ETHER AND GRAVITATIONAL MATTER. 



225 



Motions of stars in lite line of sight determined at Potsdam OI)sercatory, 1889-lS'Jl 

 [Communicated by Professor Becker, University Observatory, Glasgow.] 



Star. 



a AnflJ-omeda? . 

 /3 CiissiopeifP... 

 a ('assi()i)ei». .. 

 ■y ('assi(ipci;e... 

 & AmlronK-die. 

 u Ursif Minoris 

 y Andromedte . 



a Arietis 



/3 Persei 



a Persei 



o Tanri 



a Auriga 



/3 Orionis 



y Orionis 



fi Tanri 



6 Orionis 



t Orionis 



^Orionis 



a Orionis 



/3 .Vuriga; 



y Geminorum . 

 a Canis Majoris 

 a Geminorum . 

 a Canis Minoris 

 3 Geminorum . 

 a Leonis 



Magni- 

 tude. 



2.0 

 2.1 

 ar. 

 2. 

 2.3 

 2. 

 2.4 

 2. 



1. 



1.3 



1.3 



Velocity 



relative to 



the sun. 



Kilometer. 

 + 4.. -5 

 + 5.2 

 -15.2 



- 3.5 

 +11.2 

 -25.9 

 -12.9 

 -14.7 



- 1.5 

 -10.3 

 +48.5 

 +24. 5 

 +16.4 

 + 9.2 

 + 8. 

 + .9 

 +26. 5 

 +14.8 

 +17.2 

 -28.1 

 -16.6 

 -15.6 

 -29.7 



- 9.2 

 + 1.1 



- 9.1 



y Leonia 



^ Ursse Majoris. 

 a Ursffi Majoris. 



& Leonis 



^ Leonis 



y Ursse Majoris. 

 e UrsiE Majoris. 



a. Virginis 



i UrsEe Majoris. 

 1} Ursce Majoris. 



a Bootis 



c Bootis 



|3 Ursae Minoris 



/3 Libra; 



a Coronse 



a. Serpentis 



/3 Herculis 



a Ophiuchi 



a Lyrse 



a Aquilse 



V Cygni 



a Cygni 



e Pegasi 



^ Pegasi 



a Pegasi 



Magni- 

 tude. 



2.0 

 2.3 



2.3 

 2.3 

 2. 

 L 



1.3 

 2.4 

 1.6 

 2.3 

 tar. 



Velocity 



relative to 



the sun. 



Kilometer. 

 -38.5 

 -29.3 

 -11.9 

 -14.4 

 -12.2 

 -26. 6 

 —30.3 

 —14.8 

 -31.2 

 -26. 2 



- 7.7 

 -16.3 

 +14.2 



- 9.6 

 + 32. 

 +22. 3 

 -3.5.3 

 + 19.2 

 -15.3 

 -36.9 



- 6.4 



- 8. 

 + 8. 

 + C.l 

 + 1.3 



The velocity of the sun relatively to stars in general according 

 to Kempf and Risteen is probably about 19 kms. per second. In 

 respect to greatest proper motions and velocities, Sir Norman Lockyer 

 gives me the following information: 



"The star with the greatest known proper motion (across the line 

 of sight) is 243 Cordoba=8".7 per annum. Velocity in kilometers 

 not known. 



"1830 Groombridge has a proper motion of 7".0 per annum and a 

 parallax of 0".0S9, from which it results that the velocity across the 

 line of .sight is 870 kms. per second. Various estimates of the parallax, 

 however, have been made, and this velocity is somewhat uncertain. 

 The star with the greatest known velocity in the line of sight is C 

 Herculis, whicli travels at 70 kms. per second, 



"The dark line component of Nova Persei was approaching the earth 

 with a velocity of over 1,100 kms. per second." 



This last-mentioned and greatest velocity is probably that of a torrent, 

 of gas due to comparatively small particles of melted and evaporating 

 fragments shot out laterally from two great solid or liquid masses collid- 

 ing with one another, which may be man}^ times greater than the velocity 

 of either before collision; just as we see in the trajectories of small frag- 

 ments shot out nearly horizontally when a condemned mass of cast iron 

 is broken up by a heavy mas.s of iron falling upon it from a height of 

 perhaps 20 feet in engineering works. 



Sec. 16. Newcomb has given a most interesting speculation regard- 

 SM 1901 15 



