THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



415 



In Europe, soon after the discovery of 

 its variability, its range was said to be 

 two magnitudes, that is, it shone witli 

 about six times more light at maxi- 

 mum than at minimvim. Precise photo- 

 metric measurements of the light of 

 Eros, made by Professor Wendell, on 

 March 12 of the present year gave a 

 range of variation of 1.1 magnitudes 

 and on April 12, of 0.4 of a magnitude. 

 On May 6 and 7 no variation was per- 

 ceptible, and it was less, probably, than 

 a tenth of a magnitude. Owing to poor 

 weather and the planet's approach to 

 the sun, later observations have been 

 difficult. But a slight variation was 

 apparent in June. These unique phe- 

 nomena probably are the result of the 

 changing direction of the axis of rota- 

 tion referred to the line of sight. Al- 

 though the direction of this axis in 

 space is fixed, it will constantly change 

 with reference to an observer on the 

 earth. When the axis, if ever, points 

 directly towards the earth, there can 

 be no variation of light, and the maxi- 

 mum range mil be found when the axis 

 is perpendicular to the line of sight. 

 Apparently this axis has recently been 

 pointing towards the earth. We may 

 confidently expect that within a short 

 time Eros will again show well marked 

 changes, although the planet's position 

 may not permit exact observations. 

 On March 5, M. Ch. Andre communi- 

 cated to the 'Astron. Nach.' a discussion, 

 in which he assunxed that the vari- 

 ation is due to the fact that Eros is a 

 double asteroid. M. Andre even gave 

 approximate elements for a system 

 which appeared to him to satisfy the 

 conditions. Professor Pickering has 

 recently pointed out. that the vari- 

 ations in light can hardly be accounted 

 for by two similar bodies alternately 

 eclipsing each other, and has suggested 

 that the known facts can be explained by 

 the rotation either upon an elongated, 

 cigar-shaped body, or of a body, one 

 side of which is much darker than the 

 other. The solution of the interesting 

 problems, which Eros presents, may 



not be possible until the next opposi- 

 tion, which does not occur for about 

 two years. Eros will be in conjunction 

 with the sun in the spring of 1902, and 

 in opposition in the summer of 1903. 

 The distance of the planet at that time 

 will be great, since Eros will not be at 

 perihelion, but this will not prevent 

 precise determinations of the changes 

 in light, with a telescope of sufficient 

 I power. At the next opposition, how- 

 ever, the path of Eros will be in the 

 southern sky. The most favorable time 

 for observation will be from March to 

 August, 1903. During these months 

 its declination will be between 30° and 

 45° south of the equator, which will 

 make it difficult or impossible of ob- 

 servation at northern observatories. 



JOSEPH LE GONTE. 

 In the death of Professor Joseph Le 

 Conte, America has lost the man of 

 science who was most honored and be- 

 loved. An age of extreme specializa- 

 tion and keen competition can still 

 appreciate the general culture and 

 broad survey of nature which make a 

 great teacher and a great man. Other 

 contemporary men of science have more 

 exact knowledge of a limited field and 

 have made more definite contributions 

 i to science, but there is perhaps no one 

 who has done such good work in such 

 diverse directions or whose influence, 

 has been so wide and beneficent. Le 

 Conte was descended from a Huguenot 

 family, driven to America after the 

 revocation of the edict of Nantes. His 

 father, uncle and brother were all emi- 

 ment in science. Born in the South in 

 1828, he began to practise medicine, 

 but his love of natural science led him 

 to go to Harvard to work under 

 Agassiz. He held chairs in southern 

 imiversities, but these being disabled 

 by the civil war, he accepted a call to 

 the University of California before its 

 opening, and for thirty-two years has 

 been professor of geology and natural 

 history and the leading scientific man 

 on the Pacific coast. His teaching and 



