ASTRONOMY. 7 



tions. These last also indicate a parallax to the star b. None 

 of the stars appear to have a large proper motion. 



8 deals in the same way with observations of the fainter 

 stars, and catalogue of all the stars of the cluster. This is 

 followed by two charts, one of the brighter stars and the 

 plan of triangnlation, the other of the whole cluster. 



This brief analysis will give an idea of the contents of this 

 extremely thorough paper, which will take its place beside 

 the other researches of the author in the same field. They 

 are all models of what such investigations should be, and 

 leave nothing to be desired in methods of observation or 

 reduction, in the accuracy of the final results reached (which 

 are always adequate to the purpose in hand), and, finally, are 

 excellent examples of the literary style and clearness appro- 

 priate to such memoirs. 



NEW STARS ; VARIABLE STARS ; RED STARS ; PROPER MO- 

 TIONS, ETC. 



Dr. Fearnley, Director of the Christiania Observatory, states 

 that a ninth-magnitude star, a = ll h 13 m 31 s , o = + 66 31' 25" 

 (1875), has a proper motion of 3.04" in a great circle, as 

 shown by a comparison of his observations with the Bonn 

 observations of 1S55. This star is 60 distant from the solar 

 apex, and the direction of its motion is such as to indicate 

 that we have really to do with a star near to us, and there- 

 fore suitable for observation for parallax. 



"The Red Stars : Observations and Catalogue," is the title 

 of a work by J. Birmingham, published in the Transactions 

 of the Royal Irish Academy, Vol. XXVI., Part V. It in- 

 cludes all known red or yellow T ish-red stars, 058 in number, 

 with the positions given for 1880. The catalogue gives the 

 magnitudes (mostly from Argelander) and details concern- 

 ing the color, brightness, and variability, together with an ac- 

 count of spectroscopic observations. Birmingham's observa- 

 tions have been made with a telescope of 4.5 inches aperture, 

 with a power of 53 diameters; and with this instrument stars 

 to the tenth magnitude can be observed, and their color de- 

 termined. Such an aperture has for its minimum visibile 12.5 

 magnitude on Aro-elander's scale. The observations lead to 

 the conclusion that for variable red stars the red color in gen- 

 eral is increased with a decreasing magnitude. His explana- 



