INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1874. xxv ii 



Mr. Neison has shown that the existence of a lunar atmos- 

 phere having . L^ part of the density of our own will proba- 

 bly explain the discordances that have hitherto been ob- 

 served between the results of occultations. 



Mr. Birt, on behalf of the British amateur astronomers, 

 has published a valuable collection of notes referring to sele- 

 nography, being extracts from letters received during many 

 years past by the committee of the British Association. Sev- 

 eral photographs of special lunar districts enrich the volume. 



The great map of the moon on which Professor Schmidt 

 has labored for thirty-seven years is announced as completed, 

 but awaiting the means of publication. The literature re- 

 lating to the moon has been enriched by the beautiful work 

 of Nasmyth and Carpenter. 



The Planets. In reference to the various members of the 

 planetary system, we note an interesting paper by Lord 

 Kosse on the spots of Jupiter as observed with his six-foot 

 reflector; and on the same subject, although presenting some- 

 what different conclusions, is the study by Schmidt upon the 

 rotation of Jupiter about its axis as shown by the movements 

 of its spots. 



The following list comprises the asteroids discovered up to 

 the first of December, 1874: 



No. Name. Discoverer. Date 1S74. 



135 Hertha C. H. F. Peters, at Clinton February 18. 



136 ? Palisa. at Pola March 18. 



137 ? Palisa. at Pola April 20. 



138 ? Perrotin, at Toulouse May 19. 



The fact that but one of these was discovered by an Amer- 

 ican is explained by the consideration that our own asteroid 

 hunters, Peters and Watson, hav.e both been engaged in mat- 

 ters relating to the transit of Venus, and have, in fact, been 

 absent from their observatories since last May. 



Five new comets have been discovered up to December 

 1st, as given in the following list : 



No. Discoverer. Date 1S74. 



I "Winnecke, at Strasburg February 20. 



IT Winnecke, at Strasburg April 11. 



Ill Coggia, at Marseilles April 1 7. 



IV Borelli, at Marseilles July 28. 



V Coggia, at Marseilles August 19. 



