12 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



The observations of the star-shower of 1872 (November 27) 

 show that the earth then passed through a portion of a com- 

 et, which must have been formerly a part of Biela's comet ; 

 and finally, the same observations enabled the astronomer to 

 predict and to discover the lost comet. 



The conclusion of the whole matter may be accepted by 

 astronomers in the expression comets become star-showers 

 when the earth passes through tliem, and showers of shoot- 

 ing-stars are comets. It is not yet known that mankind re- 

 ceived any harm from the events of November 27, 1872 ! 



ANOTHER COMETARY STAR SHOWER. 



Mr. Hind, superintendent of the British N^autical Almanac, 

 appears to have added another to the known cases of the co- 

 incidence of showers of shooting-stars with the passage of the 

 earth near or through a comet. It will be remembered that 

 the meteors of the 12th of November had already been sup- 

 posed, with good reason, to be a portion of the first comet of 

 1866, or Tempel's comet, which had at some previous time 

 become separated therefrom. Now, however, Mr. Hind has, 

 with the assistance of Mr. Williams, the secretary of the Royal 

 Astronomical Society, and an accomplished Chinese scholar, 

 succeeded in tracino: the orbit of a comet observed in China 

 in 1366, and in showing its probable connection with a great 

 shower of meteors also observed in that country in October 

 of the same year. The same comet was also observed in 868 

 both in Europe and China. 



The systematic re-appearance of the November meteors at 

 intervals of about 33.3 years was first demonstrated by Pro- 

 fessor Newton, of Yale College, who also thus gave the first 

 clew to their real nature. Mr. Hind's research is valuable in 

 adding not only another ancient date, as preserved in the 

 chronicles of China, but especially in having ascertained the 

 date at which Tempel's comet was seen both as a comet and 

 as a star shower, very much as has recently happened to Bie- 

 la's comet. Monthly Notices lioyal Astron. Soc. 



NEW THEORY OF THE AURORA. 



Professor Foster, of Bern, Switzerland, has lately devel- 

 oped the new theory of the origin of the aurora as it had 

 been propounded in London by Professor Glaisher in 1869. 



