Sat 22 6 19 47 Conjunction of Moon and Sun 23 o Conjunction of Moon and 2nd Oc. R. 7 40 Venus, 3° 55' S. 1st Sh. I, II 12:4 II 84 Tr. I. 17 18 18 24 D'ARREST'S COMET. Sir,-The following Ephemeris of this body for the month of October will be useful to some of your readers. NEW COMET.-A small telescopic comet was discovered by M. Coggia at Marseilles on August 28. The following provisional elements are by M. Oppolzer of Vienna: Sept. 3.82 T = The following positions are supplied by the same calculator: I remain, your obedient servant, Windy hills Observatory, Bickley: Sept. 1870. G. F. CHAMBERS. The Astronomical Register is intended to appear at the commencement of each month; the Subscription (including Postage) is fixed at Three Shillings per Quarter, payable in advance, by postage stamps or otherwise. The pages of the Astronomical Register are open to all suitable communications. Letters, Articles for insertion, &c., must be sent to the Editor, Mr. S. GORTON, Parnham House, Pembury Road, Clapton, N.E., not later than the 15th of the month. THE OCCULTATION OF SATURN. Observed by Mr. T. H. BUFFHAM, Earith, Hunts. This phenomenon was observed with a 2.9-inch refractor, power 127, on the evening of September 30. Before the disappearance the crape ring across the ball was plainly distinguished, and I had glimpses of a dark belt, and the prominent features were all separately recognised as the ansa, space, ball, space and ansa passed out of sight behind the advancing but invisible dark limb of the Moon. The image of the Moon at the reappearance was not quite so steady with the same power, but, carefully watching, I soon detected the planet, and presently was struck with the appearance of a very dark margin to the bright limb of the Moon, which maintained its exterior position and equable breadth of 3" to 4" until the planet had completely appeared from behind. this unexpected addition to the occulting body. I am not quite certain, but think that this line was rather darker on the side contiguous to the Moon. This narrow line was not caused by any out-of-focus image, as Saturn, though dull and pale when compared with the Moon, was still defined with the focus previously adjusted on the latter. I am not aware whether any satisfactory explanation has been given of the cause of this exceptional appearance. If it were a matter of "personal equation," Mr. Dawes would probably have seen it at the occultation of Saturn in 1859, having previously observed it in 1857, when Jupiter was occulted. There would appear to be a difficulty in referring it to a lunar atmosphere, unless the latter were of such a nature as to be almost opaque, and very local. Is it possible that it is in some way connected with diffraction and interference? It may be well to remember that the sun was nearly vertical to that part of our satellite. BRIGHT SPOTS ON JUPITER. Observed at Mr. Crossley's Observatory, Park Road, Halifax, by The equatorial refractor, 9 inches aperture, with power 240, was used. The night was calm, cloudless, and cold; the planet was very still, and the definition was good. Streak No. 6 was now fully seen from limb to limb; it was very broad, rather dark, and sharply defined at the north and south edges. On this fine band five bright circular spots were conspicuous objects; they were nearly as bright as a satellite when it has just entered on the disc of the primary, and their diameter was a little more than 1". That portion of the band which lay between the two nearest the centre was dark in one place and light in another. There was also a fine, bright round spot between bands 4 and 5. Band 5 was seen to be broken in the middle, the west end being thrown up to No. 6, and the east end resting on No. 4. At this time five beautiful festoons were seen under No. 4. BRILLIANT METEOR.-A very fine Meteor was observed at Ashby-Brigg, Lincolnshire, by Mr. William Darby, on the evening of September 28, which appeared as large as Venus. Time about 7h. 20m. An observer at Bushey, Watford, saw what was doubtless the same, at 7h. 23m., and describes it as illuminating the sky as if by a magnesium light, and then bursting into three green and three white stars. The Rev J. C. Jackson, at Clapton, also saw this meteor; he gives the time as 7h. 30m., and describes it as falling in a vertical line between the tail of the Bear and Arcturus; its shape as of an elongated drop, and of an intense gold colour. It burst as it approached the horizon with a profusion of sparks. AURORA BOREALIS. An unusual display of this phenomenon has taken place during the last two months. We have had the opportunity ourselves of observing several very fine instances of it, and have received several communications from our subscribers respecting it. We give the following: Aurora observed by Mr. JOSEPH GLEDHILL, at Mr. Crossley's Observatory, Park Road, Halifax. (SEPT. 24, 8 P.M. to 4 A.M. ON SEPT. 25, 1870.) At 8 P.M. on the 24th the northern sky was noticed as unusually bright, but no striking display of this beautiful phenomenon occurred until near 10 P.M. At 10 P.M. the horizon from west to east was murky, but above ẞ and y Ursa Majoris there was the bright auroral fringe along the arch formed by the dark sky below. Now and then faint broad beams of light shot out of the dark gegment, and at ten minutes past ten the northern sky extending as far as Auriga, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Cygnus, and Lyra was lit up by the soft, fitful auroral light. The breadth of the bright arch where it passed through Ursa Major was about 10°. In half-an-hour the display was most brilliant. Massive beams lay side by side from west to east, stretching up to and beyond the zenith. Some were narrow and sharp in outline; other luminous columns were 10° in breadth near the base, while others, again, had an intensely bright central axis. At the west end of the arch one magnificent streamer mounted to ẞ and y Lyræ, and at the east the summit of a fine beam reached to Capella. The soft, diffused light flashed from summit to summit, from the horizon to the zenith, and from east to west. In the region about the zenith the flashing to and fro of the light was beautiful in the extreme. A discharge would rush up from the dark segment in the west, expanding and brightening as it rose, sweep round to the zenith, and flash across to the top of another tall column from the east; then, serpent-like, a discharge would flash its course overhead, followed in a second by a similar lightning trail among the same stars; then a lovely rose tint glowed in the eastern and western sky; all would then disappear, leaving only a soft hazy light where all the bright glories had so lately shone. This scene reappeared before midnight, but was less beautiful. Thinking all was over I resumed my work at the equatorial, but at 12h. 30m., seeing that definition was suddenly impaired, I again looked to the north. Huge beams of light again were marshalled all along the horizon, side by side, from west to east, some being 150 in breadth, at an altitude of 30°. Their lofty summits shook and bent like drapery in a breeze, interlacing in the zenith. Here, again, was the glorious arch spanning the cloudless sky from horizon to horizon, through the zenith, Cassiopeia near the top. Broad sheets of luminous cloud appeared and vanished like the summer lightning; short streaks and small patches flashed into view and played about the zenith, while the columns from the north threw out faint rays far away to the south, until Aries became the apex of the grand arch from south-west to north-east. Andromeda and Taurus were swept by these swift flashes. At 1.15 A.M. Aries was surrounded by a gorgeous crown of light; short |