44 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



devoted to astronomical researches: David Gill, 250, for re- 

 duction, etc., of his observations of Mars for determining the 

 solar parallax; J. Norman Lockyer, 200, for continuation 

 of spectroscopic researches. 



M. Tisse rand, Director of the Observatory of Toulouse, has 

 been elected to the French Academy of Sciences in the room 

 of Leverrier. He is succeeded at the Toulouse Observatory 

 by M. Baillot. 



The Monthly Notices, R. A. S., for December, 18*77, contains 

 a note by Professor Zenger, of Prague, on what he calls a 

 " new astrophotometrical method," which consists of deter- 

 mining the order in which the details of a planet's disk van- 

 ish as twilight comes on. This method was applied by G. P. 

 Bond to determine the relative brightness of various parts of 

 nebula Ononis, etc. (see Annals Harvard College Observa- 

 tory, vol. v., p. 15C), as early as 1859. 



The Selenographical Society was formed in London in 1878, 

 and is constituted for the purpose of promoting selenography 

 by aiding those who are engaged in the study of the lunar 

 surface, both by affording them information calculated to be 

 of assistance to them in their observations, and by giving 

 them opportunities of consulting the work of their fellow-la- 

 borers in the same branch of astronomy. Its founders hope 

 that the society, hy printing beforehand notes, diagrams, and 

 other information on the objects to which the attention of 

 the members may be from time to time directed ; by occasion- 

 ally publishing printed transactions embodying the results 

 achieved by the society, and by circulating a volume con- 

 taining the observations which have been made by the mem- 

 bers, may foster and promote a steady and increasing inter- 

 est in the study of the lunar surface. In time, it is trusted 

 the society will be able to issue their transactions in half- 

 yearly or quarterly A-olumes, so that they will constitute a 

 record of the progress of selenography. It is proposed to 

 issue a monthly bulletin, which will be rendered as valuable 

 as possible to the members, by affording them data on which 

 to base their observations and such other information as may 

 assist them in their work. It is hoped that before long the 

 society may be in a position to render their monthly bulletin 

 a means of communication between working selenographers, 

 and to all astronomers an interesting and authoritative jour- 



