PROCEKDINGS FOR 1899 LXXVII 



necessary that it should be in some way connected with an educational 

 institution. 



Mr. W. B. Musson re'ad a popular description of the Yerkes obser- 

 vatory on his return from a visit to that now celebrated centre of 

 research. The thanks of the society were due to Prof. Hale and his 

 staff, who had shown every kindness to Mr. Musson as the representa- 

 tive of the society, and had given him much information regarding the 

 methods of observation, the work now being done, and the aims of the 

 future. 



One of the most interesting events of the year was the apparition 

 of a great meteor on July 5th, which was seen by many observers in 

 Ontario from Peterboro to Lake Huron. Notes of observations were 

 collected by the president, and these formed a paper which was pub- 

 lished in the Transactions. Some pieces of Avhat were at first thought 

 to be fragments of the meteor were picked up near Blantyre ; ta careful 

 examination, however, was against the extra-terrestrial origin of the 

 matter. 



The great sun spot group of September w'as observed by all the 

 members interested in telescope work. This was easily seen by the 

 unaided eye, extending as it did across about one-fifth of the sun's disc. 

 Drawings were made by Mr. G-. E. Lumsden, Dr. Wadsworth and by Mr. 

 A. Elvins, who presented a p'aper dealing with the changes in the appear- 

 ances of the group as it passed over the disc by rotation and on its 

 second return on September 39th. 



Mr. W. B. Musson presented a paper prepared by special request 

 on " Ancient theories of motion and the Co.smos,'' a popul'ar resume of 

 the views held by the philosophers of the old world from Thaïes to 

 Ptolemy, concluding with a short sketch of the Newtonian philosophy. 



Mr. John A. Paterson, M.A., read some notes on the serenity of the 

 skies in the Muskoka district, pointing out that if ever a great obser- 

 vatory should be erected in Oanada there was no better place than near 

 the Muskoka Lakes. 



Mr. J. B. Collins read a carefully prep'ared paper on "Spherical 

 Aberration " in the telescope. The paper dealt specially with the defects 

 in large refiectors to which the name of " Schaeberle aberration " has 

 been given, it having been pointed out by Prof. Schaeberle, Director of 

 the Lick Observatory. Mr. Collins showed that it is possible to elimi- 

 nate this defect from the Oassegrain and Gregorian telescope by adopting 

 special curvatures for the mirrors. The requisite curvatures were given 

 and the conclusion reached that either of these forms is capable of giving 

 more sharply defined images than most instruments, genei^ally considered 

 superior. 



