ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY. 



NEW PLANETS. 



FIVE additional asteroidal planets have been discovered during the past 

 year, making; the whole number now recognized sixty-two. 



The fifty-eighth asteroid was discovered" March 24th, 1860, by Dr. Luther, 

 of the Observatory at Bilk, Germany, and has received the name Concordfa. 



The fifty-ninth asteroid was discovered by M. Goldschmidt, of Paris, Sep- 

 tember 9th, and has received the name of Dance. 



The sixtieth asteroid was discovered byM. Chacomac, of Paris, September 

 12th, I860. 



The sixty-first asteroid was discovered September 14th, 1860, by Messrs. 

 Forster and Lesser, of Berlin, Prussia, and has received the name of Erato. 



The sixty-second asteroid was discovered by Mr. James Ferguson, of the 

 National Observatory, Washington, D. C., September 15th, 1860, and has 

 received the name of Titania. 



VEGETATION ON THE MOON'S SURFACE. 



On the surface of the moon are seen numerous streaks, or narrow lines, 

 about a hundred in number, which appear, perhaps, more like long, narrow 

 furrows than anything else. Sometimes they spread themselves on the lunar 

 disk in straight lines; sometimes they are seen slightly curved; in every case 

 they are shut in between stiff parallel borders. It has often been supposed 

 that these furrows, the true nature of which has hitherto remained unknown, 

 represent the beds of ancient, dried-up rivers, or rivers that have not yet 

 ceased to flow. Other astronomers think they are streams of lava which 

 have been vomited by lunar volcanoes, and which reflect the light of the sun 

 with more intensity than the adjacent regions. M. Schwabe, a German 

 astronomer, endeavors, however, to give them another explanation. He has 

 published in the AstronomiscJie Nachricliten some facts which tend to show 

 that these lines are the result of a vegetation on the surface of the moon. 

 According to the author, if the surface of the moon be examined attentively 

 with a good telescope and a proper illumination, we discover between the 

 lines or luminous furrows of the high mountain called Tycho, and on different 

 other points, a quantity of very delicate parallel lines of a greenish tint, which 

 were not visible some months before the observation, and which disappear 

 some months after, to return again in the proper season. These lines, which 

 are darker than the adjacent parts, are apparently the result of vegetation; 



