40 



NA TURE 



[November 8, 1900 



the sun than the earth. There would seem therefore to be little 

 chance of a rich display this year. 



No one can question that the calculations so far as they go 

 are perfectly trustworthy. But is it possible, in dealing with an 

 enormous assemblage of meteors in respect of which our know- 

 ledge is admittedly very inadequate, to define either its position, 

 extent or density with great exactness? There is still much of 

 mystery involved in comets and meteors. It is just possible 

 that some development or variation in the system of Leonids 

 will bring it prominently into view again this year. At any 

 rate, this must be regarded as a quite possible contingency, for 

 it is certain that every feature connected with and influencing the 

 visibility of the meteors cannot have been allowed for. Our 

 historical knowledge of the various attributes of the stream is 

 very rough and incomplete, for the swarm has only made one 

 visible return since meteoric astronomy has been recognised 

 as an interesting and important branch of astronomy. 



But, whether or not the mathematical conclusions are justified 

 or falsified by the experiences of next week, every one of us 

 encourages the hope that a plentiful, if not a brilliant, display of 

 meteors will be seen. And astronomers in every part of the 

 world will look for it as a duty. Charts will be got ready for 

 properly recording the paths ; cameras will be put into position 

 and every preparation made to suitably record the display should 

 it put in an appearance. The event is not only magnificent as a 

 spectacle, but it is capable of teaching us some valuable lessons. 



The moon will offer some interference this year, as she rises 

 on November 13 at iih. im., on November 14 at I2h. 8m., 

 and on November 15 at I3h. 13m., but she will be in her last 

 quarter, so that her light will only obliterate the faintest class 

 of meteors. She will, unfortunately, be situated near the 

 Sickle of Leo. The planet Mars will be placed a few degrees 

 north-west of Regulus. On November 14, at 5h., the moon 

 and Mars will be in conjunction, the latter being 7J degrees 

 north. 



If the shower proves strong or feeble it should be attentively 

 watched on the three nights of November 13, 14 and 15, if the 

 weather is sufficiently clear for the purpose. Regular meteoric 

 observers will also endeavour to trace some of its meteors on 

 dates preceding and following those mentioned. It is not certain 

 that the radiant moves like the Perseids, and we require more 

 data with reference to the duration of the shower. Meteors 

 certainly fall from the Sickle — and they are, presumably, true 

 Leonids — between November 7 and 21. It will be important, 

 therefore, to determine the exact place of the radiant on 

 every night possible during the fortnight mentioned. This will be 

 difficult this year on dates before the maximum owing to the 

 strong moonlight, but it ought to be easy of attainment for a few 

 dates after the 15th, for the moon rapidly wanes and the long 

 nights permit of watches during the eight hours or so from the 

 rising of the radiant at about loh. 15m. to between 6 and 7 a.m. 



The feature to which ordinary observers may usefully direct 

 their attention, should the phenomenon recur under pretty bright 

 aspects, is that relating to the time of maximum display and the 

 number of meteors visible. They should be counted and recorded 

 at, say, five-minute intervals, and registered on forms previously 

 prepared for the purpose. Where several observers combine to 

 effect observations they will, of course, look to different quarters 

 of the sky and be careful to avoid numbering the same 

 objects. 



The radiant point at about the time of maximum can be well 

 left to the care of those who have adopted the photographic 

 method. We have already accumulated a large number of 

 determinations by the ordinary eye method ; we now require 

 more correct values, such as it is hoped the camera will afford us. 



There are many showers in the region of Leo which furnish 

 streak-leaving meteors, and no object should be included in counts 

 of Leonids if its direction of flight when carried backwards does 

 not cut through the Sickle. The best of these circinal Leonid 

 showers is at 1 54° -f 40° from a point about 1 7 degrees north of 

 the Leonid radiant. 



While observers are watching for the Leonid display, it often 

 happens that not only are a few bright Leonids seen, but several 

 large meteors appear from minor radiants. It used to be the 

 custom to term the latter "sporadic" meteors, but they belong 

 to well-defined systems, the great majority of which have now 

 been ascertained. In all cases where a fine meteor is seen its 

 apparent path on the celestial sphere should be as carefully 

 recorded as the circumstances permit, and the time of apparition 

 noted. If this plan were followed in every case a number of 



multiple observations of the same meteors would be available 

 for computing their real paths in the atmosphere. It is hoped, 

 therefore, that this important feature of the work will not be 

 neglected during the ensuing observations, for it need occupy 

 little time, and will certainly provide some valuable material for 

 after comparison and discussion. Last year, on the morning of 

 November 15, there was a magnificent meteor many times 

 brighter than Venus, and though it was well seen at five or six 

 of the leading observatories in England, its path -position was 

 not particularly recorded at any one of them. 



The most probable time for the recurrence of the shower will 

 be on the night following November 14, and a watch should 

 be commenced soon after the radiant has risen. As a rule, not 

 many meteors are discharged from a low radiant ; but what is 

 lacking in numbers is often compensated for by appearance. 

 The Leonids seen before midnight are usually very conspicuous, 

 owing to their long paths, dense streaks, and apparently more 

 gradual flights than those which appear at a later hour of the 

 night, when the radiant has attained a fair altitude. For my own 

 part, I certainly entertain the hope that the display will put in 

 appearance on November 14, and that, though its splendour 

 may fall far short of that of some previous returns, it may yet 

 prove gratifying to those who have looked for the shower in vain 

 during the last few years. In any case, it is to be hoped that 

 the atmosphere will be favourable, for much depends upon the 

 state of the sky ; and it is important that we should ascertain 

 in what strength the event returns. W. F. Denning. 



NO. 16 I 9, VOL. 63] 



THE NOBEL PRIZES FOR SCIENTIFIC 

 DISCOVERY. 



A BRIEF note upon the prizes endowed by the late Dr. 

 •^ Nobel has already been given (p. 11). A translation into 

 English of the regulations under which the prizes will be 

 awarded is given in Science, and the essential parts are here 

 stated for the convenience of investigators unable to see a copy 

 of the official document just distributed by the Board of 

 Education. 



The three corporations awarding the Nobel prizes are : 



(i) The Royal Academy of Sciences, at Stockholm. The 

 King is the protector of the Academy, which numbers 100 

 Swedish and Norwegian members and 75 foreign members. (2) 

 The Swedish Academy, at Stockholm. The King is the pro- 

 tector. The members, exclusively Swedish, are limited to 18. 

 (3) The Carolin Institute of Medicine and Surgery, at Stock- 

 holm. The number of professors is 22. 



The Nobel endowment is based on the will of Dr. Alfred 

 Bernhard Nobel, engineer, drawn up November 27, 1895. The 

 stipulations are as follows : 



' ' The remainder of the fortune which I shall leave shall be 

 disposed of in the following manner : The capital, converted 

 into safe investments by the executors of my will, shall constitute 

 a fund the interest of which shall be distributed annually as a 

 reward to those who, in the course of the preceding year, shall 

 have rendered the greatest services to humanity. The sum 

 total shall be divided into five equal portions, assigned as 

 follows : 



"(i) To the person having made the most important dis- 

 covery or invention in the department of physical science. 



" (2) To the person having made the most important discovery 

 or having produced the greatest improvement m chemistry. 



" (3) To the author of the most important discovery in the 

 department of physiology or of medicine. 



' ' (4) To the author having produced the most notable literary 

 work in the sense of idealism. 



" (5) To the person having done the most, or the best, in the 

 work of establishing the brotherhood of nations, for the sup- 

 pression or the reduction of standing armies, as well as for the 

 formation and the propagation of peace conferences. 



" The prizes will be awarded as follows : For physical 

 science and chemistry, by the Swedish Academy of Sciences ; 

 for works in physiology or medicine, by the Carolin Institute of 

 Stockholm ; for literature, by the Academy of Stockholm ; 

 finally, for the work of peace, by a committee of five members, 

 elected by the Norwegian Stortung. It is my expressed will 

 that nationality shall not be considered, so that the prize may 

 accrue to the most worthy, whether he be a Scandinavian or 

 not." 



