XXXIV. 



WINTER SESSION. 



THE SECOND MEETING of the winter session was held at the 

 Dorset County Museum on Tuesday, February zist, at 12.45. 



THE MEMBERSHIP. Ten candidates nominated at the last 

 meeting were elected and 14 nominated. 



Captain ELWES gave notice of his intention to propose at the 

 next meeting that the Club membership be limited to 400. 



A LUNAR HALO IN THE FORM OF A CROSS. 



The PRESIDENT read the following interesting note on a lunar 

 phenomenon : 



About 8 p.m. on September 28th, 1904, Mrs. Richardson called my attention to 

 the fact that broad vertical and horizontal bands of light were proceeding from 

 the moon's disc, which was somewhat less than a complete circle, full moon 

 having taken place on September 24th at 5.50 p.m. The bands kept constantly 

 altering both in length and breadth, but were always somewhat narrower than 

 the moon's disc, and generally from two to three times the diameter of the moon 

 in length. In intensity they were quite as bright as any halo that I have ever 

 seen, if not more so, and of a silvery colour. They had the wavy and shooting 

 motion of an aurora, and always retained their vertical and horizontal positions, 

 forming a beautiful cross of light with the moon in the centre. The phenomenon 

 continued much the same for more than an hour, after which it began to fade 

 away, and by about 10 p.m. had completely disappeared. There were no clouds 

 near the moon at the time. I have consulted our distinguished astronomer, Rev. 

 W. R. Waugh, and though, as he says, it is only an atmospheric phenomenon, 

 and therefore hardly comes into the domain of astronomy proper, he has 

 consented to say a few words on the subject. Possibly the historic cross seen 

 by Constantino in the heavens was of a similar nature, though that is said to 

 have been above the sun and to have borne an inscription, and there have, I 

 believe, been other occasions on which a fairy cross is said to have been seen 

 in the sky ; but I understand that the present lunar cross is not at all a common 

 occurrence. 



The Rev. W. R. WAUGH, the Club's esteemed astronomer, 

 contributed the following instructive note on the subject : 



On September 28th, 1904, Mrs. Richardson saw a brilliant and beautiful lunar 

 halo in form of a cross surrounding the moon, of a pearly -white hue. It 

 remained visible from 8 p.m. to about 10 p.m. The moon was gibbous at the 

 time, being about four days after the full. The angle of division between the 

 dark and illuminated portion of the lunar surface standing at about 30 with the 



