109 



THE PAPER FOU THE EVENING WAS, 



SOME ACCOUNT OF THE RECENT DISCOVERIES MADE WITH 

 LORD ROSSE'S LARGER TELESCOPE. 



By the Rev. A- Hvmb, LI. D. 



The information in this case was procured partly from 

 private sources, and partly compiled from published docu- 

 ments. It appeared that on the 14th of April, the Rev. Dr. 

 Robinson, of the Armagh Observatory, had read a paper in 

 the Royal Irish Academy, giving a detailed account of the 

 observations made with the leviathan telescope of six feet 

 diameter; and on the 16th, a long letter from Sir James 

 South, appeared in the Times newspaper. The latter was 

 chiefly on the construction of the instrument, but noticed 

 incidentally the facts which it had brought to light. On 

 direct communication with these gentlemen, Dr. Robinson 

 referred to a newspaper report, substantially correct ; and 

 Sir James South expressed his ideas respecting the effects of 

 the various discoveries on science. It appeared that, owing 

 to a series of casualties, arising from the weather, from the 

 anxiety of many to witness the novel sights in the heavens, 

 and from an accident to the reflector, the capabilities of the 

 telescope were not yet fairly tried. 



An observation of the comet of D Arrest did not exhibit 

 any thing particular ; but the appearance of the moon ex- 

 ceeded the most sanguine expectations of astronomers. 

 The observer might almost be said to look into its substance, 

 so clearly were the tremendous caverns exhibited ; and the 

 apparent projection of a star on its surface was notieed for 

 the first time. The lunar volcanoes were seen much more 

 distinctly than on any fonner occasion, and the lava was seen 

 strewn about like the sparkling granulations of quartz. On 

 the fixed stars, no very extensive examination had been made, 

 partly in consequence of the weather ; but some of them, 

 formerly regarded as single, were found to consist of a plu- 



