It is of the annual value of 600l., and is in the gift of the Premier of the colony.

THE SOLAR ECLIPSE OF DECEMBER NEXT:-The refusal of the Admiralty to allow the use of a ship for the proposed Eclipse expeditions to Gibraltar and Syracuse has made a painful impression in scientific circles. We can scarcely believe that this refusal will not, even now, be reconsidered. The progress of recent scientific research into the subject of solar physics had left one great problem still unsolved, and astronomers hoped to solve that problem during the course of the total solar eclipse of December 24th next. To this end no less than 60 students of science had offered their services. The journey to Gibraltar or Syracuse would have involved considerable personal inconvenience to all these volunteers in the cause of science; many of them would have incurred no unimportant pecuniary expenses in carrying out their proposed plans; and to not a few the mere amount of time necessarily sacrificed during the voyage would have been in effect a pecuniary sacrifice. Yet in the interests of scientific progress all these gentlemen had been willing to join the expedition. And now, by what must seem until explained a paltry parsimony, the means of transport, which could have cost the country little by comparison with the sacrifices made by individuals, are refused to both the expeditions. It is easy to renew the old cui bono argument; to ask what material profit the country can gain from the determination of the nature of the sun's corona. As respects pounds, shillings, and pence, the great problem of solar physics makes rather a poor figure. But England has not hitherto been in the habit of so strictly measuring the interest of scientific researches by the money standard. More than a century ago the country was willing to pay for the expense of voyages to the Antipodes, undertaken to solve a problem of no greater interest than that which our observers had hoped to attack next December. Captain Cook and his companions encountered all the perils of a voyage of circumnavigation in order to make observations (such at least was the primary purpose of the expedition) intended to inform men whether the sun is 90 or 95 millions of miles from us, a matter of no commercial moment whatever, not even associated in the most remote degree with the astronomy which serves our seamen and geographers. Yet again, a handsome sum (let us gather comfort at least from this) has been granted for observations of a like character four years hence. The Antarctic seas will be traversed in 1874 to solve that same problem of the sun's distance which has so little commercial moment, yet interests us all so much. Why a phenomenon which occurs at a distance so much more convenient, which bears on a problem at least as interesting, and to observe which so many eminent men had offered their services, should thus be despised by the Admiralty, it would be difficult to say. It can scarcely be that the war has disturbed men's minds too much to allow of a single steamer being despatched to the Mediterranean. England has not hitherto shrunk from scientific investigations for such reasons. In the most agitated period of the French Revolution, Delambre and Mechain measured the arc of the meridian between Dunkirk and Barcelona, and they completed their work though France was then being invaded, and though at every station of their progress the peasantry were ready to arrest them as hostile spies. Truly we hope no shame will be suffered to fall upon the scientific repute of England, but we fear greatly that this will happen unless an earnest effort is made to obtain from the Admiralty the reversal of their decree against science. Let us note, in conclusion, that no such opportunity for observing the eclipsed sun, at European stations, will occur for several years to come.-Daily News.

The August Meteors-Calculation of Eclipses, etc. 227

THE AUGUST METEORS.-On the morning of July 31, a few minutes past 12, I looked out at the sky and saw a bright meteor, moving out from Perseus. I continued watching for 15 minutes, during which time I saw 13 meteors. Nine radiated from Perseus, and four crossed the zenith or near it, moving in parallel lines, eastward; the last four could not have been of the August group, but the nine doubtless were, as they certainly radiated from Perseus. They were seen from 12h. to 12h. 15m. on the morning of 31st July. A. E.

CALCULATION OF ECLIPSES.-Curiosus would be glad to be told of some astronomical tables for the calculation of eclipses, avoiding the numerous equations that most contain. He has Ferguson's tables and Snooke's Brief Astronomical Tables for the Expeditious Calculation of Eclipses; publisher, Highley, Fleet Street, 1852. The latter would be of value if they gave any method for projecting solar eclipses, which they do not, and Ferguson's method will not answer for them. Ferguson's tables are antiquated.

Astronomicus will find in the Astronomical Register, No. 76, April 1869, a letter from Mr. Hind about the solar eclipse of August 1887: the elements are there given; so that the circumstances of the eclipse may be calculated for any place required. Mr. Hind says, "the zone of totality does not reach our shores." G. J. W.

THE PLANET NEPTUNE.-A triangle formed by v, o, and μ Piscium (5th magnitude stars) is easily identified. Close above μ are 96 and 85, all in a line, and Neptune is a little to the right of 96, moving slowly in the direction of the little triangle formed by 80, 73, and 77. A low power shews μ, 96, 85, and the planet in the same field: a good opera-glass will do so on a clear night. Further information, if wanted, will be given by enclosing a postage stamp to

66

GEORGE J. WALKER, Teignmouth, South Devon. LUNAR MAP And Catalogue. We are informed that a Monogram of Hipparchus," on a scale of 100 inches to the Moon's diameter, is in course of delivery to subscribers for the second year; also that the fourth area of the map, on the scale of 200 inches to the Moon's diameter, is now ready. While passing through the press] the greatest attention has been bestowed on these portions of the work, with a view to embody the results of the most recent inquiries into the physical state of the Moon's surface, comprised between o° and 10° of south latitude, and o° and 10° of west longitude. The number of separate objects that have been detected within this space is 474, of which 115 are found in and near Hipparchus.

Materials for a Monogram of the Mare Nectaris are in process of collection and arrangement. The drawing of Professor Phillips, in Phil. Trans. 1868, will form the basis for the outline of the group, Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina.—Mr. Birt has now left town to attend the meeting of the British Association at Liverpool.

CHEAP OBJECT-GLASSES.-Sir, I am about to get a telescope, but seeing certain advertisements of object-glasses at low prices, I should like to know if you would advise me to make my own telescope. I have two lists: in the first the advertised prices of object-glasses are, 3-inch, 27. 28.; 3-inch, 57. 10s.; 5-inch, 257.: in the second list, I find 3-inch, 17. 178. 6d.; 33-inch, 4/. 178. 6d.; 5-inch, 17l. 10s. Can any dependence be placed on the performance of these object-glasses, for if so, how about the high price usually asked for telescopes of 3 inches diameter and up

wards? Perhaps some correspondent would throw light on the matter, and thus oblige and assist

London: September 1870.

A BEGINNER. We have to acknowledge the receipt from the Author of the following: Path of the large Fireball of November 6, 1869.' By Professor A. S. Herschel. From the proceedings of the Meteorological Society.

ASTRONOMICAL CLock at StrasburG.-The following particulars concerning this remarkable clock, said to have been lately destroyed by the bombardment, are from the English Cyclopædia, 1855. It stood in the south transept of the cathedral, and was made in 1571. After going for about 200 years, it went out of order, and remained useless for nearly 50 years: it was repaired a few years ago by a watch-maker of the town, and still maintains its character as a most elaborately finished, complicated, and surprising piece of machinery.-[From later information it appears that this valuable clock has escaped injury up to the present time, Sept. 26.-ED.]

Mercury arrives at inferior conjunction on the 3rd of this month, having passed the meridian twice on the 1st at six minutes after noon, and at one minute before noon on the 2nd. The planet is nearly three degrees below

the Sun at this time. It reaches its greatest westerly elongation on the 19th, passing the meridian about one hour and twenty minutes before noon. During the latter part of October it is favourably situated for observation in the morning, its declination being greater than that of the Sun. It is very near the equator in the middle of the month.

Venus continues to approach the Sun, the diameter of the planet decreasing each month; as a telescopic object, of use only to ascertain how near she can be seen to the Sun. The planet passes the meridian shortly before 11 o'clock in the morning at the beginning of October, and about ten minutes past II at the end of the month. The planet crosses the equator about the 10th of October.

Mars passes the meridian about half-past 7 in the morning at the end of the month, and may consequently be seen in the early morning, but the planet is far too small to repay observation.

Jupiter is now a conspicuous object in the north-east sky in the later part of the night. The planet passes the meridian about 5 o'clock in the morning at the beginning of October, and about 3 o'clock at the end of the month.

Saturn may still be observed in the west in the early part of the evenings at the beginning of this month, but is now passing away for the present year.

Neptune arrives at opposition this month, and is therefore most favourably situated for observation. The planet is about 6 degrees north of the equator.

The minor planet Vesta arrives at opposition on the 18th of this month. The following will be the positions occupied at transit, and will enable her to be found. This planet is at opposition about the 7th magnitude.

Meridian passage:—Oct. 8th, 12 49′4; 18th, 12 0°7; 28th, 11 11-8.

September 22, 1870. Subscriptions after this date in our next.