26 TKANSACTIONS OF THE [OCT. 31. 



The Secretary read the following nomination for Resident 

 member, 



C. N. Jones, 346 Broadway, New York, 



the nomination was seconded by John Tatlock, Jr. , and referred 

 to the Council. 



The Astronomical section then organized with Peof. Eees 

 in the chair, the Secretary called attention to the following 

 matters of interest : 



1. Observations of the partial solar eclipse of October 20, 

 made at Columbia College Observatory, and communicated to 

 the Astronomical Journal. 



2. Observations of the periodic variation of latitude, made 

 at Berlin, Prague, Strassburg, and Honolulu by German 

 observers. A chart showing the vai'iation curves obtained at 

 the stations from May 1891, to June 1892 was exhibited. 



3. Discovery of a comet by pholoqraplnj at the Lick Observa- 

 tory by Prof. Barnard, October 12 1892. 



4. A series of fine heliogravure reproductions of Lick 

 lunar photographs was shown. They were copies of drawings 

 made from the Lick negatives by Prof. Weinck of Prague. 



The following communication was then read by the Secretary : 



To the Secretary of the Astronomical Section of the New 

 York Academy of Sciences: — 

 Dear Sir : 



Please announce the following notice : 



On the probable connection between solar and terrestrial activity. 



The terrestrial magnetic storms, the aurorae borealis and the 

 meteorological disturbances, observed to be especially strong 

 during the maxinuim period of sun spots, are due to the electrical 

 and chemical effects of the increased quantity of ultraviolet 

 light which .the sun at the maximum period of its activity sends 

 to the earth. The particular sources of this increment in the 

 quantity of ultraviolet light are the sun spots, and especially, the 

 faculae and the protuberances which, accompany the sun spots. 



Yours very respectfully, 



M. I. PUPIN. 



