1864. | Astronomy. 661 
it then gradually increases in luminosity for 56 days, remains sta- 
tionary for a perceptible period, then diminishes for 78 days, and 
finally disappears. 
At the last meeting of the French Association for the advancement 
of astronomy and meteorology, founded by M. Leverrier, a new reflect- 
ing telescope was exhibited, having a speculum nearly a yard in dia- 
meter. It is of glass, silvered by chemical means, the process having 
been explained to the meeting. We understand that these reflectors, 
first employed by M. Foucault, are rapidly making way in this country, 
their cheapness, lightness, and the ease with which they can be resil- 
vered when tarnished, rendering them formidable rivals to both 
refractors and reflectors of the ordinary kind. 
The subject of meteorites is still being pursued by M. Heidinger, 
of Vienna, who has so thoroughly identified himself with the investiga- 
tion of these bodies. In a letter to M. A. Quételet, of Brussels, he 
gives some interesting particulars of the fall of a supposed aérolite at 
Inly, near Trebizond. It fell in an easterly direction in December 
last with a terrific explosion, resembling the discharge of hundreds of 
pieces of ordnance. Some pieces supposed to have formed part of it 
have been forwarded to Vienna, but from the examination already 
made of them, their origin seems to be rather terrestrial than cosmical. 
Professor Kenngott, director of the Mineralogical Museum of Zurich, 
has lately forwarded to M. Heidinger a specimen marked native iron 
from Styria, but which he suspected was meteoric. The director of 
the Imperial Museum at Vienna had it cut and polished. Subsequent 
treatment with acids left no doubt of its cosmical origin. It also con- 
tains crystals which appear to be olivine and pyrosene, and its general 
character seems to identify it with the meteorite which fell many years 
back at Steinbach, in Saxony. It would be interesting if the directors 
of museums would submit to similar tests any specimens of so-called 
native iron that they may have in their possession. 
Tue Royat ASTRONOMICAL Socrery. 
Further observations of the newly-discovered satellite of Sirius have 
been communicated to the Society during the last few months. M. Otto 
Struve has determined, from observations extending from March 16, 
1863, to March 28, 1864, that its annual change of distance is equal 
to +0":77, and its annual change of position —5°:7. He considers 
that on the first glance we are led to the conclusion that the hypothesis 
of accidental juxtaposition of the two stars is by far the most probable, 
a conclusion which is even strengthened by some of Mr. Bond’s obser- 
vations. Although a strong objection against their merely optical 
association must be derived from the circumstance that Herschel, at 
the end of the last century, when with this supposition the small star 
ought to have had a distance of about one minute from Sirius to the 
south-west, never noticed its existence, though it is well known that 
about that time he frequently observed Sirius as a test object for the 
quality of his mirrors. After giving several other arguments on each 
