Janiaby 1, 1901.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



23 



NOTES ON COMETS AND METEORS. 



By W. F. Denning, f.r.a.s. 



Bbobsbk'3 Pbbiodical Combt. — This object is appivacliing tlio 

 earth and iueroasing in .ippureiit brightness. It ought to become 

 visible at the end of Janiian . ami p;irtiouhir inteivst attiuhes to this 

 return as the comet has not been seen since 1879. The following is 

 extracted from an epliemeris by Berbericli in Ast. Nach., 3670 : — 



Distnuce of Coun't 



On January 18th the comet will be about 4^ N. of a Caprieorni and 

 moving rapidly to N.W. 



CoMBTART PiscovBniES IN 19(X). — These were, comparatively few 

 and unimportant. Giaeobini found a faint comet on January 31st, 

 which remained visible for sevenil months in large instruments. Its 

 light was, however, so feeble that many observers with small telescoiws 

 were disjippointeil in their efforts to piek it up. On July 23rd 

 Borrelly discovered a pretty bright comet with a tail. The object was 

 independently swept up by Brooks a few hours later. The comet was 

 a very interesting and fairly conspicuous one during several weeks, 

 being visible all night in the northern sky. Parabolic elements 

 appear to satisfy the objervations in both cases. No periodical comets 

 have been rcdetccted during the year. 



The Lbomd Metkokic Showkk.— The T.eonids again failed to 

 put in an appearance, and we have only to admit the fact that planetary 

 perturbation has disturbed the stream to such a degree that the denser 

 portion was enabled to escape encounter with the earth. After the nega- 

 tive results of 1898 and 1899, we were better prepared to accept failure 

 in 1900. but the general result of observation is, nevertheless, very 

 disappointing. The present generation had been led to expect one of 

 the most striking and picturesque of all natural ))honomena, and its 

 almost complete absence is very regrettable on many grounds. 

 Apart froin the disappointment so widely felt, the public may be 

 induced to entertain questionable views as regards future astronomical 

 predictions. Perhaps it would have been mtich belter had the com- 

 putations relating to the Leonids been made several years ago, so that 

 the public could have been fully advised as to the doubtful character 

 of the shower's return. Tlie work was, however, left until very late, 

 and a good many astronomers deluded themselves and others with a 

 mistaken confidence that the event would return quite in accordance 

 with its usual period and traditions. It is unfortunate that, ai a 

 rule, amateurs though pretty good observers are bad computers, while 

 professional astronoirers, though not alway~ firstelass observers, arc 

 good mathematicians. The latter class cannot be expected to under- 

 take an elaborate investigation without payment, and so the matter 

 was delayed beyond reasonable limits. We may take comfort in the 

 reflection that the Leonid showers are not finally lost to us. Planetary 

 influences may affect the stream in a manner contrary to that which 

 has operated since 1866, and bring back the rencontres which gave 

 rise to the magnificent meteoric storms of 1799 and 1833. But for 

 the present generation of meteor-watcliers the prospect >eem8 a \c\ 

 poor one, though 1001 and 1902 may bring us a few laggard members 

 of the denser region of the stream. There will be no moonlight at 

 the middle of November, 190L 



A large number of reports have been sent in concerning recent 

 observations, but they are uniformly of a negative character. The 

 Leonids were most active on the morning of November 16th, when the 

 radiant furnished two or three meteors per hour for one observer. 

 The radiant was .-it about 150+22'. Tne most active of thi con- 

 temporary showers was the Taurids, with a radiant at .57 f 9 . which 

 supplied some fine slow-moving meteors, with long paths and trains 

 of yellow sparks. These Taurids are often conspicuously present 

 during watches for the Leonids, and the stream yields an unusual 

 proportion of brilliant lireballs. 



In the presence of a notable dearth of Leonids it is satisfactory that 

 one of these meteors, which appeared on November 13tb, at 13h. 32m., 

 was observed by Prof. A. S. Herschel at Slough, and by the writer at 

 Bristol. It was of the second magnitude, and descende.t from a height 

 of 69 miles near Wallingford to 58 miles near Swindon, traversing a 

 real path of 24 miles with a velocity of about 48 miles per second. 

 Several other meteors have been doubly observed, and the full 

 comparison of the various observations appears likely to add some 

 interesting items with regard to the minor showers of the period. 



FIBEBALL3 OF XovEMBEB 17. — Several fireballs were observed on 

 this night, but they were not very exactly recorded. The first 

 appeared at about? p.m., and there was an exceedingly brilliant one 

 at llh. 32m. Some large meteors were also recorded on December 

 13th, at 7h. 40m., 9h. 20m., llh. .58m., and 12h. 26m. Like October 

 21st, the nights of November 17th and December 13th .seem to have 

 eilxibited some meteoric displays of rather exceptional cliaracter. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR JANUARY. 



By A. Fowler, f.u.a.h. 



The Sun.— On the 1st the suu rises at 8.8 a.m., and sets 

 at 4 P.M. ; on the 31st he rises at 7.43 a.m. and sets at 

 ■i.45 P.M. On the '2nd, at i) p.m., the earth is at its least 

 distance from the sun, the horizontal parallax being 8-95"; 

 the sun has then its maximum apjiarent diameter of 

 32' 35 ''2. Few spots are to be expected. 



The Moon.— The moon will be full on the 5th at 

 0.14 A.M., will enter last quarter on the 12th at 8.38 p m., 

 will be new on tlie 20th at 2. 30 p.m., and will enter first 

 quarter on the 2rth at 0.52 a.m. The following are 

 among the oocultiitions visible at Greenwich during the 

 month: — 



The Planets. — Mercury is not well placed for obser- 

 vation, being m superior conjunction with the sun on the 

 22nd. 



Venus is still a morning star, gradually liecoining less 

 favourably placed for observation. On the 1st she rises 

 shortly before 6 .v.M., and on the :ilst about (j.40 a.m. On 

 the 15th the apparent diameter is lO'lS', and the illuminated 

 part of the disc is 0-002. 



Mars, in Leo, rises on the 1st at about 9.20 p.m., and on 

 the 31st about 7.10 p.m. On the 15th the ajiparent 

 diameter is 13-8", the illuminated part 0949, and the 

 horizontal parallax 12'9". Though the approaching 

 opposition of February 21st is an unfavourable one as 

 regards the distance of the planet from the earth, there is 

 some compensation in the fact that the altitude of the 

 planet when near the meridian is much greater in our 

 latitude than in the oppositions, when the distance of the 

 planet is smaller. 



Eros is still favourably situated, and the following 

 abridged epliemeris, for Berlin midnight, may bo useful 

 to those wishing to observe this interesting object : — 



Right Ascension. Declination. 



II. H. s. o / " 



13 52 

 2 21 

 il 

 39 43 

 58 25 

 17 2 



The apparent stellar magnitude of the planet ranges 

 from 8'5 to 9 during the month. 



Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus are too near the Sun to 

 be conveniently observed. 



Nepjtune remains in Taurus, and may be observed 

 throughout the night. The ])ath is a short westerly one, 

 nearly midway between ? Tauri and rj Greminorum. 



The Stars. — About 9 p.m. at the middle of the month, 

 Ursa Major will be in the north-east ; Leo and Cancer 

 towards the east ; Gemini high up, and Canis Minor lower 

 in the south-east ; Auriga and Perseus nearly overhead ; 

 Orion and Taurus nearly in the soutii ; Aries and Cetus 

 towards the south-west ; Pegasus and Andromeda in the 

 west ; and Cygnus iu the north-west. 



Minima of Algol occur at convenient times, on the 3rd 

 at 11.7 P.M., the 6th at 7.5G p m., the 2Gth at 9.39 p.m., 

 and on the 29th at 6 28 p.m. 



