1869.] Astronomy. 519 



may be heated to a temperature of more than 500° Fahrenheit. 

 We have no particulars, however, as to the reasoning which led the 

 observer to the conclusion that most of the heat we receive from 

 the moon is radiated towards us. May not the majority have been 

 reflected ? The distinction is all-important, so far as the views we 

 are to form of the temperature of the moon's surface are concerned. 



The planet Jupiter will be well placed for observation during 

 the next quarter. Saturn is passing away from our skies. 



Judging from the wide region over which the November meteors 

 were seen last year, there is every reason to believe that they will 

 be well seen in England this year, on November 14th, in the 

 morning hours, though probably the shower will not be comparable 

 with that of 1866. 



Proceedings op the Astronomical Society. 



Mr. Plummer has been able to confirm Mr. Huggins' spectro- 

 scopic observations of the Auroral streamers. He notices that the 

 hue in the Aurora spectrum agrees closely with the most conspicuous 

 of the lines in the spectrum of Betelgeus, between the solar lines 

 D and E. There is also a tolerably conspicuous hue in the spectrum 

 of Aldebaran near the same place. A conspicuous hne in the 

 spectrum of air is near the line seen in the spectrum of Aurora, 

 but not near enough, in Mr. Plummer's opinion, to suggest the 

 possibility that the want of coincidence is due to an error of 

 observation. 



Mr. Plummer noticed further that "Winnecke's comet was visible 

 with the 6i-inch refractor of the Durham Observatory, through 

 one of the densest streamers, " without any other inconvenience 

 than that of the brightness of the field of view. 



Commander Ashe, E.N., sends an interesting account of his 

 determination of the position of "Eiviere du Loup," by electric 

 telegraph. The place is about 130 miles below Quebec. Com- 

 mander Ashe took advantage of the intense cold then prevailing in 

 Canada, to obtain a firm stand for his transit instrument. He got 

 a flour-barrel, removed the snow from tlio earth, and placed the 

 barrel on the ground, then filled it with sand, poured two or three 

 buckets of water over it and around it, and, as it was freezing, 

 placed a square piece of board on the top. In a few minutes the 

 whole was a solid mass, and throughout the series of observations 

 this novel observatory continued firm and unshaken. His work 

 was somewhat impeded by the Canadian boys, "who are of the 

 Enghsh type," and therefore are unable to resist their propensity 

 for throwing stones when they see a hght; " and it is impossible to 

 count seconds under these circumstances," adds Commander Ashe. 



