, the equatorial having been provided with a new regis- 
tering apparatus. The catalogue founded on the Helsingfors Gotha 
zones is still unfinished. 
Lawrence Observatory.—(See Amherst.) 
Kis-Kartel (1886).—Private observatory of Baron Podmaniczky, near 
Budapest, Hungary. The principal instrument is a 7-inch refractor 
by Merz, with a mounting by Cooke. The work commences next year 
with double-star measures and physical observations of the sun, moon, 
and planets. 
La Plata Observatory (1886).—The Government of the province of 
Buenos Aires is fitting up in La Plata an observatory which is to have 
a 31.5 inch reflector, an equatorial coude of 17 inches, an 8-inch transit, 
a large Thollon spectroscope with objective of 9.8 inches, apparatus for 
celestial photography, and numerous smaller instruments. A time- 
service will be instituted, and a large amount of geodetic work will be 
done, including the measurement of an arc of a meridian. The ob- 
servatory is to be under the direction of M. Beuf, late an officer in the 
French navy. 
Leipzig (1885).—Dr. narzer has gone to Pulkowa, and has been suc- 
ceeded at Leipzig, by Herr Schnauder. The zone observations and 
necessary reductions are being advanced as rapidly as possible. The 
equatorial has been used on comets and star clusters. 
Ijeydcn Observatory (1885).—Prof. H. G. van de Sande Bakhuyzen’s 
report is for the year ending September 15, 1835. The new 
equatorial, with objective by Clark, and mounting by Repsold, is ready 
for use. The 7-inch refractor was used for observations of comets. A 
series of measurements of artificial disks was made with Airy’s double- 
image micrometer for the purpose of determining the systematic errors 
of the measures of the.diameters of Mars and Uranus obtained in for- 
mer years. The meridian circle was devoted to observations of fairly 
bright circumpolar stars. Some progress has been made with the re- 
ductions of the zone observations, 1871-76. 
Lick Observatory (1886).—The Lick Observatory will soon be counted 
as one of the active observatories of America. The formal opening 
and transfer to the University of California can not take place until the 
great telescope is mounted (probably in the summer of 1887), but Pro- 
fessor Holden already has one assistant at work—Mr. Keeler, who has 
been Professor Langley’s assistant at Allegheny for a number of years. 150 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
The crown and flint lenses for the 36-inch objective arrived safely at 
Mount Hamilton on December 27, 1886, and have been packed away 
in a fire-proof vault in readiness for the mounting. 
It is the intention to provide three lenses, the third a “ photographic 
corrector’7 which can be slipped on in front of the other two. The 
Clarks found that the first piece of glass sent them for this lens showed 
signs of internal strain due to insufficient annealing, and the work of 
figuring was only undertaken at the risk of the makers, Fed & Co. 
The suspicion of strain proved well founded, for the disk burst into 
three-pieces while upon the grinding tool. Another disk will be pro- 
cured and should be ready by June 1, 1887. The cost of the objective 
was $52,000. The photographic lens will add several thousand dollars 
to this. The recent death of Feil pere may cause serious delay in ob- 
taining the glass for the third lens. 
The mounting is under way in the workshops of Messrs. Warner & 
Swasey, of Cleveland, Ohio, and will be delivered at Mount Hamilton 
in June, 1887, for $42,000. It will contain many novel devices, among 
them an application of a modified form of the bicycle ball-bearings to 
the right ascension and declination axes, which will insure great ease 
of movement. The driving clock will have an electrical control. 
The hemispherical dome of 70 feet interior diameter has been built 
by the Union Iron Works, of San Francisco, for $56,800. The question 
of an observing chair has been met by adopting Grubb’s plan of mov- 
ing the floor vertically 16 feet. Some such arrangement becomes ab- 
solutely necessary when we consider that the “spectroscopic length” 
of the telescope is some 5 feet more than the visual length, and the 
photographic length some 8 feet less; the eye-piece may be 7 feet from 
the base of the dome when the telescope is pointed to the zenith, or it 
may be 35 feet in the horizontal position. The floor will be raised in 
four minutes with a perfectly parallel motion, by hydraulic rams. The 
cost of the floor will be $14,500. A star spectroscope is to be made by 
Brashear, of Pittsburgh, for $1,000, and the micrometer by Fauth, of 
Washington, for $750. 
The total cost of the observatory will be a little over $500,000, leav- 
ing nearly $200,000 available as a permanent endowment. The annual 
income of the observatory from all sources will be about $20,000. 
In the summer of 1886 Prof. G. O. Comstock made an investigation 
of the Repsold meridian circle and a preliminary determination of the 
latitude. The resulting latitude of the north dome is + 37° 20' 25//.2 ; 
the longitude given by the U. S. Coast Survey is 8h 6"* 34s.35 west of 
Greenwich. A time service is in operation over the whole Pacific sys- 
tem of railways from Ogden to El Paso. Volume 1 of the observatory 
publications is in press, and will be distributed in the early summer. 
Professor Holden’s plan for utilizing to the utmost the magnificent 
equipment under his charge must commend itself to every one. The 
plan is to relinquish the use of the 36-inch equatorial for certain hours ASTRONOMY. 
151 
of each day to distinguished astronomers, specialists, who may wish to 
turn its enormous power upon some one of the many unsolved prob- 
lems of astronomy. Such astronomers may be invited to visit the 
observatory for periods of several months, and will be given every 
possible facility. The legislature of California has provided money for 
a permanent support of the observatory. 
Lund (1885).—Dr. Dun6r is principally occupied with stellar spectra 
and variable stars. Ilerr Laurin has observed with the meridian in- 
strument a number of stars with large proper motion. 
McCormick Observatory.—Professor Stone’s report for the year end- 
ing June 1,1880, states that the 26 inch equatorial has been employed 
chiefly in examining and sketching southern nebula?. The nebula in 
Orion and the Trifid and Omega nebula? have received special attention; 
many others have been studied, and two hundred and thirty-three new 
nebulae have been discovered. “The features seen indicate that the 
performance of the instrument employed surpasses that of any of the 
great reflectors which have been used in the examination of nebula?.” 
Double stars, comets, and occupations by the moon have also been ob- 
served. Observations with the small equatorial for the revision of the 
23° zone are now practically completed. Electric lamps are used for 
illuminating the circles and field of the great equatorial, and have 
proved most useful. The 45-foot dome revolves as easily as when first 
erected. 
The cost of the observatory building and instruments was about 
$70,000, of which $64,000 was the gift of Leander J. McCormick. A 
working fund of $25,000 was given by William H. Vanderbilt, and an 
endowment of the directorship of $50,000 was subscribed by the alumni 
of the University of Virginia. 
Professor Stone is assisted by Mr. F. P. Leavenworth and Mr. F. Mul- 
ler. Part 2 of volume i, on the great comet of 1882, and part 3, on the 
nebula of Orion, have been issued during the year. 
McGill College Observatory (1886).—A most thorough discussion of a 
series of longitude observations by Professor McLeod, at McGill Col- 
lege, and Professor Rogers, at Harvard College Observatory, has been 
published: the resulting longitude of the pier of the transit instrument 
at McGill Observatory being 4h 54m 1S8.543 L 08.043 west of Greenwich. 
The center of the dome of the Harvard Observatory is assumed to be 
in longitude 4h 44m 308.993 L 08.011 west of Greenwich. 
Melbourne (1886).—Mr. Ellery has published the first installment of 
observations of southern nebula? made with the great Melbourne re- 
flector from 1869 to 1885. A description of the great 4-f'oot Cassegrain- 
ian reflector is given ; and there are several lithographs of small nebulae. 
Some fine results have been obtained in photography both of the moon 
and of stars and nebulae. 
Mexico. See Tacubaya. 
Milan.—The 18 inch Merz-Repsold refractor was mounted and ready 152 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
for work in May, 1886. The 8-inch glass has been used for double stars, 
comets, etc. Messrs. Rajna, Porro, and Abetti have been engaged in 
geodetic work. 
Morrison Observatory (1886).—The work of the equatorial for 1886 
has consisted of a series of observations on comets Fabry, Barnard, 
and Finlay (reduced and published or ready for publication); physical 
observations of Jupiter and phenomena of Jupiter’s satellites, with a 
few observations of oceultations by the moon. The meridian circle can 
be used, at present, only for time observations and for the determina- 
tion of such star-places as are needed in equatorial work. A daily and 
efficient time-service is maintained on railroads extending to St. Louis, 
Chicago, and Kansas City, and thence south and southwest. Meteor- 
ological observations are kept up with regularity. 
Professor Pritchett has prepared a small volume of the unpublished 
observations of former years. This is now passing through the press, 
and will be distributed as soon as practicable. The expense of publi- 
cation is borne by Mrs. Berenice Morrison-Fuller, the founder of the ob- 
servatory. 
The annual income of the observatory is $2,160. This covers all ex- 
penses, including salaries. The director has no assistance, except that 
rendered by his daughters, and such as is afforded by a boy in handling 
the instruments and caring for the rooms. 
Munich (1885).—The revision of Lamont’s catalogue is progressing 
favorably. A number of stars from the southern Durchmusterung have 
been added to the observing list, to fill up gaps. Dr. Seeliger has fin- 
ished a count of the stars in this southern extension of the Durchmus- 
terung similar to the one already published for stars of the northern 
hemisphere. Dr. Bauschinger was obliged to devote two months of 
the year to “ Militarische Yerpflichtuugen.” 
Nice (1886).—The refractor of 30 inches was provisionally mounted in 
August, and it is stated that the trials with it have given most excel- 
lent results, 
COyalla (1885).—The main work of the observatory has been the ex- 
perimental determination of the mechanical energy of the radiations 
of thirty-four stars of the first and second magnitude. The spectro- 
scopic “ Durchmusterung ” of a zone 0° to 15° is nearly completed. 
Sun-spots are observed regularly. 
Oxford University Observatory (1886).—Professor Pritchard’s report 
was read to the board of visitors on June 16. The photometrie ineas- 
uremeu't of the magnitudes of an equatorial zone of stars has been un- 
dertaken. Attention will be given to astronomical photography—a 
department of work for which the observatory is well equipped—di- 
recting investigations to, first, the relation which exists between the 
photometric and the photographic magnitude of stars; second, the re- 
liable uniformity of the photographic film; third, the amount of astro- 
nomical accuracy attainable on the same. ASTRONOMY. 
153 
Palermo (1885).—New comets, shooting stars, solar spots, and pro- 
tuberances have been observed; drawings have been made of the 
planets, and atmospheric phenomena have been studied. 
Paris (1885).—The report of Admiral Mouehez, presented to the 
council on the 22d of January, 188G, gives especial prominence to the 
work in astronomical photography. A reproduction is given of a pho- 
tograph of the Pleiades taken by the Henry Brothers, and also an il- 
lustration of the instrument employed. We have already referred to 
many of the interesting results obtained. Three instruments have 
been used for photography; the first (aperture C.3 inches), the exper- 
imental instrument used in 1884, has been employed in photometric 
researches. The second is a smaller instrument, aperture 4.3 inches, 
for photographing large comets and extended groups of stars. The 
third is the equatorial of 13 inches aperture, with which the more im- 
portant work has been done. 
The routine work has not, however, suffered; in the meridian service 
over sixteen thousand observations have been made by sixteen differ- 
ent observers; the instrument devised by M. Lcewy, the equatorial 
coude, has been used for the observation of comets and minor planets, 
and the time-service, meteorological department, etc., are all in a most 
satisfactory condition. The reductions for the great catalogue were 
completed up to 8h right ascension. The catalogue has been printed up 
to number 3,800. 
Plonslc (1885).—Comets, double stars, etc., have been observed, and 
an interesting study of the atmospheric lines of the spectrum has been 
undertaken. Dr. Jedrzejewicz, the director, has made a new deter- 
mination of the geographical co-ordinates of the observatory with the 
following result: Latitude, +52° 37' 40"; longitude, 27m 578.07 east 
of Berlin. 
Potsdam (1885).—Dr. VogeTs most interesting report occupies more 
than ten pages of the Vierteljahrsschrift (vol. 21, pp. 132-142). The 
instruments have been improved in many minor details, and several 
pieces of subsidiary apparatus have been added. Drs. Miiller and 
Kempf have devoted considerable time to finishing the new determina- 
tion of wave-lengths of the Fraunhofer lines. Drs. Yogel and Wilsing 
have been at work upon the spectra of new stars, spectra of comets, and 
spectra of solar spots and protuberances. Dr. Miiller has made a num- 
ber of photometric observations of the major and minor planets, while 
Dr. Wilsing has observed variable stars. Dr. Lohse has made a series 
of drawings of Jupiter, and has obtained one hundred and forty-six 
photographs of the sun; these latter, taken in connection with Dr. 
Spoerer’s telescopic observations, will furnish ample material for the 
history of tlie spots. Dr. Lohse has also continued his series of photo- 
graphs of star-clusters with gratifying success. Dr. Wilsing has carried 
on a very interesting series of experiments to determine the density of 
the earth. The third part of volume four and the fifth volume of the 154 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Annals have been published. The library has increased to about thirty- 
seven hundred volumes. 
Prague (1885).—Professor Safarik has devoted his attention to varia- 
ble stars. 
Princeton (1880).—The 23-incli equatorial has been used by Professor 
Young in micrometrical work upon close double stars, the satellites of 
Uranus and Neptune, the surface markings of Jupiter, and the details 
of Saturn. Comets are observed when they have become difficult ob- 
jects for smaller instruments. Occasional spectroscopic observations 
are made of sun-spots, prominences, and comets. The institution has 
no endowment which would make it possible to undertake any extensive 
or continuous programme of work. The small observatory is used 
almost entirely for instruction in practical astronomy, this part of the 
work being under the immediate supervision of Professor McNeill. 
PuUcowa (1886).—The annual report of Dr. Struve is for the year 
ending May 25, 188G. The great routine work, the determination of 
star-positions, has been continued as in former years. The 30-inch re- 
fractor, in the hands of Dr. Hermann Struve, has been employed in 
observing the faint double stars of Burnham’s catalogue, the satellites 
of Mars, Saturn, and Neptune, the Maia nebula and Nova Andromeda;, 
which was easily visible on January 27. Dr. Hermann Struve speaks in 
the highest terms of the instrument, both as regards its optical power 
and its mounting, the movement of the dome, etc. Backlund has meas- 
ured with the 4-incli heliometer the positions of Jupiter’s satellites, for 
a determination of the mass of the planet and the orbits of the satellites. 
Hasselberg has been experimenting upon photography of the solar spec- 
trum. The observatory has met with a severe loss in the recent death 
of nerr Wagner. 
Radcliffe Observatory (1886).—Observations have been made of the 
sun, the moon throughout the lunation, occultations by the mobn, and 
the phenomena of Jupiter’s satellites. Volume 41, containing results 
for 1883, has been published. 
Rio Janeiro (1886).—M. Cruls announces that the observatory is to 
be transferred to a new site, nearly on the same parallel as the present 
observatory, but two minutes of time farther west. M. Cruls has been 
commissioned by the Emperor of Brazil to have a photographic appa- 
ratus constructed similar to that at Paris, in order to co-operate in the 
proposed photographic survey of the heavens. 
Rousdon (1886).—A private observatory erected in 1884 and 1885 by 
Mr. Cuthbert E. Peek at Bousdon, near Lyme Eegis, Devon, England. 
The principal instruments are, a 6.4-inch equatorial objective by Merz, 
mouutiug by Cooke, a 2 inch Troughton & Simms transit, chronometers, 
etc. Beneath the equatorial room is a laboratory which is also fitted 
for photography. In 1886 the comets of the year and a list of long- 
period variables were observed, and transit observations were made for 
rating the chronometers. A volume containing observations of comets, ASTRONOMY. 
155 
Nova Andromeda?, etc., and meteorological observations from 1882 to 
1885 has been published. 
Smith College Observatory.—Professor Todd includes in liis report of 
the Amherst Observatory a brief account of an observatory, the con- 
struction of which he has supervised for the trustees of Smith College 
(for young women), at Northampton, Massachusetts. A one-story brick 
building is divided into an equatorial room, photographic dark-room, 
library, clock-room, and transit-room. The equatorial is of 11 inches 
aperture, the objective by the Clarks, and mounting by Warner & 
Swasey. Incandescent lamps are provided for the illumination of the 
circles and micrometers. The transit-room will contain a 4-inch merid- 
ian circle. The approximate position of the new observatory is: Lati- 
tude, -f 42° 19' 7"; longitude, 4h50m 328.9 west of Greenwich. 
South Evanston (188G).—Dr. Marshall D. Ewell has erected a small 
private observatory at South Evanston, Cook County, Illinois, 10.8 
miles north of Chicago. The equatorial is a 6£-incli Clark refractor 
mounted on a pier made of Portland cement and fine gravel so as to 
form practically a single piece of rock from top to bottom. The dome 
is 12 feet in diameter, built with ash ribs covered with tin, and turns 
on six iron wheels. The observatory is also provided with a inch 
Troughton & Simms transit, sidereal and mean-time chronometers, 
and minor apparatus. 
Stockholm (1885).—Investigations upon the motions of the different 
members of the solar system have absorbed the attention of the director 
and his assistants. The mean motions of the apsides of the planets 
Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus are found to differ sensibly from the 
values assigned by Leverrier. Herr Slulanow has continued GykhSn’s 
researches upon the lunar theory, and Dr. Ilarzer has contributed a 
valuable memoir upon the motion of Hecuba. 
Strassburg.—Dr. Schur, previous to his departure for Gottingen, where 
he takes Klin kerf lies’ place, published a report, dated May G, 18SG, sup- 
plementary to his annual report of July, 1885. The principal meridian 
work was upon southern stars in the extension of the Durchmusterung, 
and Auwers’ eighty-three southern fundamental stars and refraction 
stars. The moon was observed with the altazimuth; comets with the 
refractor. Dr. Kobold succeeds Herr Schur. Dr. Winneeke has been 
retired, at his own request, on account of ill health. 
Tacubaya (1885).—The Observatorio Nacional, formerly at Chapulte- 
pec, is now at Tacubaya, about G miles from the city of Mexico. The 
final value of the longitude of the large meridian circle, from exchanges 
in 1885 with St, Louis, is Ch 3Gm 4G8.54 ± 08.02 west of Greenwich. 
(Astron. .Tour., 7 : G2.) 
Taschhent (1885).—The refractor was employed principally in observ- 
ing sunspots; comets and occultations were also observed. The merid- 
ian circle furnished the places of a number of comparison stars for 156 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 188G. 
comets and planets. Geographical positions were determined for six 
towns in central Asia. 
Temple Observatory (1886).—Observations of double stars have been 
continued, and spectroscopic observations to determine the motion of 
stars in the line of sight. 
• United States Naval Observatory (1886).—No material change has 
been made in the character of the work. Professor Hall has used the 
26 inch refractor in observations of Saturn, of double stars, and of 
satellites; and also for determinations of stellar parallax. No deteriora- 
tion of the objective has been noticed since it was repolished ten years 
ago. 
The transit circle has been employed in observations of the sun, 
moon, planets, and such stars as are necessary to complete the data 
for a transit-circle catalogue, which will contain all of the miscellaneous 
stars observed since the instrument was mounted, twenty years ago. 
The reductions are somewhat behindhand on account or the inade- 
quate computing force. The 9.6 inch equatorial has been used in the 
observation of. comets, asteroids, and the occupation of stars by the 
moon; and the Repsold meridian circle at Annapolis temporarily, under 
the direction of the Superintendent of the Washington Observatory, in 
the observation of a list of southern stars. The revision of Yarnall’s 
catalogue and the reduction of recent observations with the prime 
vertical instrument are progressing favorably. Photographs of the sun 
have been taken with the plioto-heliograph used during the transit of 
Venus. Ninety-eight negatives showing spots were secured between 
January 11 and September 30, 1886. 
The extensive time-service of the observatory is in an efficient state, 
and the chronometer tests inaugurated a few years ago have proved of 
great benefit naval service. Considerable attention has also 
been given to the examination of nautical instruments, thermometers, 
etc., for the Navy. 
The volume for 1882, and Appendices i, ii, and hi to the volume for 
1883 have been distributed. 
Commodore Belknap was relieved from duty as Superintendent on 
June 7, 1886, by Commander A. D. Brown, and Commander Brown on 
November 15 by Capt. Robert L. Phythian. 
The expenses of the observatory are met by annual appropriations 
from Congress, the naval officers (including professors) receiving the 
pay of their respective ranks. The pay of fourteen officers attached to 
the observatory December 1, 1886, aggregated $31,400. 
The specific appropriation for the observatory for the year ending 
June 30, 1886, contains the following items: For pay of three assistant 
astronomers, $5",600; one clerk, $1,800; instrument maker, $1,500; four 
watchmen, $4,880; assistant for the 26-inch equatorial, $720; gardener, 
$1,000 ; seven laborers, $4,620; for miscellaneous computations, $ 1,200; 
purchase of apparatus and material for repairs of instruments, $2,500; ASTRONOMY. 
157 
library, $1,000 ; repairs to buildings, fuel, gas, furniture, stationery, and 
contingent expenses, $3,900; freight on observatory publications sent 
to foreign countries, $3G6. The entire annual cost of the maintenance 
of the observatory may, therefore, be put at about $58,500;—$50,700 
being for salaries and wages, and nearly $7,800 for other expenses. The 
item of salaries will vary considerably, of course, with the number and 
rank of line officers on duty, and it should be borne in mind that sev- 
eral of the officers are engaged upon work carried on at the observatory 
as a naval institution. 
The sum oi $100,000 is now available for the erection of a new obser- 
vatory, and the plans prepared six or eight years ago are being revised, 
with a prospect of beginning work upon the new buildings in the course 
of a few months. The total cost of the buildings is limited to $400,000. 
Warner Observatory.—Dr. Swift has confined himself to the discovery 
ot new nebulae and the search for comets. The instruments are: A 
10-inch (/lark equatorial, provided with a filar micrometer and many 
convenient accessories ; a cornet-seeker, and a sidereal clock by 
Howard. A spectroscope, to cost $1,000, has been ordered from Alvan 
Clark & Sons. A description of the observatory, with its instruments 
and work from 1883 to 1880, has been published as volume I of the ob- 
servatory publications. This volume contains a list of four hundred and 
nine nebulae discovered since July 9,1883 (it is stated that five hundred • 
and forty have been discovered in all), a list of the Warner astronom 
ical prizes, and the full text of the Warner prize essays on comets and 
on the red “ sky-glows.” 
Vanderbilt University Observatory, Nashville, Tenn.—This observa- 
tory is supplied with the following instruments: 
Six-inch equatorial refractor, by T. Cooke & Sons, 8-foot focus, with 
hour circle divided to single minutes, and subdivided to 29 by opposite 
verniers ; and declination circle divided to 10/ and read by two verniers 
to 10". There is also a third vernier reading to 15", used for setting 
in declination, and read by the observer at the eye-piece with a small 
telescope. The instrument is supplied with eight eye-pieces, ranging 
from 00 to 000, and filar micrometer (bright field, dark wires only). A 
revolving disk with colored glasses gives a change of color of field,—a 
red one being found most useful, as it seems to permit observations of 
fainter objects with sufficient distinctness of the wires. A ring microm- 
eter (not belonging to the observatory) is also used with the equatorial. 
A good driving clock gives a steady motion to the telescope. Two 
spectroscopes belong to this instrument—one, a direct-vision spectro- 
scope by Merz & Mahler, the other by Grubb. 
The equatorial room is surmounted by a hemispherical dome, revolv- 
ing readily by hand on twelve pairs of wheels. The shutter is of light 
corrugated iron, in two sections; the upper section, two-thirds of the 
entire length, passes through the zenith to the back of the dome ; the 
other part is drawn to one side, running on two light wheels, upon 158 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
a projecting platform. This instrument lias been used during the past 
year in the observation of comets, nebuhe, and the planets, and other 
miscellaneous work. Positions of all the comets have been obtained 
with either the ring or filar micrometer. Some experiments in celestial 
photography have been carried on, and good views of the moon obtained. 
The instrument cost about $1,900. 
A 4-inch meridian circle, by Ertel, with circles 26 inches in diameter, 
divided to 3'. On the east pier is mounted a frame carrying four micro- 
scopes which read the circle to 0".5. The reticule consists of thirteen 
vertical and two horizontal wires. The field or threads are illuminated 
at will. This instrument is reversible, and cost about $1,400. 
The chronograph is one of Warner & Swazey’s latest designs, and 
is used with either the equatorial or meridian circle. Cost, $375. The 
sidereal clock, by Dent, cost $500. The mean time clock, by Howard, 
cost $400. 
There is also a 3-inch altazimuth, by Cooke; and a 5-inch portable 
refractor, by Byrne. This latter instrument is not the property of the 
observatory. With it Professor Barnard has discovered a large num- 
ber of comets. 
The observatory building consists of a transit room, an equatorial 
room, and two computing rooms. The equatorial room is on the second 
floor, and is reached by a spiral staircase. 
Washburn Observatory (1886).—This fine observatory possesses a 15£- 
incli Clark equatorial, with filar micrometer, a ltepsold meridian circle, 
one sidereal and two mean-time clocks, a chronograph, chronometers, 
etc., besides the excellent 6-inch equatorial which formerly belonged 
to Mr. S. W. Burnham, and with which his first observations and 
measurements of double stars were made. This latter equatorial, 
together with a Fauth 3-inch transit, is mounted in a separate build- 
ing of wood, called the students’ observatory. The main building 
has, besides the rooms for the meridian circle and the large dome 
for the equatorial, a separate clock and computing room, a room for 
the electrical switch-board, time relays, etc., and a well furnished 
room for a library and director’s study. There are also sleeping 
rooms for two assistants, one of whom is the meteorological observer 
whose records are printed in the annual volumes of the observatory. 
The officers of the observatory are a director, two assistant astromoners 
(one of whom is a lady), the meteorological observer, and a janitor. 
The library of the observatory is maintained by the geuerosity of the 
Hon. Cyrus Woodman, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who has given, 
for this purpose, the sum of $5,000. One half the yearly interest from 
this sum is available for the purchase of new books, the other half 
going to increase the principal until it reaches a specified sum. The 
“ publications” are printed at the expense of the State, and are issued 
when circumstances warrant. Four volumes have already been issued, 
aud a fifth is nearly ready for publication, ASTRONOMY. 
159 
The entire outfit of the observatory, in instruments and buildings, is 
due to the munificence of the late Governor Cadwallader C. Washburn, 
and cost not far from $50,000. A detailed list of the cost of some of 
the instruments is given in the volumes'of publications of the observa- 
tory. All salaries and running expenses are paid by the regents of 
the university from the general fund. These have heretofore amounted 
to about $5,0<l0 annually. 
After the departure of Professor Holden, in December, 1885, the as- 
sistants of the observatory, Mr. Milton Updegraff and Miss Alice Lamb, 
completed the observations and reductions of the three hundred and 
three star list, and the reading of the proof-sheets for the publication of 
volume iv (1885) of the observatory reports. During the early sum- 
mer of 1800 a careful study of the division errors of special diameters 
of the meridian circle was undertaken; also of its horizontal flexure. 
Observations of the latitude made with the meridian circle since its 
first mounting show a discordance between circle east and circle west 
of about V. Toe cause of this is now an object of study, and is be- 
lieved to be mainly due to flexure. The large equatorial has been kept 
employed upon double stars, and in January, 1887, a series of measure- 
ments was made with itsvfilar micrometer upon the position of Sappho 
(80) at opposition. An index to those stars in the six Greenwich cata- 
logues not occurring in Flamsteed, has been prepared by Miss Lamb, 
and will be published in volume v. 
The usual routine work of the observatory, such as controlling the 
clocks iu the city of Madison, the time bells in the university recita- 
tion rooms, and the daily furnishing of time-signals to the railroads 
entering Madison, lias been faithfully attended to. Professor Holden’s 
successor as director of the observatory is Prof. John E. Davies. 
Washington University Observatory, St. Louis (1880).—Instruction in 
theoretical and practical astronomy is the main object of the observ- 
atory. An extensive time-service is maintained, and the observatory 
co operates with Government field parties in geodetic work. Prof. H. 
S. Pritchett has one assistant. The income is derived from the general 
university endowment and from the time-service. 
Woodsidc Observatory.—Mr. Charles L. Woodside has a small private 
observatory at East Boston, Massachusetts, its approximate position 
being latitude 4-42° 22' 39"; longitude 4h 44m 9s west of Greenwich. 
The principal instrument is a silvered-glass reflector of G£ inches aper- 
ture and 5 feet focal length ; the mirror is by Brashear, of Allegheny, 
and the mounting by Mr. Woodside himself. This is to be devoted for 
several years to a careful and systematic study of the colors of all stars 
brighter than the sixth magnitude visible at Boston. Mr. Woodside 
has devised a method of computing occultations which he has described 
jn the Sidereal Messenger for Ju.y, 1880. 
Yale College Observatory (1880).—For the year ending June 1, 1880, 
Dr. Elkin reports progress in his work of triangulation in the Pleiades 160 
RECORD OP SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
with the 6-inch heliometer. He proposes to observe ten of the brightest 
stars in the northern hemisphere for parallax. Mr. A. Ilall, jr., has been 
engaged in observations of Titan with the hcliometer, with a view to a 
new determination of the mass of Saturn. 
Zurich (1885).—Dr. Rudolf Wolf is occupied almost entirely with sun- 
spot statistics. He fixes the last “maximum” of spots at 1883.9. 
ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS. 
Barometer coefficients for clocks.—Dr. Ililhker has determined the 
barometric coefficient—or the variation in rate for a change of L milli- 
meter in the atmospheric pressure—for a Winnerl clock with gridiron 
pendulum comparing the Winnerl clock with the II'PP normal electric 
clock at Neuchatel on each night of observation. 
These comparisons, made between August, 1884, and September, 
1885, give an idea of the influence of the mode of compensation upon 
the value of the barometric coefficient. The following table shows the 
results obtained at Geneva and at several other observatories for their 
normal clocks: 
Place. 
Compensation. 
Barometric 
coellieient. 
Neueb&tel 
Winner], gridiron pendulum 
0B. 010 
0.012 
0.01:} 
0.015 
0.015 
0.015 
0.012 
Do 
Hipp electric clock 
Fulkowa 
Mercury compensation 
Levden 
Berlin 
Ziirich 
Washburn Observatory. 
do 
(Bull, astron., December, 188G. 
The new optical ylass.—Nature for October 28, 1880, contains an in- 
teresting account of tbe experiments of Professor Abbe and Dr. 
Schott in their endeavors to produce a glass of such chemical compo- 
sition that it may be possible to make lenses free from the secondary 
chromatic aberration and other defects. For the microscope lenses 
already made of the new glass Professor Abbe claims great superiority 
in many important respects. 
Electric illumination.—Prof. Ormond Stone, of the McCormick Ob- 
servatory, uses for illuminating the circles and micrometer wires of 
the great equatorial, Edison incandescent lamps of one-candle power, 
run by what is known as the “ Orne motor battery,” or by the “ Edco 
battery,” the latter being used where a more continuous light is re- 
quired. The success of the experiment here has resulted in the use 
of electricity, at least for circle illumination, at Wes’t Point, Yale and 
other observatories. 
In the Greenwich spectroscopic observations, “ a slip of metal coated ASTRONOMY. 
161 
with Balmain’s luminous paint, inserted immediately behind the meas- 
uring pointer, has been frequently employed to give a phosphorescent 
illumination of the field.” 
Gautier’s mercury-basin for nadir and reflection observations, de- 
scribed in last year’s report, has been tried at the Melbourne Observa- 
tory, and gives highly satisfactory results. 
We have already referred, in the report of the Lick Observatory, to 
the completion of the 36-incli objective and its removal to Mount 
Hamilton. 
Astronomical prizes.—At the meeting of the Paris Academy of Science 
on December 27, 1888, the Lalande prize was awarded to Dr. Backlund 
for his work on Encke’s comet; the Yalz prize to M. G. Bigourdan for 
investigation of personal equation in the measurement of double stars; 
the Damoiseau prize to M. Souillart for his theoretical researches on 
Jupiter’s satellites, and an “encouragement” of 1,000 francs to AI. 
Obrecht for his study of the application of photometry to the eclipses 
of Jupiter’s satellites. The Bordin prize was awarded to M. It. Radau 
for his work on the theory of astronomical refraction. 
The gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society was awarded to 
Mr. G. W. Hill for his researches on the motion of the moon. 
The Rumford medal of the Royal Society, the Eumford gold and silver 
medals of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Draper 
medal of the National Academy were awarded to Prof. S. P. Langley 
for his researches with the bolometer. 
The Watson medal of the National Academy, with an honorarium of 
$100, was awarded to Dr. B. A. Gould. 
The Royal Society of Edinburgh awarded the Makdougall-Brisbane 
prize to Dr. Edward Sang for his communication on the need for decimal 
subdivisions in astronomy and navigation. 
The Warner prizes, $100 for each comet discovered (and announced 
under certain conditions), were conferred, in 188G, as follows: Mr. 
Brooks, $300; Mr. Finlay, $100; Mr. Barnard, $100. 
The American Astronomical Society of Brooklyn.—Among the papers 
read in 188G were: ‘‘The Earth’s Temperature,” by II. M. Parkhurst; 
“Faye’s Nebular Speculations,” by G. P. Serviss; “Origin of Meteor- 
ites,” by G. W. Ooakley and II. M. Parkhurst. The president of the 
society is Mr. S. Y. White, the secretary, Mr. G. P. Serviss, Brooklyn, 
New York. 
Baltimore Amateur Astronomical Society.—A number of gentlemen 
of Baltimore have organized an amateur astronomical society, meet- 
ing each mouth for the presentation of papers and discussion of obser- 
vations. Dr. Hooper, 1425 Linden avenue, the secretary, has a 5-iuch 
Clark equatorial; Mr. Gildcrsleeve a G inch equatorial with object- 
glass by Dr. C. S, Hastings ; Mr. Stalin a 4 inch glass, a so by Dr. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
II. Mis. GOO 11 162 
EECOED OF SCIENCE FOE 1886. 
Hastings, and Mr. Numsen a 4-inch Cooke equatorial, mentioned in the 
report last year under the “ Henmore Observatory.” Physical obser- 
vations are made of the sun, moon, planets, and comets. Mr. Stalin 
has kept a record of sun-spots, and lias devised numerous ingenious 
accessories for his instruments. 
Astronomical Journals.—The re issue of the “Astronomical Jour, 
mil” by Hr. Gould is cordially welcomed, particularly by American 
astronomers, who are thereby furnished with a more prompt means 
of intercommunication than has been heretofore available. An inter- 
val of twenty-five years occurs after No. 144; and No. 145, bearing the 
date of November 2, 1886, begins volume vn. The Journal is edited 
by Hr. Gould, as before, at Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
A new monthly astronomical review, Re vista do Observatorio, has 
appeared, under the editorship of Hr. Luis Cruls, of the Imperial Ob- 
servatory of Rio Janeiro. The journal will be found interesting and 
valuable by amateurs and those interested in the progress of astron- 
omy, as well as by professional astronomers. 
We are at the same time obliged to record the discontinuance of the 
Astronomical Register, with the completion of its twenty-fourth vol- 
ume, Hecember, 1886, No. 288. 
The Influence of astigmatism on Astronomical Observations.—It ap- 
pears from Professor Seeliger’s researches that this malformation in the 
eye, which is far from uncommon, exerts a greater infiuence on astro- 
nomical measurements than is generally supposed. Thus, he shows 
that a systematic error in a series of observed declinations amounting 
to 0".26 may very well be due to it; and it appears that the discordances 
in observed position angles of double stars—depending on the inclina- 
tion of the line joining the components to the vertical—with which the 
measures of some observers are affected, may be referred to the same 
cause. (Nature, November 18, 1886.) 
Determination of time.—Hollen has described in the Nachricliten 
(114: 289) an expeditious method of obtaining a clock correction where 
great refinement is not necessary. The observation is made in the ver- 
tical of the pole-star, and tables have been published by the Pulkowa 
Observatory giving for some sixty odd stars all the quantities which 
are independent of the latitude, required in the formulae. The work of 
reduction is made as brief as possible. 
An astronomical directory.—M. A. Lancaster, the librarian of the 
Brussels Observatory, has published a very useful list of observato- 
ries, their geographical co-ordinates, and the astronomers attached to 
them ; of astronomical societies and institutions, and of reviews and 
journals specially devoted to astronomy. The little book contains also 
a list of names and addresses of astronomers not attached to any ob- 
servatory, and of amateurs, as well as a list of makers of astronomical 
instruments. 
Miss Gierke’s admirable “ Popular History of Astronomy during the ASTRONOMY. 
163 
Nineteenth Century” has been so widely reviewed that it seems unnec- 
essary to do more than merely to mention it by title here. The book 
is “ untechnical,” and the “ terse and vigorous ” style makes it most in- 
teresting from beginning to end. There are numerous references to 
the original sources of information. 
Professor Young’s “Ten Years’ Progress in Astronomy” has been re- 
printed in the Sidereal Messenger (vol. G) and Nature (vol. 35). 
ASTRONOMICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY, 1886. 
The following bibliography is arranged by subjects, and contains jour- 
mil articles and reprints from transactions of societies, as well as more 
formal publications. No pretense is made to completeness, even to the 
extent of including all titles that have come under the compiler’s no- 
tice, and, in some cases, where it lias not been possible to examine the 
publications themselves, the imprints, etc., may be imperfect. The 
prices quoted are generally taken from Friedlander’s Naturm Novitates, 
in German “ mark ” (L mark = 100 pfennige = 1 franc 25 centimes = 25 
cents, nearly). 
It is hoped that the abbreviated titles of journals will be intelligible 
without special explanation. (“ Compt. Rend.” is, of course, the 
Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des seances de 1’Academic des sciences, 
Paris, and “ Month. Not.” the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronom- 
ical Society.) Among the imprint and other abbreviations there occur: 
Bd. = Band. 
d. = die, der, del, etc. 
ed. = edition, 
hrsg. = herausgegeben. 
il. = illustrated, 
k. k. = kaiserlich kouiglich. 
Lfg. — Lioferuug. 
M. = mark, 
n. d. = no date. 
n. p. = no place of publication. 
n. F. =neue Folge. 
n. s. = new series, 
p. =page. 
p* = page of this summary, 
pi. = plates, 
pt. — part. 
Rev. = Review, 
s. = series, 
sh. = shilling, 
v. = volume. 
The alphabetical arrangement is made to serve as an index to the 
present record, by inserting after the subject-heading, the pages of this 
review (p*—) on which the different subjects are noticed. 
In the references to journals the volume and page are simply sepa- 
rated by a colon; thus: 5:81 indicates volume 5, page 81. 
Almanacs. See Epiiemeiudes aucl Almanacs. 
Arago. 
Flammarion (C.): Le contenairo d’Arago. L’Astron., 5:81, 131, 273. 
Asteroid 24. 
Mo.nniciimeyer (C.): Geniiherta Berechnuug der absoluten Storuugen der 
Themis durcli Jupiter. 32 p. 8°. Kiel, 1886. 
Asteroid 107. 
Matiijessex (B.): Balm dee Planeten (107) Camilla. 31 p. 8vo. Kiel, 1886. 164 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886 
Asteroid 153. 
Kuiinert (F.): Die Definitiven Elemente des Planeten (153) Hilda. 35 p. 8vo. 
Wien, 1886 (M. 0.60) 
Asteroid 220. 
Bidsciiop (F.): Uutorsuchungen liber die Balm des Planeten (220) Stephanie. 
16 p. 8vo. Wien, 1886 (M. 0.35) 
Asteroid 236. 
Bidschof (F.): Bestimmung der Bahn des Planeten (236) Honoria. 30 p. 8vo. 
Wien, 1886 (M. 0.50) 
Asteroid 237. 
von Oppolzbk (T.): Bahnbestimmuug des Planeten (237) Ccelestina. 17 p. 8vo. 
Wien, 1886 (M. 0.30) 
Asteroids, p * 135. 
Muller (G.): Beobaclitnngen iiber den Einflnss der Phase anf die Lichtstiirke 
kleiner Planeten. Astron. Nachr., 114: 177-196. 
N[ewton] (H. A.): Relation of asteroid orbits to that of Jupiter. Am. J. Sc., 
3. s., 31, = 131:318. 
Parmentiek (Gen.) : Distribution des petites planbtes dans l’espacc. L’Astron., 
5: 143. 
Svedstrup (A.): Les jietites planbtes entro Marset Jupiter; une recherche statis- 
tique. Astron. Nachr., 115:49-76. 
Tyerman (T. F.): The asteroids and the theory of their formation. 30 j). 8vo. 
Loudon, 1886 „ (M. 2.20) 
Astronomy. 
Pickering (E. C.): A plan for the extension of astronomical research. 11 p. 
8vo. Cambridge, 1886. 
Astronomy (Descriptive). 
Bowen (E. A.) : Astronomy by observation. 90p. il. 4to. New York, 1886. (M.5.) 
Forster (W. J.): Populare Mittheilungen zum astronomischeu Theiledes konig- 
lichen preussischen Normalkalenders fiir 1887. 7 p. 8vo. Berlin, 1886..(M. 1.) 
Klee (F.): Unser Sonnensystem. 3.ed. 12 -f- 80 ]>. 8vo. Mainz, 1886. .(M. 1.75) 
Lockyer (J. N.): The sun and stars, il. Nature, 33: 399, 426, 469,499, 540; 
Nature, 34 : 205, 227, 280. 
Neison (E.): Astronomy; a simple introduction to a noble science. London, 
1886. 
Noble (W.): Hours with a three-inch telescope. 6-j-122p. 1 map. 12mo. Lon- 
don, 1886 (M. 4.70) 
Proctor (R. A.) : Expanse (The) of heaven : a series of essays on the wonders 
of the firmament. New ed. 308 p. 8vo. London, 1886 (M. 5.30) 
: Orbs (The) around us. New ed. 8vo. London, 1886 (M. 5.30) 
: Others worlds than ours. New ed. 8vo. London, 1886 (M. 5.30) 
: Our place among infinities. New ed. 320 p. 8vo. London, 1886. (M. 5.30) 
: Star primer. 8vo. London, 1886 (M. 2.70) 
Tuxen (J. C.): Stjmrneverdenen. 4. udgave ved C. F. PechUle. Levering 5. 64 
p. 8vo. Kjobenhavn, 1886 (M. 1.10) 
Astronomy (History of). 
Favaro (A.): Carteggio inedito di Ticone Braho, Giovanni Keplero, e di altri 
celebri astronomi e matematici dei secoli xvi o xvii, con Giovanni Antonio 
Magini . . . [etc.]. 16-f-522 p. 8vo. Bologne, 1886. 
Rev. 6t/ Giintlior (S.): Vrtljsclir. d. astron. Gesellscb., 22: CO-72. 1887. 
Lange (L.) : Der Beweguugsbegriff wiihrend der Reformation der Himmelskunde 
yon Copernicus bis zu Newton. (1543-1687.) 69 p. 8vo. Leipzig, 1886. ASTRONOMY. 
165 
Astronomy (Progress of). 
Klein (II. J.): Dio Fortscliritte der Astronomie, 1886. 112 p. 12mo. Leipzig, 
1887. 
[Swift (L.)]: Astronomical phenomena and progress [in 1885]. Appleton’s 
Ann. Cyc., n. s., 10: 47-56. 
Winlock (W. C.): An account of the progress in astronomy in the year 1885. 
114 p. 8vo. Washington, 1886 (M. 3) 
Repr.from: Smithsonian Report for 1885. 
Young (C. A.) : Ten years’progress in astronomy. 1876-1886. 32 p. 12mo. New 
York, 1886. 
Repr.from: Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sc., 5. 
Astronomy (Spherical and Practical). 
Brinkley (B.): Astronomy: . . . additional chapters by J. W. Stnbbs and F. 
Briinuovv. 3. ed. eul. 350 p. 8vo. London, 1886 (M. 6.30) 
Israel-IIoltzwart (K.): Elemeuto der theoretischen Astronomie. il. 8vo. 
Wiesbaden, 1886 (M. 25) 
Merrifield (J.): A treatise on nautical astronomy for the use of students, 364 
p. 8vo. London, 1886 (M. 7.80) 
Bonn Observatory. 
Astronomisciie Boobachtungen auf der Sternwarto . . . zn Bonn. Ilrsg. von 
E. Schoufeld. 8. Bd. Bonner Stornverzeichniss. 4. Section. 56 +459 p. 4to. 
Bonn, 1886 (M. 20) 
Bonner Sternkarten. 2. Serie. Atlas der Himmelszone zwischen 1° und 23° 
siidlicher Declination fiir den Anfang des Jalires 1855 . . . bcarbeitet von E. 
Schonfeld. I. und II. Lieferungen. 4 p. 12 maps. fol. Bonn, 1886. 
Vollstandig in 4 Lieferungen, 24 Sternkarten. Jede Lieferung, M. 12. 
Bordeaux Observatory. 
Annales do l’ohservatoiro de Bordeaux, publides par G. Rayot. Tome 1. 119 + 
218 p. 4to. Paris and Bordeaux, 1885 (M. 25.50) 
Calendar. 
Forster (W. J.) and Leiimann (P.): Dio veriinderlichen Tafeln des astronorai- 
sehenund chrouologischcnTheilesdesk. prenssisclien Norrualkaleudors fiir 1887, 
119 p. 8vo. Berlin, 1S86 (M. 
Fritche (IL): Chronology and the construction of the calendar. Chinese com- 
putation of time. 92 p. 8vo. St. Petersburg, 1886. 
Cape of Good Hope Observatory. 
Annals of the Royal Observatory . . . Vol. 2, pt. 1. Observations of the great 
comet, 1882, II, 25 p.,4 pi., 6 phot. 4to. n. p. [1886.] 
Chronograph. 
ITougii (G. W.): Description of a printing chronograph, il. Sid. Mess., 5: 161— 
167. 
Chronometers. 
[U. S. Naval] Observatory temperature room, and competitive trials of chro- 
nometers in 1884 and 1886. 35 p, 9 pi. 4to. Washington, 1836. 
Ciicle-divisions. See, also, Meridian circle ; Pulkowa. 
Schreiber (O.) : Untersuchung von Kreistheilungen mit zwei und vier Mikro- 
skopen. Ztschr. f. Instrmknd., 6 : 1,47. 
Clocks. 
Buckney (T.): Superiority of zinc and steel pendulums. Month. Not., 46: 462- 
469. 
Hilfiker (J.) Ueber den Gang dor Winuerl’scheu Pendeluhr der Storuwarte 
zu Neuchdtel. Astron. Nadir., 114 : 391. 
: Sur la marche de la pendule astronomique Winnerl de l’observatoire de 
Neuchatel. 14 p. 12mo. NeucMtel, 1886. 
Repr. from Bull, soc, d. sc.uat d. Neuchatel 15: 21-32. 166 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Clocks—Continued. 
KOstner (F.): Ueber don Gang der auf der Berliner Stornwarte in lnftdichteui 
Verscliluss aufgestellten Pondelulir. [Tiede, Nr. 400.] Astrou. Nachr., 114: 
391. 
Comet Biela. p* 125. See, also, Meteors. 
Newton (H. A.): Tho story of Biela’s comet. Am. J. Sc., 3. s., 31=131: 81-94. 
Also Nature, 33: 393, 418. 
Zenker (W.): Ueber den Biela’scben Cometen. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 75. 
Comet Brorsen. 
Monk (W. H. S.) : [Possible identity with comets of 1661, 1092, and 574.] Obsry., 
9 : 229, 259. 
Comet Encke. p* 119. 
Backlund (O.): Comet Encke. 1865-1885. 41 p. 4to. St:-Pdtersbonrg, 1886. 
M6m. Acad. imp. do Sc. do St. P6torsb., 7. a., vol. 38, no. 8. 
: [Note on his recent researches on Eucko’s comet.] Astrou. Nachr., 114: 
225-230. 
: Comet Encke. I. Bearbeitung der Erscheinung 1885 und die Verbinduug 
desselben mit don vier Yorhcrgchenden Erscheinnngen. Mbl. math, et natron* 
tirbs du Bull. Acad. imp. d. Sc. de St. Pdtersb. 6: 463-492. 
Comet Faye. 
Siidanow (A.): Recherches snr l’orbito intermddiaire do la comdte de Faye dans 
la proximitd do Jupiter en 1841. 24 p. 4to. St.-Pbtersbourg, 1886... (M. 0.89) 
M6m. Acad. imp. do Sc. do St.-P6tcrsb., 7. a., vol. 33, no. 3. 
Comet Halley. 
Celoria (G.): Snll’ apparizione della cometadi Halley avveuuta nell’auno 1456. 
8vo. Milano, 1885. 
Comet Pons-Brooks. 
Kirkwood (D.): Comets 1812 I and 1846 IY. Sid. Mess., 5 : 13. 
Sciiuluof (L.) and Bossert (J.-F.): La comete Pons-Brooks dans Papparition 
de l883-’84. Bull, astron., 3: 387-393. 
Comet Tempel-Swift. p* 119. 
Bossert (J.): Orbite de la combtoTeinpol-Swift. [1869 III and 1880 IV.] Bull, 
astron., 2: 550; 3: 23, 65. 
Comet 1366. 
Lynn (W. T.): [Orbit of] the comer o- 1366. Obsry., 9 : 282-284. 
Comet 1873 VII. 
ScilULHOE (L.): Recherches snr l’orbito do la conidto 1873 VII. [Coggia-Win- 
necko.] Bull, astron., 3: 125, 173, 265. 
Comet 1877 III. 
Ponisch (R.): Definitive Bahnbestimmung des Cometen 1877 III. Astron. 
Nachr., 115: 161-190. 
Comet 1877 VI. 
LARSsfiN (R.): Definitive Bahnbestimmung . . . [etc.]. Astron. Nachr., 116 : 
23-26. 
Comet 1881 VIII. 
Olsson (K. G.): Bestimnmng der Balm . . . [etc.]. Astron. Nachr., 114: 201- 
206. 
Comet 1882 II. 
[Jones (J.) and Leavenworth (F. P.)]: [Observations of tho] tail of comet 
1882 II. 17 p., 6 pi. 4to. Univ. of Va., 1886. 
Pub. McCormick Obsry., vol. 1, pt. 2. 167 
ASTRONOMY. 
Oomet 1882 It—Continued. 
Kreutz (II.): Ueber das System der Cometen 1843 I, 1880 I mid 1882 II. Astrou. 
Nachr., 114: 73. 
Observations at the Capo of Good Hope. 25 p., 4 pi. G phot. 4to. n. p. [1886.] 
Ann. Roy. Obsry., C. of G. Hope, vol. 2, pt. 1. 
Comet 1883 II. 
Tennant (J. F.): Orbit of Comet II, 1883, discovered by Mr. Ross. Month. 
Not., 47 : 24-26. 
Comets, p* 118. 
Fievez (C.): Recherclies sur le spectre dn carbone dans Fare dlectrique en rap- 
port avec Io spectre des cometes et le spectre solaire. 4 p., 4to; 3 pi., fol. Bru- 
xelles, 1885 (M. 6.) 
Galle’s catalogue of comets from 1860 to 1884. Trans, from Astrou. Naclir., 
2665-2666 by W. C. Winlock. 23 p. 8vo. [Nortktield 1886] .. ($0.50) 
Repr. from Sid. Mess., Nov., 1885; Jan. and Fob., 1880. 
Kleiber (J.): Vertheiluug der Knoten der Planeten- uud Cometen Bahnen. As- 
trou. Naclir., 115: 135-140. 
Meyer (M. W.): Ueber die Bahn ernes uusichtbaren Cometen. Astrou. Nachr., 
114 : 70. 
Monck (W. H. S.): Companion comets. Obsry., 9: 279, 309. 
Proctor (R. A.): Whence came the comets? 19tli Cent., 19: 689-696. 
Stone (O.): Computation of the position in orbit of a particle in the tail of a 
comet. Annals of Math., 2: 60-63. 
Wilson (H. C.): Our knowledge of comets. Sid. Mess., 5: 257-262. 
Comets and Meteors. 
Corrigan (S. J.): The principal comet-meteor streams. Sid. Mess., 5: 145-148. 
Denning (W. F.): Cometary meteor showers. Sid. Mess., 5: 106-111. 
: Meteor shower of Halley’s comet. Month. Not., 46 : 396-398, 
Monck (W. H. S.): Comets and meteors. Obsry., 9 : 331. 
Proctor (R. A.): Origin of comets and meteors. Knowl., 9: 123-125, 
Weiss (E.): Notiz iiber den Radiationspunkt von Meteoren ans der Bahn des 
Cometen [1886 III]. Astrou. Nachi\, 114 : 399. 
Constellations 
Lynn (W. T.): Nomenclature of the constellations near the south pole. Obsry., 
9: 255-257. 
Cordoba Observatory. 
Resultados del Observatorio Nacional Argentino en Cordoba. Vol. 14. Catdlogo 
general. 15 + 650 p. 4to. Cdrdoba, 1886. 
Corona (Solar), p* 130. 
Huggins (W.): [Photography of corona without an eclipse not confirmed by ob- 
servations on August 29, 1886.] Science, 8i 303. Also Nature, 34: 469. Also 
Astrou. Naclir., 115 : 191. 
Lynn (W. T.): Probable ancient view of the solar corona without an eclipse. 
Obsry., 9: 128. 
Cosmogony. 
Meyer (M.W.): Kosmische Weltausichten; astronomische Beobachtungen und 
Idcen aus neuester Zeit. 8vo. Berlin, 1886 (M. 5) 
Wolf (C.): Les hyphotbbses cosmogoniques. Examen des theories scientifiques 
modernes sur l’origine des mondes, suivi de la traduction de la Th6orie du ciel 
de Kant. 8vo. Paris, 1886 (M. 6) 
Day (Astronomical), p* 133. See, also, Time (Universal), 
d’Abbadie (A.): The proposed change in the astronomical day. [Favors it.] 
Obsry., 9: 227-229. 168 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Day—Continued. 
Backhouse (T. W.): Universal time. Obsry., 9: 288, 335. 
Ball (R. S.): [Opinion against the proposed change.] Obsry., 9 : 100. 
Christie (W. H. M.): Remarks on the proposed change of the astronomical day. 
3 p. 4°. [Greenwich, 1885.] 
Dreyer (J. L. E.) : Proposed change [etc.].* Obsry., 9: 130. 
Hall (A.): [Opinion of astronomers at the U. S. Naval Observatory against the 
proposed change.] Obsry., 9 : 161. 
Noble (W.) : [Opinion in favor of proposed change.] Obsry., 9 : 258. 
Weiss (E.): Zur Frage der Weltzeit. 37 p. 8vo. Wien, 1886 (M.0.80) 
Opposed to change in astronomical day. 
Day (Mean solar). 
Gaillot (A.): Sur la mesure du temps. Bull, astron., 3 : 221-232. 
Day (Sidereal). 
RAriN (H.) : Le jour et la rotation de la terro. VAstron., 5: 416-420. 
Declinograph. 
Knorre (V.): Genauigkeit der Zonen-Beobachtungen, welche mit Anwemlnng 
des sogen. Declinographen am Berliner Aequatoreal ausgcfiibrt werden. 
Astron. Nackr., 114: 307-312. 
Double stars, p* 108. 
Birkenmajer (L.) : Ueber die durch die Fortpilanznng des Lichtes liervorgern- 
fenen Ungleichheiten in der Bewegung der physischen Doppelsterne. Analyse 
der Bahn g Ursse Majoris. 76 p. 8vo. Wien, 1886 (M. 1.20) 
Repr.from: Sitzungsb. d. k. Akad. d. Wissensch., Matli-naturw. Cl., Wien, Bd. 93. 
Gori;(J. E.): Orbit of the binary star /3 Delpbini. Proc. Roy. Irish Acad., 2s., 
4:538-543. 
: Orbit of the binary starO-21, 234. Ibid., 586. 
Hoff (E.) : Trennbarkeit dor Doppelsterne in Fcrnrohren von verschiedener 
Grosse. Sirius, 19 : 252-256. 
Mac he (I.): Auflosbarkeit der Doppelsterne in Fernroliren von verschiedener 
Grosse. Sirius, 19 : 178-183. 
Sciiur (W.) : ‘Bahnbewegung des Doppelsterns 70 Ophiucki. Astron. Nadir., 
114 : 105. 
Double stars (Measures of). 
DeBall (L.) : Doppelsternbeobachtungen. Astron. Nachr., 115 : 273-282. 
Engklmann (R.): Doppelsternmessungen. Astron. Nachr., 115: 81-96. 
Perrotin (J.): Mesures micromdtriques d’6toiles doubles faites it l’Observatoire 
de Nice. 5. series. Astron. Nachr., 115:193-215. 
Young (C. A.) and McNeill (M.): Observations of the companion of Sirius. 
[ 1883-1886. ] Sid. Mess., 5:182. 
Double stars. (Measures of, Personal equation iu). 
Bigourdan (G.): Sur liquation persounello dans les mesures d’dtoiles doubles. 
74 p. 4to. Paris, 1886. 
Wilson (H. C.): Personal errors in doublo-star observations. Sid. Mess., 5 :174- 
179. Also [Abstr.] : Obsry., 9 : 297-301. 
Dresden. 
Observations astronomiques faites par B. d’Engelliardt dans sou observatoiro A 
Dresde., 1 partie., 220 p. 4 pi. 4to. Dresde., 1886 (M. 20) 
Earth, p* 133. 
Ball (R. S.): Note on the astronomical theory of the great ice ago. Nature, 34 : 
607 ; 35 : 53. 
Faye(H.): Sur la constitution de la crofite terrestre. Compt. Rend., 102:651, 
786. ASTRONOMY. 
169 
Earth -Continued. 
Lorentz (H. A.): Influence du movement de la terre sur les phdnom&ues lnrai- 
ncaux, Arch. nderl. d. sc. exactes, etc. Harlem, 21:1011-176. 
Zanotti-Bianco (0.): II problema meccanico della figura della terra exposto 
secondo i migliori an tori. 2 v. 8to. Roma, 1880-’85. 
llev.: Bull, astron., 3 : 397-399. 
Eclipse of the Sun, 1887, Aug. 19. 
Franz (J.): Anleitung zur Beohachtung der totalen Sonnentinsterniss in Ost- 
nnd Westpreussen am Freitag den 19. August, 1887. 8 p. 4to. Konigsberg, 
1886. (M.0.30) 
Eclipses. 
Mahler (E.): Astrouomische Untersucliungen iiber in hebraischen Scbriften 
erwiihnte Fiusternisse. Tbeil II. Die propbetiseben Finsternisse. 20 p. 8vo. 
Wien, 1886. (M. 0.40) 
Eclipses of the Sun. p* 129. 
Proctor (R. A.): Total solar eclipses. Fortnight. Rev., n. s., 40: 407-422. 
Schram (R.): Beitrag zur Hausen’schen Tbeorie der Sonnenflnsternisse. 16 p. 
8vo. Wien, 1886. (M. 0.40) 
Edinburgh Observatory. 
Astronomical observations made at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh ; being 
vol. xv, for 1878 to 1886, containing only the remainder of the star catalogue, 
discussion and epbemeris for 1830 to 1890, of which the first four hours appeared 
in vol. XIV. By C. Piazzi-Smytli. 6-j- 1034 p. 4to. Edinburgh, 1886. 
Ephemerides. 
American epbemeris and nautical almanac for the year 1889. 1. ed. 6 -{- 517 -f- 8 
p. 4to. Washington, 1886 ($1) 
Annuaire do l’Observatoiro do Bruxelles. Anndo 53,1886. 314 p. 16mo. Bru- 
xelles, 1886 (M. 150) 
Annuaire pour Fan 1887, public par le Bureau des longitudes. 891 p. 16mo. 
Paris, [ 1886.?] 
Anuario del Observatorio astrondmico nacionalde Tacnbaya para el ano de 1887. 
325 p. 16mo. Mdxico, 1886. 
Astronomischer Kalender fiir 1887. Ilrsg. von der k. k. Sternwarto in Wien. 
159 p. 8vo. Wien, 1886 (M. 1.60) 
Berliner astronomisebes Jalirbucli fiir 1888. 542 p. 8vo. Berlin, 1886. • 
Charrier (A.): Eifemeridi del solo, della luna o dei principali pianetini . . . 
per F anno 1887. 29 p. 8vo. Torino, 1886. 
Clark (L.) and Sadler (II.): Tho star-guide: a list of the most remarkable 
celestial objects visible with small telescopes . . . [etc.]. 16-(-48p. 8vo. 
London, 1886 (M. 5.30) 
Companion (Annual) to the Observatory. Obsry., 10: 1-48. 1887. Also, Reprint. 
Connaissance des temps . . . pour Fan 1888. 968 p. 8vo. Paris, 1886. 
Flammarion (C.): Annuaire astronomique pour 1887. L’Astron., 6: 1-21. 1887. 
Loewy (M.): Epbdmdrides des dtoiles do culmination lunaire et de longitude 
pour 1886. 38 p. 4to. Paris, 1886 (M. 3) 
Nautical. (The) almanac and astronomical epbemeris for the year 1890. 8vo. 
London, 1886. 
Equatorials. See, also, Telescopes. 
IIilger (A.): New form of governor for the driving-clocks of equatorials. il. 
Month. Not., 46: 155. 
Flexure. 
IIarkness (W.): On tho flexure of meridian instruments and tho means avail- 
able for eliminating its effects from star places 28 p. 4to. Washington, 
1886 : (M. 3) 
Wash Obsns., 1882, App. m. 170 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Galileo. 
Murphy (Rev. J.): The case of Galileo. 19th Cent., 19: 722-739. 
Glass (Optical). 
Czapski(S.): Mittbeilungen iiber das glastechnische Laboratorium in Jenaund 
die von ihm hergesteilteu neuen optischtyi Glaser. Ztsclir. f. Instrniknd., 6: 
293, 335. 
New (The) optical glass [of Abbe], Nature, 34: 022. 
Schjerning (W.): Absorption der nltravioletten Lichtstralilen durch verschie- 
deue optisclie Glaser. 38 p. 8vo. Berlin, 1886 (M. 1.50) 
Globes (Astronomical). 
Heklk (H.): Apparat znr Orientirnng an dcr Tlimmelskngel. Ztschr. f. In- 
strmknd.,6: 19-22. 
Greenwich Observatory. 
Astronomical and magnetical and meteorological observations . . . 1884. 924 
p. pi. 4to. London, 1886. 
Report of the astronomer royal. [1886, May 20.] 19 p. 4to. n.p. [1886.] 
Harvard College Observatory. 
Annals of the astronomical observatory of Harvard College. Vol. 15, pt. 1. Cata- 
logue of 1,213 stars observed with the meridian circle . . . 1870 to 1879 ... by 
W. A. Rogers. 7 + 145p. 4to. Cambridge, 1886. 
: The same. Vol. 16. Observations of fundamental stars, made with the 
meridian circle . . . 1870 to 1886 . . . by W. A Rogers. 141 -j- 337 p. 4°. Cam- 
bridge, 1886. 
Report (41st annual) of the director . . . E. C. IMckeriug. December 7,1886. 
12 p. 8vo. Cambridge, 1886. 
Herschel. 
Story (The) of the Hcrscliels, a family of astronomers. New ed. 128 p. 12mo. 
London, 1886 (M. 1.20) 
Holden (Edward Singleton) [1846- ]. 
Winlock (W. C.): Sketch of Prof. Edward S. Holden. Pop. Sc. Month., 30: 
114-120. 
Portrait and bibliography. 
Hong-Kong Observatory. 
Report of the astronomical instruments at the observatory and on the time serv- 
ice at Hong-Kong in 1885. 8 p. fol. Hong-Kong, 1886 (M. 1.20) 
Huygens (Christian). 
Liste alphabdtiquo de la corrcspoudanco de Christian Huygens qui sera publide 
pa” la Socidtd hollandaise des sciences it Harlem. 15 p. 4to. Haag, 1886. 
(M. 1.80) 
Journals (Astronomical). 
Astronomical (The) Journal. Edited by B. A. Gould. [Semi-monthly.] Vol. 
7. Nov., 1886, to Mar., 1888. 6+198 p. 4to. Boston ($5) 
Vol. 6 was completed with No. 144, on Feb. 9, 18G1. Vol. 7 begins with No. 145, Nov. 2, 1886. 
Each volume consists of twenty-four numbers. 
Astronomical (The) Register. [Monthly.] Vol. 24. 8+320 p. 8vo. London, 
1886 (M. 12.50.) 
Discontinued with this volume. 
L’Astronomie. Revue d’astronomio populaire . . . publi6c par C. Flammarion. 
[Monthly.] 5e aun<5e, 1886. 492 p. 4to. Paris, 1886 (14 fr.) 
Astronomisciie Nachricliten begriindet von H. C. Schumacher. Ilrsg. von A. 
Kruger. Bd. 114 [Nr. 2713-2736]. 7+435. 4to. Kiel, 1886 (M. 15) 
: Tho same. Bd. 115 [Nr. 2737-2760]. 7+414 p. 4to. Kiel, 1886.. .(M. 15) ASTRONOMY. 
171 
Journals—Continued. 
Bulletin astronomique. Publid sous les auspices de l’Observatoire de Paris, par 
F. Tisserand [and others']. [Monthly.] Tome 3, 188G. 632 p. 8vo. Paris, 
1886 (M. 16) 
Bulletin des sciences mathdmatiques et astronomiques, rddigd par Darbonx, 
Houel et Tannery. Amide fS8G. Sdrie 2. Tome 10. 8°. Paris, 188(5.. (M. 18) 
Ciel et terre. Revue populaire d’astronomie, do mdtdorologie et de physique 
du globe. [Semi-montlily.] ‘2° sdrie, 1° amide. (6e amide de la collection.) 
592 p. 8vo. Bruxelles, 1886. 
Memoire della Society degli spetroscopisti italiani raccolte e publicate per cura 
del P, Tacchini. [Monthly.] Yol. 15, anno 1886. 6+208 p. 4to. Roma. 
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . . . Nov., 1885, to Nov., 
1886. Yol. 46. 516 p. 8vo. London, 1886. 
Observatory (The); a monthly review of astronomy. Edited by E. \V. Maun- 
der, A. M. W. Downing, and T. Lewis. Vol. 9. 8+404 p. 8vo. London, 1886. 
(14 sh.) 
Revista do Observatorio. Publicagao mensal do Imperial Observatorio do Rio 
de Janeiro. Red: L. Cruls [and others]. Anno 1, 1886. 8+192 p. 4to. Rio 
de Janeiro, 1886. 
Sidereal (The) Messenger; a monthly review of astronomy. Conducted by 
W. W. Payne. Vol. 5. 320 p. 8vo. Northlield, 1886 ($2) 
Sirius. Zeitschrift fiir populiire Astronomic. Hrsg. von H. J. Klein. [Monthly.] 
19. Bd. oder N. F. 14. Bd. 4+288 p. 8vo. Leipzig, 1886 (M. 10) 
Vierteljahrssciirift der astronomischeu Gesellschaft. Hrsg. von . . . E. 
Schonfeld und H. Seeliger. 21. Jahrgang. 5+302 p. 8vo. Leipzig, 1886.(M. 8) 
Wochensciirift fur Astronomie, Meteorologie und Geograpliie. Hrsg. von H. 
J. Klein. Jahrgang 29. 8vo. Hallo, 1886 (M. 10) 
Jupiter, p* 136. 
de Bai.l(L.): Observations des surfaces de Jupiter et de Vdnus faites en 1884 
et en 1885 ... a Liege. Bruxelles, 1886. 
Denning (W. F.): Changes in the red spot on Jupiter. Month. Not., 46: 115— 
118, 
: Jupiter’s red spot, and the region near. il. Obsry., 9 :188. 
Hill (G. W.): Elements and perturbations of Jupiter and Saturn. Astron. 
Nachr., 113:273-302. 
Martii (A.) Ephemeris for physical observations of Jupiter, 1887. Month. 
Not., 47:40-48. 
: Note on the transit of the planet Mars and its satellites across the sun’s 
disc, which will occur for the planet Jupiter and its satellites on April 13, 1886. 
Month. Not., 46 :161-164. 
Williams (A. S.): Nature of the red spot on Jupiter and the relative heights of 
Jovian markings. Obsry., 9 : 231. 
Young (C. A.) Jupiter and his “red spot.” Eng. Meehan., 14 : 339. 
: Rotation time of the red spot on Jupiter, il. Sid Mess., 5:289-293. 
Jupiter (Satellites of). 
Cornu (A.): Sur les indthodes photomdtriques d’observation des satellites de 
Jupiter. Astron. Nachr., 114:239. 
dom Lamey (F. M.)-: Dimensions comparatives des satellites de Jupiter, d<5- 
duites d’observations faites en 1885. Compt. Rend., 102:1365. 
Peters (C. H. F.) : Zur Geschichte photometrischer Beobachtungen der Jupi- 
terstrabanten-Verfinsterungen. Astron. Nachr., 114:141. 
Kalocsa Observatory. 
Berichte von dem Erzbischoflich Haynald’schen Observatorhwn zn Kalocsa in 
Ungarn . . . von C. Braun. 8+178 p. 4to. Munster, 1886. 
Rev. by Peter (B.): Vrtljschr. d. astron G-esollsch., 22: 34-45, 1887. See, also, Ibid., 22:200. 172 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Kann Observatory. 
Maurer (J.): Der achtzollige Refraktor der Kann’sclien Privatsternwarte zu 
Zurich. Sirius, 19 : 40-44. 
Karlsruhe Observatory. 
Veroffentliciiungen der grossherzoglichen Sternwarte zu Karlsruhe. Hrsg. 
vou W. Valentiner. 2. Heft. Beobachtungeu am Meridiaukreis. 12+213 p. 
4to. Karlsruhe, 1886 (M. 16) 
Kepler. See, also, Astronomy (History of). 
Anschutz (C.): Uugedruckte wisseuschaftliche Correspoudenz zwischen Johann 
Kepler uud H. vou Hohenburg, 1599. 118 p. 8vo. Prag, 1886 (M. 2.70) 
Rev. Nature, 34: ] 89. 
Kepler’s Laws. See Mechanics (Celestial); Orrits. 
Konigsberg Observatory. 
Astronomische Beobachtungen . . . von E. Luther. 37. Abth. 2. Thiel. 152 
p. 4to. Konigsberg, 1886 . (M. 10.70) 
La Plata Observatory. 
Mouchez (E.): Le nouvel observa,toire astronomique de La Plata. Bull, astron., 
3:417-42L 
Latitude. 
Doolittle (C. L.): [Change in the] latitude of the Sayre Observatory. Astron. 
Jour., 7:14. 
Nyren (M.) : Polhohenbestiminungen mit dem ErteLRepsold’schen Yerticalkreis. 
14p. 8vo. St. Petersburg, 1886 (M. 0.50) 
Least squares. 
Gauss (_C. F.): Abhandlungen znr Methode der kloinsten Quadrate. 8vo. Berlin, 
1886 (M. 4) 
Lick Observatory. 
Comstock (G. C.): The meridian circle of the Lick Observatory. Sid. Mess., 5: 
225-230. 
: Provisional value of the latitude of the Lick Observatory, Sid. Mess., 5: 
302-304. 
Latitude = + 37° 20' 24".9. 
Evans (T.): A Californian’s gift to science, il. Century, 32: 62-73. 
Light (Velocity of), p* 127. 
Miciielson (A. A.) and Morlf.y (E. VV.): Influence of motion of the medium on 
the velocity of light. Am. J. Sc., 3. s., 31 = 131 : 377-386. 
Rev. by Coknu (A.): Conipt. Rend., 102: 1207-1209. 
Schuster (A.). Velocity of light determined by Foucault’s revolving mirror. 
Nature, 33: 439. 
Louvain Observatory 
Pauwels (C.): Privatobservatorium des Ilerrn Terby in Louvain. Sirius, 19: 
267, 
Lunar theory, p* 133. 
Adams (J. C.): Hill, on the lunar inequalities due to tho ellipticity of the earth. 
Obsry., 9: 118-120. 
Franz (J.): Neue Bereclinung von Hartwig’s Beobachtungen der physisclien 
Libration des Mondes. Astron. Nadir., 116: 1-12. 
Hall (A.): [Historical note on] the figure of tho earth and the motion of the 
moon. Annals of Math., 2 : 111. 
Hill (G. W.): Reply to Mr. Neison’s strictures on Delaunay’s method of deter- 
mining the planetary perturbations of the moon. Mouth. Not., 47 : 1-8. 
Also, Reprint. ASTRONOMY. 
173 
Lunar theory—Continued. 
Neison (E.): Delaunay’s method for calculating terms of long period in the 
motion of the moon. Mouth. Not., 4(3: 403-439. 
Shdanow (A.): Recherches sur le mouvement de la lune autour de la terro d’aprbs 
la thdorie de M. Gylddu. 39 p. 4to. Stockholm, 1885. 
Stockweli, (J. N.): Inequalities in the moon’s motion produced by the oblate- 
ne88 of the earth. Astrou. Jour., 7 : 4, 17, 25. 
vox Oppolzer (T.): Eutwurf eiuer Mondtheorie. 37 p. 4to. Wien, 1886..(M.2) 
Jlepr. from: Deuksclir. d. raath.-uatui'widsensch. Kl. d. k. Akad. d. Wissenscli. zu Wien, 51. 
Ilev. by Bauuxs (II.): Vrtljscbr. d. astron. Gesollsoh., 22: 45-50. 1887. 
McCormick Observatory. 
Publications of the Leander McCormick Observatory of the University of Vir- 
ginia. Vol. 1, pt. 2. Tail of comet 1882II. 17p.,6pl. 4to. Uuiv. of Va., 1886. 
: The same. Vol. 1, pt. 3. Nebula of Orion, 1885. 43, p.6pl. 4to. Univ. of 
Va., 1886. 
Repout of the director . . . June 1, 1886. 3 p. 4to. n. p. [1886.] 
McGill College Observatory. 
Rogehs (W. A.) and McLeod (C. H.) : Longitude of the McGill College Observa- 
tory. 67 p. 4to. Montreal, 1886. 
0 
liepr. from: Trans, ltoy. Soc. Canada, 1885. 
McKim Observatory. 
Appel (D.): Der Refractor des McKim Observatory, il. Ztsclir. f. Iustrmknd., 
6: 15-19. 
Mars, p." 134. 
Denning (W. F.) : Physical appearance of Mais in 1886. Nature, 31: 104. 
Flammarion (C.): La plandte Mars. il. L’Astron., 5 : 201-206. 
Green (N. E.): Northern hemisphere of Mars. Month. Not., 46 : 445-447. 
Loiise (O.): Ueber die Vortheilo der Anweudung eines Kalkspatliprismas zur 
Reobachtung des Mars. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 121. 
Peurotin (J.): Observations des canaux de Mars. il. Bull, astron., 3: 324- 
329. 
Schiaparelli (A. V.): Osservazioni astronomiche e fisiche sull’ asse di rotazione 
e sulla topografia del pianeta Marte. Meinoria hi. Opposizione, 1881-82. 
95 p. 4to. Roma, 1886 (M.8) 
Terry (F.) : La gdographio de la plant:te Mars. L’Agtron., 5: 206. 
Wislicenus (W.): Beitrag zur Bestimmnng der Rotationszeit des Planeten 
Mars. 71 p. 4to. Leipzig, 1886 (M. 4) 
: Einige Bemerkungen iiber die Ausdehnung des Schnecflecks am Siidpole 
des Planeten Mars. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 57. 
Mars (Satellites of). 
Hall (A.): [Observations of Deimos, 1886.] Month.Not., 46: 454. 
Mechanics (Celestial). See, also, Perturbations; Satellites; Series; Three 
BODIES, (Problem of.) 
Brinckmann (O.): Bewegung eines materiellen Punctes auf eiuem Rotations- 
Paraboloid. 54 p. 8to. Jena, 1886. 
Melbourne Observatory. 
Observations of the southern nebulae made with the great Melbourne telescope, 
from 1869 to 1885. 25 p., 3 pi. 4to. Melbourne, 1885. 
Mercury. 
Backlund (O.): Sur la masse de la planfete Mercnre. Bull, astron., 3: 473. 
Meridian circle. 
Leitzmann (II.): Eiufliis8e der Warmeverthcilung auf die Theilung des Meri- 
diankreises, 4to. Magdebourg, 1885. 174 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Meridian circle—Continued. 
Louwy (M.): Etudes diverges sur les m6thodes d’observation et de reduction. 
4to. [Paris, 1886? ] 
Meteor showers. 
Denning (W. F.): [Radiants of] recent showers. Sid. Mess., 5: 309. 
: Radiant point of the Andromedes of Nov. 27, 1885. Audromedes and 
Leonids in 1965-’66. Astron. Reg., 24 : 95-98. 
: The stationary meteor showers. Sid. Mess., 5: 167-173. 
Denza(F.): Lo stelle cadenti del periodo di Agosto 1885, osservato in Italia. 
45 p. 16mo. Torino, 1886. 
Forster (W.): Sternschnuppenphiinomene vom 27. Nov. 1872 uiul vom*27. Nov. 
1885. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 113-119. 
Newton (H. A.): The Biela meteors of Nov. 27, 1885. Am. J. Sc., 3. s., 31 =131: 
409-426, 1886. 
Schiaparelli (G. V.): Lo stelle cadenti: con appendice sulla grande pioggia di 
stelle cadenti del 27 Nov. 1885. New ed. 8 +134 p. 16mo. Milano, 1886.. (M. 1) 
Meteors, p* 125. See, also, Comets and Meteors. 
Ball (R. S.): L’origiue des dtoiles filantes. L’Astron., 5: 331-337. 
Newton (H. A.) Meteorites, meteors, and shooting stars. Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sc., 
25: 1-18. Also, Reprint. Also: Science, 8: 169-176. Also: Nature, 34: 532- 
536. 
Address as retiring president of the American Association, Buffalo, August 18, 188C. 
Zenger (C.-Y.): Les essaims pdriodiques d’dtoiles filantes et les niouvements 
seismiques des anudes 1883, 1884 et 1885. Compt. Rend., 103: 1287-1289. 
: Les principaux essaims d filantes et les aurores bordales. Compt. 
Rend., 103: 738-741. 
Meteors (Orbits of, etc.). 
Backhouse (T. W.): Proposed maps for tracing meteor paths. Astron. Nachr., 
114: 19. 
Buszczynski (B.): Ueber die Batmen dcr am 11. Dezember 1852 uml am 3. 
Dezember 1861 in Deutschland beobachteten hellen Meteoro. 32 p. 8vo. Halle, 
1886. 
Corrigan (S. J.): Relation between meteoric orbits and radiants. Sid. Mess., 5: 
100-105. 
Denning (W. F.): Distribution of meieor streams. Month. Not., 47: 35-39. 
Jesse (O.): Bestimmung dcr IIolio der Steruschnuppen in bekaunten Bahneii 
durch Beobachtungen von eiuem Orte aus. Astron. Nachr., 114: 145. 
Moncic (VV. H. S.): Trained meteors. Obsry., 9: 131. 
Wendell (O. C.): Orbits of meteors. Astron. Nachr., 114 : .285. 
Weyer (G. D. E.): Elementare Berechnung der Sternschnuppenbahnen um die 
Sonne. Astron. Nachr., 115: 113-132. 
Moon, p* 133. See, also, Lunar theory. 
Abetti (A.): Tavole per vidurre il nascere ed il tramontare della luna dalle 
effemeridi di Berlino agli orizzonti di latitudini fra 36 e 48 gr. 12 p. [ Venezia J. 
1886 (M. 1) 
Ericsson (J.): The lunar surface and its temperature, il. Nature, 34 : 248. 
DE Fonvielle (W.): Histoire de la lime. il. 8°. Paris, 1886 (M. 2) 
Harley (T.): Lunar science, ancient and mod rn. 8vo. London, 1886.. (M. 3.70) 
Mellor (T. K.): Handy map of the moon, 13 by 15 inches. London, 1886. 
(3 sh. 6d.) 
Proctor (R. A.): The moon: her motions, aspect, scenery, and physical con- 
ditions, 3. ed. 314 p. il, 8vo. London, 1886 (M.6. 50) ASTRONOMY, 
175 
Moon—Continued. 
Sapokktti (A.): Metodo universale per iscoprire spediainente gl’istanti de na- 
scere e del tramoutaro deila luna in qualsiasi luogo d’Italia. 13 p. 4to. Bo- 
logna, 1886. 
Weinek (L.): Zeiclinungeu von Mondkratern und Mondlandsckaften. Astron. 
Beob. zu Prag. App. zum 45. Jahrg., p. 59-69. 
Moscow Observatory. 
Annai.es de l’Observatoire do Moscou. Publides par T. Bredichin. Sdric 2, v. 
1, livraison 1. 118 p., 2 pi. 4to. Moscou, 1886 (M. 6) 
Natal Observatory. 
Report of the superintendent . . . 1885. 30 p. 4to. n. p. [1886.] 
Nebulae, p* 101. See, also, Pleiades. 
von Gotiiard (E.): [Photographing a faint star in the Ring nebula in Lyra.] 
Astron. Nachr., 115: 221, 303. 
Stone (O.): List of nebulas observed at the Leander McCormick Observatory 
and supposed to he new. Astron. Jour., 7 : 9-14. 
: The same. Second list. Astron. Jour., 7: 57-61. 
Stone (0.) and Leavenworth (F. P.): [Observations of the] Nebula of Orion, 
1885. 43 p., 3 pi. 4to. Univ. of Ya., 1886. 
Pub. McCormick Obsry., v. 1, pt. 3. 
Swift (.L.): Catalogue No. 3 of nebulae discovered at the Warner Observatory. 
Astron. Nachr., 115 : 153-158. 
: The same. No. 4. Astron. Nachr., 115 : 257-262. 
: The same. No. 5. Astron. Nachr., 116 : 33-38. 
Tempel (W.) Ueber Nebelflecken . . . 1876-79 . . . zuArcetri. 28 p. 4to. Prag, 
1886 (M. 3) 
Neptune (Satellite of), p* 139. 
Martii (A.): Ephemeris of the satellite of Neptune. Month. Not., 46 : 504-507. 
Neucliatel Observatory. 
Rapport du directeur . . . 1885. 32 + 27 p. 12mo. Locle, 1886. 
Nutation, p* 103. 
Iolie (h.): Demonstration pratique de l’existence de la nutation diurne. Cornpt 
Rend., 103 : 1171-1173. 
Objectives. Sec, also, Spiierometer. 
Berger (C. L.): Apparat zur genauen Bestiunnung der Brenuweite von Objecti v- 
gliisern. il. Ztsclir. f, Instrmknd., 6 : 272-276. 
Harzer (I*.): Leber ein dreillachiges uach Herrn Scheibner’s Principien berech- 
netes Objectiv. Astron. Nachr., 115: 241-252. 
Laurent (L.): Sur l’ex6cution des objectifs pour instruments de precision. 
Cornpt. Rend., 102:545-548. 
Schroder (H.) : Ueber die den bekanuten Doppelobjectiven anhaftenden Uebel- 
staiule und eiue ueue davon frcie Linsencombination fur grosse Refractoren. 
Ztsclir. f. Instrmknd., 6:41-46. 
Observations (Combination of). See, also, Least squares. 
Newcomb (S.): A generalized theory of the combination of observations, so as to 
obtain the best result. Am. J. Math., 8: 343-366. 
Rev. by LOroth (J.) : Vrtljscbr. <1. astron. Gesellsch., 21: 272-276. 
Rev. Obsry., 9: 370. 
Observatories, p* 139. 
Jaiiresberichte der Sternwarte fiir 1885. Yrtljschr. d. astron. Gesellsch., 
21:69-150. 
Lancaster (A.): Liste generate des observatoires ct des astronomes, des societes 
et des revues astronomiques. 114 p. 12mo, Bruxelles, 1886 (M. 1.50) 176 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Occupations. 
Woodside (C. L.): Short method for computing occultations. il. Sid. Mess.,. 
5: $203-210. 
Orbits. See, also, Three bodies (Problem of). 
Andoyer (H.): Contribution h, la theorie des orbites intermddiaires. 72 p. 4to. 
Paris, 1886 (3 fr. 00c.) 
Bryant (R.): Kepler’s problem. Month. Not., 47 : 8-14. 
GyldIsn (H.): Intermediiira banor, som vid en gifven tidpuukt ausluta sig till 
de verkliga med en kontakt of tredja ordningen. 20 p. 8vo. Stockholm, 
1686. 
Israel-Holtz wart (K.): Elemente der theoretischen Astronomic, il. 8vo. 
Wiesbaden, 1886 (M. 25) 
Neumann (C.): Ausdehnung der Ivepler’schen Gesetzc auf den Fall, dass die 
Bewegnng auf einer Kugelfliiche stattfindet. Ber. ii. d. Verliandl. d. k. sacks. 
Gesellsch. d. Wissenscli. Leipz. Math.-pliys. Cl., 1886. 
von Oppolzer (T.) Traite do la determination des orbites des comctes et des 
planhtes . . . Edition pnblide d’apres la deuxibme edition allemande 
par Ernest Pasquier. Premier volume. 26 -f 491 -f- 209 p. 4to, Paris, 1886. 
(30 fr.) 
Thurein (H.): Elementare Darstellung der Planetcnbahnen durcb Konstruk- 
tion und Recknung. 34 p. 8vo. Berlin, 1886 (M. 1) 
Padua Observatory. 
Abetti (A.): Esperimento per le determinazioni di latitudino . . . all’Osserva- 
torio di Padova nell’ottobre 1885. 6 p. 8vo. Roma, 1886 (M. 1) 
: Osservazioni astronomiche fatte all’ Ossorvatorio di Padova coll’ equatoriale 
Dembowski nel 1886. 11 p. 8vo. Venezia, 1886 (M. 0.60) 
Parallax (Stellar), p* 108. 
Hall (A.): Observations for stellar parallax [of a Lyra;, 61 Cygni, 40 (o2) Eri- 
dani, and 6 B Cygni], 67 p. 4to. Washington, 1886. 
Wash. Obsn’s., 1883, App. n. 
Sciiur (W.): Bestimmuug der Parallaxe des Uoppelsterns $5 Auriga;. Astron. 
Nachr., 114:161. 
Paris Observatory. 
Perigaud (E.-L.-A.): Errcnrs de division du cercle de Gambey. Compt. Rend., 
103:591-594. 
Rapport annuel sur l’etat do l’Observatoiro do Paris pour l’annee 1885, presente 
au conseil . . . 22 jauvier 1886. 28 p., 1 pi. 4to. Paris, 1886. 
Pendulum. 
Lorentzen (G.): Theorie des Gaussischen Pendels. Astron. Nachr., 114:241- 
284. 
Personal* equation. 
Seeliger (H.): Eiufluss dioptrisclier Fehler des Auges auf das Resultat astro- 
nomischer Messun gen. Abbandl. d. math.-phys. Cl. d. k. bayer. Ak. d.,Wis- 
sensch., 15: 665-704. 
Perturbations. 
Callandreau (O.) : Simplifications qui se prdsentent dans le calcul numerique 
des perturbations pour certaines valeurs de l’argument. Compt. Rend., 102: 
598-601. 
Radau (R.) : Sur quelques formulcs de la theorie des perturbations. Bull, astron., 
3: 433, 475. 
Tisserand (F.): Sur un cas remarquable du problemo des perturbations, Bull, 
astron., 3: 425-433. Also; Compt. Rend., 103: 446-451, ASTRONOMY. 
177 
Photography (Astronomical). p*115. See, also, Nebula;; Photography (Solar), 
Pleiades; etc.; Spectra (Stellar). 
Eder (J. M.): Die Moment-Photographie in ihrer Anwenilung auf Kunst and 
Wissenschaft. 8+196 p. II. 8vo. Halle, 1886 (M.‘24) 
von Gothard (E.): Apparate fiir Aufnahmo liiminlischer Objecte. Ztsclir. f. 
Instrmknd, 6 : 5-14. Also, Reprint. 
Holden (E. S.): Photography, the servant of astronomy. Overland Month., 2. s., 
8:459-470. 
Stein (S. T.): Die Photographic im Dienste der Astronomie, Meteorologie nnd 
Physik. il. 8vo. Halle, 1886 (M. 5) 
Stone (O.): Photographers versus old-fashioned astronomers. Sid. Mess., 6: 1-4. 
Struve (O.): Die Photographic im Dienste der Astronomie. 20 p. 8vo. St. 
Petersburg, 1886 (M. 1) 
Repr. from: M61. math, et astron. tir6s du Bull, do l’Acad. d. sc. St. P6tersb. 6: 493-517. 
Tramblay (G.): Photographic lunaire dans les instruments de moyenne puis- 
sance. L’Astron., 5 : 382-384, 425. 
Photography (Solar). 
Huggins (W.): Photography of thesolar corona. Science, 8 : 303. Also: Nature, 
34 : 469. Also: Astrou. Nachr., 115 :191. 
Photography (Stellar). 
Common (A. A.): Photography as an aid to astronomy. Eng. Meehan., 43:453- 
455. 
Flammarion (C.): La photographic celeste & l’Observatoire de Paris, il. L’As- 
tron., 5:42-57. 
: Comparaison des rdsultats de l’observation astronomique avec ceux de la 
photographic. L’Astron., 5 :188 
Gill (D.) : Photographic astronomique. Bull, astron., 3 : 161-164. 
VON Gothard (E.) : Anwendung der Photographic zu Moridian-Beobachtungen. 
Astron. Nachr., 115 : 315. 
: Photographische Aufnahmen. Astron. Nachr., 115:221. 
Gould (B. A.): Pholographic determinations of stellar positions. Proc. Am. Ass. 
Adv. Sc., 35 : 74-79. Also: Am. J. Sc., 3. s., 32= 132 : 369-375. 
Henry (Paul) and Henry (Prosper): Astronomical photography, il. Nature, 
34: 35-37. 
: Ftoiles doubles et amas d’6toiles mesurtis par la photographie. il. 
L’Astron., 5 : 281-286. 
Janssen (J.) Note sur la constitution des taches solaires et sur la photographie 
envisagde commo instrument de d6couvertes en astronomie. Compt Rend., 102 : 
80-82. 
Louse (O.): Ueber Stellar-Pliotographie. Astron. Nachr., 115: 1-14. 
Mouciiez(E.): Photographies astronomiques do MM. Paul Henry et Prosper 
Henry. Compt. Rend., 102 : 148, 289. 
Pickering (E. C.): Draper memorial photographs . . . [etc.]. Nature, 34 : 439. 
: Investigation (An) in stellar photography, conducted at the Harvard Col- 
, lege observatory. Mem. Am. Acad. Arts, etc., 11 : 179-226, 1886. 
Also: Reprint, with appendix. 
Pritchard (C.): Remarkable instance of the detection of distortion in a pho- 
tographic film measured for the purpose of stellar parallax. Month. Not., 46: 
442-444. 
: Researches in stellar photography. Proc. Roy. Soc., Loud., 41: 195-212. 
Also [Abstr. | : Nature, 34 : 305. 
Ranyard (A. C.) : Connection between photographic action, the brightness of 
the luminous object, and the time of exposure as applied to celestial photog- 
raphy. Month. Not., 46: 305-309, 
Mis. GOO—42 178 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Photography (Stellar)—Continued. 
Roberts (I.): Note on photographs of stars in Cygnus, taken in August, 1886. 
Mouth. Not., 47: 22. 
: Photographic maps of the stars. Month. Not., 46 : 99-103. 
Wolf (C.): Comparaison des rdsultats de Pobservation astronomique directa 
avec ceux de Pinscription photographique. Compt. Rend., 102 : 476. 
Zenger (C. Y.): Etudes phosphorographiques pour la reproduction photograph- 
ique du ciel. Compt. Rend., 102 : 408-410. 
Photometry. p.*112. 
Chandler (S. C. ), jr. Comparative (A) estimate of methods and results in stel- 
lar photometry. [A&str.] Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sc., 35: 81. 
: Light-ratio unit of stellar magnitudes. Astrou. Nachr., 115 : 145-154. 
Pritchard (C.) : Supplementary measures of the magnitudes of a zone of stars 
near the equator for reference as standards of magnitude in lieu of Polaris. 
Month. Not., 46 : 439-442. 
Sawyer (E. F.): Some account of a new catalogue of the magnitudes of south- 
ern stars. Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sc., 35: 80. Also: Sid. Mess., 5: 299-302. 
Seei.iger (H.): Bemerkuugen zu Zolluer’s “ Photometrischen Unterauchnngen.” 
Vrtljschr. d. astron. Gesellsch., 21: 216-229. 
Planets. p*133. 
Christiansen (C.): Bemerkungen liber die Temperatur der Planeten. Sirius, 
19: 256-258. 
Planets (Minor). See Asteroids. 
Pleiades. p*101. 
Clerke (A. M.): [History of] the Pleiades. Nature, 33 : 561-564. 
Common (A. A.) : Nebulie in the Pleiades. Month. Not., 46: 341. 
Flammarion (C.): Comparaison des rdsultats de Pobservation astronomique avec 
ceux de photographic. Compt. Rend., 102: 911-914. 
Henry (P.) : The photographic nebulie in the Pleiades. Month. Not., 46 : 281. 
Henry (Paul) and Henry (Prosper): Snr uno carte photographique du groupe 
des Pldiades. Compt. Rend., 102 : 848-851. 
Kammermann (A.): Ueber den Majanebel. Astron. Nachr., 114: 313. 
Perrotin (J.): Observation de la ndbuleuse de Ma'ia. Compt. Rend., 102:544. 
Roberts (I.): Note on two photographs of the nebulie in the Pleiades, taken in 
October, 1886. Month. Not., 47 : 24. 
Struve (O.): Ueber den Majanebel. il. Astron. Nachr., 114: 97. 
Weiss (E.) : Ueber die Nebel in denPlejaden. il. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 209. 
Wolf (C.): Comparaison des rdsultats de Pobservation astronomique directe aveo 
ceux de l’inscription photographique. Compt. Reud., 102: 476. 
Potsdam Observatory. 
Publicationen des astrophysikalischen Observatoriums zu Potsdam. Hrsg. von 
H. C. Vogel. 5. Bd., 7 + 281 p. 4to. Leipzig, 1886. 
Prague Observatory. 
Astronomische Beobachtungen an der k. k. Sternwarte zu Prag im Jahre 1884, 
von L. Weinek. App. zum 45. Jahrgang. 74 p., 4 pi. 4to. Prag, 1886. 
Rev. by Sch[oxfeld] : Vrtljschr. d. astron. Gesellsch., 21:46-50. 
Precession. 
Flammarion (C.): Le mouvement sdculairo du pole et la transmission du sys- 
tisme solaire. il. L’Astron., 5, 401-406. 
Rogers (W. A.) and Winlock (A.): Reduction of the positions of close circum- 
polar stars from one epoch to another. Mem. Am. Acad. Arts and Sc., 11:227- 
299, 1886. Also Reprint, ASTRONOMY. 
179 
Precession—Continued. 
Weiss (E.): Ueber die Berechnung der Priicession mit besouderer Riicksicht auf 
die Reduction eiues Sterncataloges auf cine audere Epoche. 28 p. 4to. Wion, 
188G (M. 1.50) 
Kepr. from: Deiikaclir. d. k. Akad. d. Wissonacli. Math-naturwis, Cl. Wien, 53: 53-80. 
Prominences (Solar). See, also, Sun; Sun-spots. 
Tacchini (P.): R6sultats fouruis par l’observation des protuberances solaires 
pendant i’amnSe 1885. Compt. Rend., 102: 457. 
Trouvelot (E. L.): Cliangeinents teuiporaires de r6frangibilifc<5 des raies du 
spectre de la chromosphere et des protuberances solaires. Bull, astron., 3 :9-22. 
: Protuberances visible on the spectrum with a narrow slit. Month. Not., 
4(5:331-333. 
Rev. by Maundeu (E. W.): Month. Not., 46:334. 
Wild (H.): Relations entre les variations du magndtisme terrcstre et les phd- 
nombnes observes sur le soleil. Compt. Rend., 102:508. 
Pulkowa Observatory. 
Jahresbericht am 25 Mai, 1886 . . . [etc.] 52 p. 8vo. St. Petersburg, 1886. 
Untersuchung der Repsokl’sclien Theilung des Pulkowaer Yerticalkreises. 37 
p. 4to. St. Petersburg, 1886 (M. 1) 
M6m. Acad. imp. d. sc. de St.-P6tersb., 7. s6r., vol. 34, No. 2. 
Radcliffe Observatory. 
Results of astronomical and meteorological observations made in the year 1883. 
Vol.41. 8vo. Oxford, 1886. 
Reflectors. See, also, Telescopes. 
Spitta (E. J.): Method of collimating Newtonian reflectors. Obsry., 9:349-351. 
Refraction. 
Abbe (C.): A correction for gravity in the use of refraction tables. Astron. 
Nachr., 116 : 15. 
Gaillot (A.): Determination de l’errenr de la constante de la refraction astro- 
nomique par les observations meridienues. Compt. Rend., 102: 200,247. 
Gill (D.): Some suggested improvements in the practical working of M. 
Loewy’s new method of astronomical refraction. Month. Not., 46:326-328. 
Also, traits.: Compt. Rond., 102 : 732-735. 
Loewy (M.): Nouvelle in6tliode pour la determination des elements de la re- 
fraction. Compt. Rend., 102: 74-80. 
: Determination des elements do la refraction. Compt. Rend., 102:290-297. 
: Determination des elements de la refraction. Examen des conditions gen- 
erales a reuiplir dans la solution pratique du probleme. Compt. Rend., 102 : 
380-385. 
: Determination des elements de la refraction. Solution pratique la plus 
favorable. Compt. Rend., 102: 533-539. 
, Nouvelles methodes pour la determination directe do la valeur absolue do 
la refraction divers degres de hauteur. Compt. Rend., 102: 887-894. 
: Nouvelle methode generate pour la determination directe de la valeur abso- 
lue de la refraction & tousles degres de hauteur. Compt. Rend., 102: 1196— 
1202. 
; Nouvelle methode pour determiner les refractions a toutes les hautonrs a 
l’aido de la valeur conune d’une seule. Compt. Rend., 102 : 1273-1279. 
McNeill (M.) : Logarithmic method of correcting for differential refraction in 
declination. Astron. Nachr., 114: 385-390. 
VON Oppolzer (T.): Ueber die astrouomische Refraction. 52 p. tab. 4to. Wien, 
1886 - (M. 2.60) 
Pickering (E. C.): Atmospheric refractioq, Proo. Am. Acad. Arts aud Sc., 
21; 268-302, 1886. 180 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Rio Janeiro Observatory. 
Cruls (L.): Sar le transfert de l’Observatoire imperial de Iiio de Janeiro. 
Compt. Rend., 103: 548. 
Rome Observatory. 
Millosevich (E.) : Determinazione della latitiulino del R. Osservatorio del Col- 
legio Romano. 68 p. 4to. Roma, 1886. 
In: Ann. de Meteor. Ital., pt. 3, 1885. 
Satellites. 
Darwin (G. H.): Tidal friction and the evolution of a satellite. Nature, 33: 367. 
Nolan (J.): Tidal frictiou and the evolution of a satellite. Nature, 34: 286; 
35: 75. 
Saturn, p* 137. 
Battkrmann (H.) : Heliometrischer Anschluss des Saturn au n und tj Germino- 
rum [Jan. and Mar., 1886]. Astrou. Nachr., 115: 225-230. 
Hill (G. W.): Elements and perturbations of Jupiter and Saturn. Astron. 
Nachr., 113: 273-302. 
Saturn (Satellites of). 
Hall (A.): Comparison of the observations of the five inner satellites of Saturn, 
made at Toulouse in 1876 and 1877. Astron. Nachr., 115: 07-104. 
: [Orbits of J the six inner satellites of Saturn. 74 p. 4to. Washington, 
1886. 
Wash. Obsns., 1883, App. I. 
Marth (A.): Ephemerides of the satellites of Saturn [ 1886-’87]. Month. Not. 
46: 469-486. 
Tisserand (F.): Surun cas remarquabledu problfeine des perturbations. Compt. 
Rend., 103: 446-451. Also: Bull, astron., 3: 425-433.. 
Sayre Observatory. 
Doolittle (C. L.): [Change in the] latitude of the Sayre Observatory. Astron. 
Jour., 7: 14. 
Seasons. 
Proctor (R. A.): The seasons pictured in 48 sun-views of the earth, and 24 zodi- 
acal maps, and other drawings. 4to. Loudon, 1885. (M. 5.30) 
Series. See, also, Mechanics (Celestial); Perturbations. 
Callandreau (O.): Ddveloppement descoordoundes elliptiques. Bull, astron., 
3: 528-532. 
Charlier (C.-V.-L.): Mdtliode permettant d’augmenter la convergence des sdries 
trigonomdtriques. Bull, astron., 3: 378-385. 
Poincare (II.) : Moyen d’augmeuter la convergence des sdries trigonomdtriques. 
Bull, astron., 3: 521-528. 
Sextant. 
Dreyer (J. L. E.): On the invention of the sextant. Astron. Nachr., 115 : 33. 
Gruey (L.-J.): Sur les constantes du grand miroir du sextant. Bull, astron. 
3: 5-9. 
Sky-glows. 
Bishop (S.): Origin of the red glows. Sid. Mess., 5 : 129-142. 
Maine (H. C.) : The “ red light.” il. Sid. Mess., 5: 237-251. 
Newcomb (S.): Red sunsets and volcanic eruptions. Nature, 34: 340. 
Ricc6 (A.): L’ile Ferdinamlea, lo soleil bleu et les crdpuscules rouges do 1831, 
Compt. Rend., 102: 1060-1063. 
: Red sunsets and volcanic eruptions. Nature, 34 : 386. 
Solar system. 
Forster (A.): Eino durch eigentbiimlicho Beziehungeu zwisclieu Planetenent* 
fernungen und Planeteumasson voranlasste neue Ilypothese der Eutwicklung 
ae? Sounensystems, 2-f 16 p. @vq, gtqttgart, 1886 ,.T7 ,?,.(M, 0,50) 181 
ASTRONOMY. 
Solar system—Continued. 
Kerr (F.): Eutstehung der Kdrper, welche sich utn die Sonne bewegon. 79 p. 
8vo. Leipzig, 188(5 (M.1.80) 
Turner (H. H.): Note on Mr. Marth’s “intersects.” il. Month. Not., 46: 157. 
Vail (J. N.): The earth’s annular system. 400 p. 12mo. Cleveland, 1886. (M. 10) 
Solar system (Motion of). p# 126. See, also, Stars (Motion of). 
Flammarion (C.): Le point fixe dans l’univers. L’Astron., 5 : 241-251. 
Folie (F.): Note sur le mouvement du systbme solaire. Astron. Nachr., 114: 
555. 
Homann(H.): Bestimmung der Beweguug des Sonuensystems durch Spectral- 
Messungen. Astron. Naclir., 114: 25. 
von Kovesligethy (R.): Bestimmung der Bewegung des Sonnensystems durch 
Spectral-Messungen. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 327. 
Spectra (Stellar), p* 113. 
Pickering (E. C.): Draper memorial photographs of stellar spectra, exhibiting 
bright lines. Nature, 34 : 439, 570. 
Siierman (0. T.): Reply to certain questions raised before the Royal Astronom- 
ical Society . . . [etc.]. Month. Not., 47: 14-18. 
Spectroscope. 
Hasselberg (B.): Anwendung von Schwefelkohlenstoff-Prismen zu spectro- 
scopischen Beobachtungen von hoher Precision. 8vo. Leipzig, 1886. 
Zenger (K. W.): Neues geradsichtiges Spectroscop ohne Spait und ohne Colli- 
matorlinse. Ztschr. f. Instrmknd., 6: 59. 
Spectrum analysis. 
Janssen (J.): Spectres d’absorption de l’oxygfene. Compt. Rend., 102: 1352. 
Langley (S. P.) : Experimental determination of wave-lengths in the invisible 
prismatic spectrum. Mem. Natl. Acad. Sc., 2: 149-162,1885. 4 pi. 
: Observations on invisible heat spectra and the recognition of unmeasured 
wave-lengths, made at the Allegheny Observatory. Phil. Mag., 5. s., 21: 394-409. 
: On hitherto unrecognized wave-lengths. Am. J. Sc., 3. s., 32 = 132: 83-106. 
4 pi. 
: Sur des longueurs d’onde jusqu’ici non reconnues. Compt. Rend., 102: 
162-164. 
Smyth (C. Piazzi): Micrometrical measures of gaseous spectra under high dis- 
persion. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb., 32: 415-480. 30 pi. 1886. Also, Reprint. 
Spectrum (Solar). pv 126. 
Cornu (A.): fitude des bandes telluriques a, B, et A du spectre solaire. 105 p. 
8vo. Paris, 1886 (M. 2.50) 
Hasselberg (B.): Mdthode propre & determiner avec grande pr6cision les lon- 
gueurs d’onde des raies ultra-violettes dn spectre solaire. Mem. Soc. spettrosc. 
ital., 15: 127-133. 
Muller (G.) and Kempf (P.): Bestimmung der Wellenliingen von 300 Linien im 
Sonnenspectrum. 4to. Leipzig, 1886 (M. 12) 
In. Pub. astrophys. Obs. zu Potsdam, Bd. 5. 
: Neuberechnung der 2,614 in Publication Nr. 3 des astrophysicali- 
schen Observatoriums zu Potsdam bestimmten Wellenliingen. 4to. Leipzig, 
1886 (M. 1) 
Pickering (E. C.): Comparison of maps of the ultra-violet spectrum. Am. J. Sc., 
132: 223-226. 
Spherometer. 
Mayer (A. M.): On the well-spherometer, an instrument that measures the 
radius of curvature of a lens of any linear aperture, il. Am. J. Sc., 3. s., 32 = 
132 : 61-69. 182 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Star-catalogues, p* 104. 
Armagh (2d) catalogue of 3,1100 stars for the epoch 1875, from observations . . . 
1859 to 1883, under the direction of . . . T. R. Robinson, . . . prepared for pub- 
lication by J. L. E. Drever. 15+159 p. 8vo. Dublin, 1886. 
Auwers(A.): Bemerkuug fiber die gegenwiirtige Yerliisslichkeit des Funda- 
mental-Catalogs fiir die Zonen-Beobachtungeu der astrouomisclien Gesellscliaft 
und die Geuauigkeit seiner Grundlageu. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 1-20. 
Downing (A. M. W.) Comparison of certain southern star-catalogues. Month. 
Not., 46: 365-379. 
Farquhar (H.): Comparison of the Boss and Auwers declination-standards. 
Proc. Am. Ass. Adv. Sc., 35 : 82. 
Gould (B. A.): The Argentine general catalogue. Mean positions of [32,448] 
southern stars [for 1875.0] determined at the National Observatory. 15+650 
p. 4to. Cdrdoba, 1886. 
Eeaultados <1. Obs. nac. Argentino, vol. 14. 
Holden (E. S.): Corrections to the star-catalogues in the library of the Washburn 
Observatory. Pub. Washb. Obsry., 4: 69-76. 
Kam (N. M.): Catalog von Sternen dereu Orter durch selbststiindige Meridian- 
Beobachtungen bestimmt worden sind, aus Bd. 1 bis 66 der Astron. Nachr., 
reducirt auf 1855.0. 22+ 384 p. 4to. Amsterdam, 1886 (M. 16) 
Yerliandl. d. k. Akad. d. Wetenacb., dcel 24. 
Pulkowa. Positions moyennes de 3,542 6toiles d6termin<5es a l’aide du cercle 
m6ridien . . . 1840-1869, et rdduites it l’dpoque 1855.0. 
Repr. from Obsns. d. Poulkova, tome 8. 
Romberg (H.) : Geniiherte Orter der Fixsterne von welchen in den Astronomi- 
schen Nachrichten Bd. 67 bis 112 selbststiindige Beobachtungen angeliihrt sind 
fiir die Epoche 1855. 52 p. 4to. Leipzig, 1886 (M. 4) 
Pub. d. astron. Gesollacb., 18. 
Safford (T. H.): Comparison of Groombridge’s and Struve’s right ascensions of 
close circumpolar stars. Month. Not., 46: 37. 
Schonfeld (E.): Bonner Steruverzeichuiss. Vierte section, enthalteud die genii- 
herten mittleren Orter fiir den Anfaug des Jahres 1855 von 133,659 Sternen 
zwischen 2 und 23 Grad siidlicher Declination und 1,173 diesen Grenzen benach- 
barten . . . beobachtet und berechnet von Eduard Schonfeld. 56 + 459 p. 
4to. Bonn, 1886 (M. 20) 
Aatron. Beob. zu Bonn., Bd. 8. 
Weiss (E.): Berichtigungen zu Oltzen’s Catalog der Argelander’schen siidlichcn 
Zouen, nebst Mittheilung vou eiuigen siidlichcn Sternen mit ziemlich starker 
Eigenbewegung. Astron. Nachr., 115 : 313. 
Star-charts. 
Colbert (E.): The fixed stars; maps for out-door study. Chicago, 1886. 
Klein (II. J.): Stern-Atlas enthalteud siimmtliche Sterne 1-6.5 Grosse zwischen 
dem Nordpol und 34 Grad siidlicher Declination. 40 p.,18 maps. fol. Leipzig, 
1886. 
10 Lfgn. Jede Lfg. M. 1.20. 
Peck (W.) : The southern hemisphere constellations, and how to find them. 13 
maps. 4to. Loudon, 1885 (M. 3.80) 
Schonfeld (E.): Bonner Sternkarten. 2. Serio. Atlas der Himmelszoue zwis- 
chen 1° und 23° siidlicher Declination fiir den Aufang des Jahres 1885. i und 
ii Lfgn. 4 p.,12 maps. fol. Bonn, [1886]. 
Vollstiindig in 4 Lfgn. 24 Sternkarten. Jede Lfgn. M 12. 
Proctor (R.-A.): Nouvel atlas cdleste . . . [etc.]. Trad, sur la 6. <5d. anglaiso 
par P. Gerigny. 13 + 98p. 8vo. Paris, 1886 (M. 5.20) 
Schurig (R.): Tabula? cailestes continentes omnes stellas cteli borealis nec non 
australis nudis oculis conspicuas. 2 p., 8 maps. fol. Leipzig, 1886 (M. 3) 183 
ASTRONOMY. 
Star-clusters. 
Sciiui/rz (H.): Mikroraetrische Best!miming einiger toleskopischon Sternhaufen. 
43 p., 3 pi. 8vo. Stockholm, 1886. 
Bilrang till k. Svenska Vet. Akad. Daiullingar, Bd. 12, Afd. 1, No. 2. 
Stars (Circumpolar, Reduction of). 
Gruey (L.-J.): Sur les formules de M. Loewy pour la r&luction des circompo- 
laireH. Compt. Rend, 102 : 966-969. 
Rogers (W. A.) and Winlock (A.): [Reduction of the positions of close polar 
stars from one epoch to another.] Mom. Am. Acad. Arts and Sc., vol. 11, pt. 
4, no. 5, p. 227-299. 1886. Also, Reprint. 
Stars (Distribution of). p*99. 
Seicliger (H.): Die Vertheiluug der Sterne auf der siidlichen Halbkugel nach 
Schonfeld’a Durchmusterung. 24 p. 8vo. Miinchen, 1886 (M. 1.20) 
in: Sitzuugab. d. k.-bayer. Akad. d. Wissensck., Math.-pbys. Cl., Miinchen, 1886, Heft 2. 
Stars (Motion of) in line of sight. See, also, Solar system (Motion of). 
Christie (W. H.): Spectroscopic results for the motions of stars in the lino of 
sight, obtained at . . . Greenwich, in 1885. Month. Not., 46: 126-135. 
Homann (H.): Beitriige zur Untersuchung der Sternbewegung uud der Licht- 
bewegung durch Spectralmessungen. 28 p. 8vo. Berlin, 1885. 
Stars (Number of) 
Hermite (G.): Determination du nombre des etoiles de notre uni vers. L’Astron., 
5: 406. 
Stockholm Observatory. 
Astronomiska Jakttagelser och Undersokningar anstalda pa Stockholms Obser- 
vatorium. Bd. Ill, No. 4. 4to. Stockholm, 1886. 
Strasburg Observatory. 
Schur (W.) Fernerer Bericht iiber die Thiitigkeit der Strassburger Sternwarte. 
Astron. Nadir., 114 : 401-404. 
Sun. p#126. Nee, also, Corona; Prominences; Spectrum. 
AngstrOm (K.): Nouvelle methode de faire des mesures absolues de la chaleur 
rayonnante ainsi qu’un instrument pour enregistrer la radiation solaire. 17 
p., 1 pi. 4to. Upsala, 1886. 
Belopolsky (A.): Einige Gedauken liber die Bewegungen auf der Sonnenober- 
lliiche. Astron. Nachr., 114 : 153, 383. 
Exner (F.): Zur Photometric der Sonne. 12. p. 8vo. Wien, 1886 (M. 0.30) 
Repr. from: Sitzungab. d. Math-naturwissen. Cl. d. k. Akad. d. Wiaaenacli. Wien. 94 (2 
Abth.) 346-56. 
Kedzie (J. H.): Speculations: Solar heat, gravitation, and sun-spots. 12-}-304 
p. 12mo. Chicago, 1886. 
Lockyer (J. N.): The data now requisite in solar inquiries. Science, 7 : 386. 
Maurer (J.): Langley’s Bestimmungen iiber das Maass der Sounenstrahlnng mit 
Violle’s Aktinometer. Ztsclir. f. Instrmknd., 6: 237-243. 
Young (C. A.): Recent advances in solar astrouomy. Pop. Sc. Mouth., 30: 
24-33. 
Zenger (K. W.): Die Meteorologie der Sonne und ihres Systemes. 22-[-231 p. 
il. 8vo. Wien, 1886 (M. 5) 
Sun (Diameter of). 
Auwers (A.): Neue Untersucliungen iiber den Durchmesser der Sonne, I. Sitz- 
ungsb. d. k-preuss. Akad. d Wissensch. Berlin, 1886: 1055-1126. Also, Reprint. 
Sun-spots. 
Belopolsky (A.): Hsnia na co.mn6 n iixl jBinKeiiie. Mockba, 1886. [Les taches 
soiaires et leur mouvement. 184 p., 7 pi. 8vo. Moscow, 1886.] 
Chambers (F.): Sun-spots and prices of Indian food grains. Nature, 34: 100- 
104. 184 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Sun-spots—Continued. 
Cortie (A.): Bands observed in the spectra of sun-spots at Stonyhurst Observa 
tory. Mouth. Not.., 47 : 19-22. 
Delauney (J.): Explication des taches du soleil. 13 p. 8vo. Paris, 1886. 
Also [Abstr.J: Compt. Rend., 103, 506-609. 
Dreger (II.): Darstellung der verschiedenen Theorien derSonnenflecken. 26 p. 
8vo. Berlin, 1886 (M. 0.60) 
Flammarion (C.) : Les taches solaires, la tempdrature et le prix du bid. L’Astrou., 
5: 454-461. 
Gerigny (P.): Les taches solaires en 1885. L’Astron., 5: 208-215. 
Howlett(F.): Asserted foreshortening of the inner side of the penumbra of 
spots when near the sun’s limb. Month. Not., 46 : 447-451. 
Janssen (J.): Constitution des taches solaires . . . [etc.]. Compt. Kend., 102: 
80-82. 
Sparer (A.): Ueber die jetzige Sonnenflecken-Periode. Astron. Nachr., 114: 21. 
Tacchini (P.): Distribution en latitude des phdnomfenes solaires pendant l’annde 
1885. Compt. Rend., 102 : 601. 
Wesen der Sonnenflecken. Sirius, 19 : 150-154. 
Wolf (R.): Vorliiufige Sonnenttecken-Statistik fiir 1885. Astron. Nachr., 114 :21. 
: Beohachtungen der Sonnenflecken im Jahre 1884 . . . [etc.]. Vrtljschr. d. 
naturforsch. Gesellsch. in Zurich, 30 : 1-54. 1885. 
Astron. Mittheil., 64. 
: Studie iiber die . . . Erfahrungsfactoren . . . [etc.]. Vrtljschr. d. natur- 
forsch. Gesellsch. in Zurich, 30 : 230-256. 1885. 
Astron. Mittheil., 65. 
: Mittheilung eines Ergebnisses meiner einheitlichen Variationsreihe . . . 
[etc.]. Vrtljschr. d. naturforsch. Gesellsch. in Zurich, 30 : 321-326. 1885. 
Astron. Mittheil., 66. 
: Beohachtungen der Sonnenflecken im Jahre 1885 . . . [etc.]. Vrtljschr. d. 
naturforsch. Gesellsch. in Zurich, 31: 113-160. 
Astron. Mittheil., 67. 
Wolfer (A.) : Heliographische Orter von Sonnenflecken im Jahre 1884. Astron. 
Nachr., 115: 17-32. 
Tables (Logarithmic). 
Gauss (F. G.): Fiinfstellige vollstiindige logarithmische und trigonometrische 
Tafeln. 25. ed. 162+34 p. 8vo. Halle, 1886 (M.2) 
Gravelius (G.): Logarithmisch-trigonometrische Tafel fiir die Hunderttheilung 
der Quadranten . . .[etc.]. 8vo. Berlin, 1886 (M. 6) 
Houel(J.): Tables de logarithmes A 5 ddcimales . . .[etc.]. New ed. enl. 48+ 
119 p. 8vo. Paris, 1886 (M.2) 
Prytz (H.): Tables d’antilogarithmes. 27 p. 8vo. Copenhague, 1886 ..(M. 2) 
Schron (L.): Siebenstellige geineine Logarithmen der Zahleu von 1 his 108000. 
20. ed. 8vo. Braunschweig, 1886 (M.2.40) 
Vega: Logarithmisch-trigonometriches Handhuch. 69. ed. F. Tietjen. 28+575 
p. 8vo. Berlin, 1886 - (M. 4. 20) 
Tacubaya Observatory. 
Anguiano (A.): Longitud del Observatorio astrondmico nacional mexicano por 
senales telegrdficas . . . entre St. Louis, Missouri, y Tacubaya ... 88 p. 8vo. 
Mdxico, 1886. 
Taschkent Observatory. 
[Memoirs . . . ] 97 p., 14 pi. 4to. Moscow, 1885. 
Printed in Russian. Rev. hy Linoemann (E.) Vrtljschr. d. astron. Gesellsch.: 21: 260-266. 
Telescopes. See, also, Equatorials; Objectives; Reflectors. 
Denning (W. F.): Large vs. small telescopes. Obsry., 9: 274-277. 
Grubb (H.): Telescopic objectives aud mirrors: their preparation and testing 
Nature, 34 : 85-92. ASTRONOMY. 
185 
Telescopes—Continued. 
Hall (A.): The images of the stars. Sid. Mess., 5 : 97-100. 
Ranyard (A. C.): Note with respect to the invention of the achromatic tele- 
scope. Month. Not., 46: 460. 
Servus (H.): Die Geschichte des Fernrohrs bis auf die neueste Zeit. 135 p. 8vo. 
Berlin, 1886 (M. 2.60) 
Struve (IT.): Allgemeine Beuguugs-figur in Fernroliren. 15 p. 4to. St. Peters- 
burg, 1886 (M. 0.70) 
Mem. Acad. imp. d. sc. de St. Pdtersb. 7s. v. 34, No. 5. 
Young (C. A.) : Large telescopes vs. small. Obsry., 9 : 328. 
: Small telescopes vs. large. Sid. Mess., 5: 1-5. 
Temple Observatory. 
Report . . . 1886. 2 p. 8vo. [n.p.,n. d.] 
Three bodies (Problem of). See, also, Mechanics (Celestial); Orbits. 
Backlund (O.): Dr. Harzer’s Untersuchungen iiber eiuen speciellen Fall des 
Problems der drei Korper. 20 p. 8vo. St. Petersburg, 1886 (M. 0.80) 
Iiepr.from: Bull. Acad. imp. d. sc. de St. Pdtersb. 31: 125-138. 
Harzer (P.) : Untersuchungen iiber einen speciellen Fall des Problems der drei 
Korper. 156 p., 1 pi. 4to. St. Petersburg, 1886. 
M6m. Acad. imp. d. sc. do St.-P6tersb., 7. s., vol. 34, No. 12. 
Lindstedt (A.): Sur les sdries trigonomdtriques dans le problhme des trois corps. 
Bull, astron., 3 : 217-221. 
Radau (R.): Quelques remarques sur I’dlimination des neeuds dans le problhme 
des trois corps. Bull, astron., 3 : 113-125. 
Seydler (A.): Ausdehnung der Lagrangeschen Beliandlung des Dreikorper- 
Problems auf das Vierkorper-Problem. 20 p. 4to. Prag, lr86 (M. 0.60) 
Tides. 
Darwin (G. H.): Dynamical theory of the tides of long period. Proc. Roy. Soc., 
41: 337-342. 
Time. 
Bilfinger (G.) : Die Zeitmesser der antiken Volker. 78 p. 4to. Stuttgart, 
1886. 
Time (Determination of). 
Dollex (W.) : Ephemeriden auf das Jahr 1887 zur Bestimmung von Zeit uud 
Azimut mittelst des tragbaren Durchgangsinstruinents im Verticale des Polar- 
sterns. 24 -f- 27 p. 4to. St. Petersburg, 1886. 
Time (Universal). See, also, Day (Astronomical). 
Christie (W.H.M.): Universal, or world, time. Nature, 33:521-523. Also: Pop. 
Sc. Month., 29:795-802. 
Lecture at the Royal Institution, March 19,188C. 
[Fleming (S.)1? Prime meridian time. Nature, 33: 259-262. 
Toulouse Observatory. 
Annales de l’Observatoire de Toulouse. Tome ii, reufermant uuo partie des 
travaux exdcutds de 1879 a 1884, sous la direction de B. Baillaud. 45 + 120 + 
7 + 214 p. 4to. Paris, 1886. 
Turin Observatory. 
Dorna (A.): Nozioni iutorno all’equatoriale. Nota terza. 23 p. 8vo. Torino, 
1886. 
: The same. Nota quarta. 21 p. 8vo. Torino, 1886. 
: Ricercho per ricouoscere se la deviazione della mira meridiana dell’ Osser- 
vatorio di Torino a cavoretto dal piano del meridiano e sensibilimente nulla 
•come nel 1828. Nota seconda. 12 p. 8vo. Torino, 1886. 186 
RECORD OF SCIENCE FOR 1886. 
Tycho Brahe. See, also, Astronomy (History of). 
Triangulorum planorum et sphamcorum praxis aritlimetica, qua maximus 
eorum, praesertim in astronomico usus compendiose explicatur. Nunc primum 
edidit F. J. Studnicka. 40 p. 4to. Pragai (1591), 1886 (M. 21) 
United States Naval Observatory. 
Astronomical observations . . . 1883. App. I. The six inner satellites of 
Saturn, by A. Hall. 74 p. 4to. Washington, 1886. 
: The same. App. ii. Observations for stellar parallax, by A. Hall. 67 p. 
4to. Washington, 1886. 
: The same. App. ill. The observatory temperature room and competitive 
trials of chronometers in 1884 and 1886. 35 p., 9 pi. 4to. Washington, 1886. 
Report of the superintendent . . . [October 20, 1886]. 20 p. 8ve. Washing- 
ton, 1886. 
Uranus, p* 139. 
Wilson (H. C.): [Observations June 18 to July 5, 1883.] Astron., Nachr., 114: 
313. 
Uranus (Satellites of). 
Martii (A.', Ephemeris of the satellites of Uranus. Month. Not., 47: 75-78. 
Variable Stars, p* 109. 
Hall (M.): Density of the sun compared with that of Algol. Obsry., 9 : 224. 
Pickering (E. C.): Observations of variable stars in 1885. Proc. Am. Acad. Arts 
and Sc., 21 (n. s., 13): 319-335, 1886. Also, Reprint. 
Venus, p* 133. 
Thackeray (W. G.): Semidiameter of Venus. Month. Not., 46 : 335-336. 
Warner Observatory. 
History and work of the Warner Observatory, 1883-1886. Vol. 1. 70 p. il. 
8vo. Rochester, 1887. 
Washburn Observatory. 
Publications of the Washburn Observatory of the University of Wisconsin. 
Vol. 4. 4 -f-221 -f- 25 p. 8vo. Madison, 1886 (M.7.50) 
Washington University Observatory. 
Pritchett (H. S.) : The Washington University equatorial after the “Lick pat- 
tern.” Sid. Mess., 5: 65-67. 
Yale College Observatory. 
Report for the year [ending June 1, 1886]. 15 p. 8vo. [New Haven, 1886.] 
Zodiacal light, p* 126. 
NECROLOGY OF ASTRONOMERS: 1886. 
Auerbach (Carl Heinrich, August); b. February24,1813, at Berlin; d. at Gohlis, 
October 22, 1886, ait 73. 
Bassnett (Thomas) ; d. February 26, 1887, *t. 79. 
Boileau (Gen. J. T.); b. May 26, 1805, at Calcutta; d. November 9, 1886, set. 81. 
Dorna (Alessandro), director of the Turin Observatory; b. February 13, 1825, at 
Asti; d. at Borgo San Pietro, near Turin, August 19, 1886, set. 61. 
Feldkirchner (Christoph), first assistant at the Munich Observatory ; b. Feb- 
ruary 26, 1823; d. March 1, 1886, set. 63. 
Houel (Jules), professor of mathematics at Bordeaux ; b. , 1823, at Thaon ; d. 
June 14, 1886, at P6ricrs, ait. 63. 
Krapotkin (Alexander); b. ; d. at Tomsk, August 6, 1886, :et. 45. 
Mavwald (Gustav Adolph Richard), computer on tlie Berliner Jahrbuch ; b. 
February 13, 1817, at Leutheu ; d. July 19, 1886, ait. 69. ASTRONOMY. 
187 
von Oppolzer (Theodor); b. October 20, 1841, at Prague; d. December 26, 1886, 
at Vienna, set. 45. 
Pearson (Her. James); b. 1826, at Preston, England; d. April 8, 1886, at Fleetwood, 
ast. 60. 
Saxby (Rev. Stephen Henry); b. , 1831; d. August 5, 1886, set. 55. 
Talmage (Charles George), director Leyton Observatory, b. November 12, 1840, 
at Greenwich; d. March 20, 1886, at Knots Green, Leyton, set. 45. 
Wagner (August), vice-director Pulkowa Observatory, b. September 10, 1828, at 
Nurft; d. at Pulkowa, November 14, 1886, mt. 58.