2-36 



NATURE 



[July 3, 1890 



Vogel mapped two faint lines near A 518 and 554, but these 

 require confirmation. With a lo-inch refractor I have had no 

 great difficulty in glimpsing these fainter lines, but I was unable 

 to confirm their positions. The line at 518 is very suggestive of 

 carbon, and that at 554 of manganese, and, if possible, com- 

 parisons with these substances should be made where a large 

 aperture is available. I have very little doubt also, from my 

 own observations, that there are many lines between F and G. 

 Another observation of importance will be that of the character 

 of the brightest line. Observers differ very considerably on this 

 point, some maintaining that it is perfectly sharp on both edges, 

 aud others that it is softened off on the more refrangible edge. 

 For this observation it is not desirable to use high dispersion. 

 In the General Catalogue the nebula is described thus : — " A 

 planetary nebula ; very bright ; pretty small ; suddenly brighter 

 in the middle to a very small nucleus." Webb compares the 

 telescopic appearance of the nebula with that of a star out of 

 focus. 



(2) Vogel describes the spectrum of this star as a very fine 

 one of the solar type (Class Il.rt), whereas Duner calls it Group 

 II. According to the latter observer the banded spectrum is 

 feebly developed, 2, 3, and 7 being very narrow, and the re- 

 maining bands appearing only as lines. From these observa- 

 tions it is not possible to say whether the star belongs to an 

 early species of the group or a late one. In either case the 

 bands would be narrow, but if the star be at an early stage the 

 bright carbon flutings ought to be very manifest, and if at a late 

 stage, there ought to be dark lines in addition to the narrow 

 bands. Vogel may have mistaken the narrow bands for lines. 



(3 and 4) These are stars of the solar type and of Group IV. 

 respectively. The usual detailed observations are required in 

 each case. 



(5) This star, according to Duner, has a well-marked spec- 

 trum of Group VI., the blue zone, however, being very feeble. 

 The green and yellow zones are separated by a wide and dark 

 band ; the bands 4 and 5 are not visible. Further details or 

 peculiarities should be looked for. 



(6) This variable has a well-marked spectrum of Group II. 

 (Duner). The range is but small — 7 '0-9 '4 in a period of 

 266 days — and it will be interesting to ascertain whether the 

 bright hydrogen lines appear at maximum as in stars of greater 

 range. Duner states that though the spectrum is not a very 

 bright one, its characteristics are by no means difficult to 

 observe. There will be a maximum about July 6. 



A. Fowler. 



Annular Eclipse of June 17. — The number of the Comptes 

 rendus for June 23 coniiins observations of this eclipse made 

 at various Observatories. The Emperor of Brazil took the time 

 of second contact at Nice Observatory; MM. Charlois, Javelle, 

 and Perrotin those of first and last contact. At Lyons Ob- 

 servatory, M. Gonnessiat made some measures of the position- 

 angle of the shadow. M. Trepied at Algiers succeeded in taking 

 26 photographs, the times of first and last contact also being 

 noted. The maximum of the eclipse was indicated on the 

 curves of a self-registering thermometer by a fall in temperature 

 ofi°*4. Clouds prevented good observations at Meudon, but 

 four photographs were taken by M. Trouvelot. M. de la 

 Baume went from Meudon Observatory to Canea to observe the 

 eclipse, and a telegram was received from him by M. Janssen 

 stating that the weather was favourable, and that he had been 

 able to obtain photographs of the ring and of its spectrum. M. 

 Janssen also noted that one of the objects of the expedition to 

 Canea was to obtain a photographic spectrum of the annulus, in 

 order to see if the spectrum of the extreme edge of the sun's disk 

 showed the bands of oxygen, and from the telegram received it 

 seems probable that the question will be settled. The photo- 

 graph s obtained at Meudon show the granular structure of the 

 solar surface so well visible during an eclipse, and the granula- 

 tion can be traced right up to the edge of the moon, thus 

 affording another proof of the excessive rarity of the lunar 

 atmosphere. 



Yarnall's Star Catalogue.— The Catalogue of stars 

 observed at the United States Naval Observatory during the 

 years 1845 to 1877, and prepared for publication by Prof. M. 

 Yarnall, has been revised and corrected, and the stars re- 

 numbered by Prof. Edgar Frisby. In preparing this edhion a 

 re-examination of all annonymous stars has been made ; the 

 named stars have been compared with those of existing cata- 

 logues, the names being changed whenever necessary, and new 



NO. 1079, VOL. 42] 



names that existed previous to the publication of the Catalogue 

 have been supplied. The errata in previous editions, pointed 

 out by Profs. Holden, Krueger, and Millosevich, and Dr. Peters, 

 have also been corrected, and the many notes to the Catalogue 

 referring to the mistakes in the second edition, and the changes 

 that have been made, indicate that the task of revision has not 

 been a light one. As the object of the revision was merely for 

 the purpose of correcting mistakes, no observations have been 

 added or any unfinished observation completed, excepting such 

 as were observed but omitted from the Catalogue, the apparent 

 additions being found in some of the published volumes or in 

 an unfinished state in the observing-books. The stars in the 

 Catalogue have all been compared with standard catalogues as 

 far as possible, and Prof Frisby confidently believes that most 

 of the mistakes have been corrected. 



Photographs of the Surface of Mars. — Prof. W. H. 

 Pickering, in the June number of the Sidereal Messenger, makes 

 some remarks on fourteen photographs of the planet Mars taken 

 by Mr. Wilson. Seven negatives were taken on April 9, between 

 22h. 56m. and 23h. 41m. G. M.T., and seven more were taken 

 on April 10, between 23h. 20m. and 23h. 32m. Thus the same 

 face of the planet was presented in both cases. Distinct and 

 identifiable spots and markings are well shown in all the photo- 

 graphs, but in those taken on the latter date the white spot 

 surrounding the south pole is seen considerably larger. It has 

 been known for some years that the size of these polar spots 

 varied gradually from time to time, apparently diminishing in 

 the summer and increasing in the winter of their respective 

 hemispheres. This, however, appears to be the first time that 

 the precise date and approximate extent of one of these accessions 

 has been observed. The appearances described are said to be 

 so conspicuous upon each of the fourteen photographs that no 

 one who had once seen them would have any difficulty in 

 deciding on which of the dates any particular plate was taken. 



Lightning Spectra. — Mr. W. E. Woods, of Washington, 

 has used a Browning's pocket spectroscope to study the spectrum 

 of lightning during a thunderstorm {Sidereal Messenger, June 

 1890). In several instances he observed what appeared to be 

 bright lines superposed on a faint continuous spectrum ; and in 

 each case, when the continuous spectrum was bright enough to 

 be seen, shaded flutings were visible. It is, however, much to 

 be regretted that no diagram or statement as to the approximate 

 position of the lines and fluting is given. 



THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. 



A T the annual general meeting of the Marine Biological Asso- 

 •^"^ elation, held at the rooms of the Royal Society on Wednes- 

 day, June 25, the following Report was submitted by the Council, 

 and unanimously adopted. We omit only the list of those who 

 went as a deputation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 

 May 15. 



The Council has met nine times during the past year, and 

 the attendance has been fully up to the average of previous 

 years, 



The business transacted by the Council has had reference — 

 (i) To the maintenance and general efficiency of the 

 Laboratory. 



(2) To the prosecution of special investigations on economic 

 subjects. 



(3) To the financial position of the Association. 



(i) It was found necessary to alter the communications be- 

 tween the storage reservoirs and the pumps of the Laboratory at 

 Plymouth, and orders were given to Messrs. Leete, Edwards, 

 and Norman, to supply a new valve-box, connection-pipes, &c. 

 The cost of these alterations has been considerable, but it is 

 satisfactory to note that the results have been very beneficial, and 

 have produced a marked improvement both in the working of 

 the pumps and in the water in circulation. 



The Director reports that there was some little trouble over 

 the sea-water in June and July 1889, during the hot weather, 

 and during the alterations to the supply-pipes, which prevented 

 more than one of the storage reservoirs being in use ; but that 

 since then, and especially after the alterations were completed, 

 the water has been of admirable quality, and all the animals have 

 done remarkably well. 



Great improvement has lately been effected in the Aquarium 

 at a very trifling cost, by hanging curtains between the top of the 



