234 



NA TURE 



[January 5, 1905 



orange, probably indicating, according to Prof. VV. H. 

 Pickering, a different chemical constitution. 



The radiant appeared to cover a considerable area, about 

 8° in diameter, and seemed to be double, the two principal 

 centres being situated at R.A.^gh. 56m., dec. = +24°, and 

 at R.A.=gh. 40m., dec. = + 26°. 



Although elaborate preparations were made for securing 

 photographs, only two ■ trails appeared on the resulting 

 negatives. One, due to a Leonid, commenced at R.A.= 

 <)h. i7-2m., dec. = + 28° 57', and ended at R.A.=9h. 8-8m., 

 dec. = + 29° 52', a more careful measure showing that 

 the meteor passed through a point having the posi- 

 tion R..A.=9h. 57.0m., dec. = +24° 14' (1855). The other 

 trail extended from R.A. =4h. 52-5m., dec. = +0° 52', to 

 R..A. = 5h. 107m., dec. = —4° 39' (1855), and was, there- 

 fore, not due to a Leonid (Harvard College Observatory 

 Circular, No. 89). 



Light-curve of 5 Ckpiiei. — Employing the method used 

 by Dr. \V. J. S. Lockyer in his discussion of the observ- 

 ations of 77 Aquila; (Gottingen, 1897), Dr. B. Meyerman 

 has reduced the observations of 8 Cephei. 



.\s a result he obtained the following as the formula for 

 determining the epochs of maxima : — 



1840 September 26-3588-f5-366404 E. (Bonn). 



A comparison of the phases determined from this formula 

 with observed values gives small differences which compare 

 favourably with those previously obtained by other observers. 

 The new observations are consistent with an invariable 

 period (Astroiwmische Nachrichten, No. 3985). 



.Structure of the Third Cy.4nogen Band. — Some 

 interesting results concerning the structure of the third 

 cyanogen band have been obtained by Herr Franz Jung- 

 bluth at Bonn. By employing the third order of a Rowland 

 grating having 630 lines to the millimetre {i.e. about 16,000 

 to the inch) and a focal length of 6-6 metres (about 

 2 1-6 feet), he obtained a greater dispersion than has hitherto 

 been used for this purpose. 



His results, stated briefly, are as follow : — (i) the third 

 cyanogen band consists of double lines ; (2) the maximum 

 intervals between successive lines in the four strongest series 

 form an arithmetical progression ; (3) the view of King, that 

 the inverted " heads " are to be regarded as " tails " of the 

 bands connected with the known " heads," possesses a high 

 degree of probability ; (4) the connection of groups of 

 " heads " and " tails " is such that the first " head " and 

 the last " tail " belong to the same series, the second 

 "head" to the penultimate "tail," and so on; (5) the 

 hypothesis of Thiele, that the intervals between successive 

 lines in a band increase only to a certain point and then 

 decrease until the series ends in a tail, appears to be correct ; 

 (fa) the lengths of the successive series form an arithmetical 

 progression {.istrophysical Journal, vol. xx.. No. 4). 



New Refraction Tables. — .\ set of new refraction tables 

 whereby one may find the refraction correction to 001 of a 

 second of arc are given in No. 39S3 of the .'Istronomische 

 Nachrichten by Dr. L. de Ball, of Vienna. The tables are 

 adaptable to a range of atmospheric temperatures and 

 pressures and of zenith distances. Knowing the temperature 

 and pressure at the place of observation, one finds the 

 logarithm of the actual density of the atmosphere from 

 table i., and with this and the known zenith distance finds 

 the refraction correction to the second decimal of a second 

 of are from table ii. 



■ The " Annuaire " du Bureau des Longitudes. — Con- 

 tinuing the scheme inaugurated in last year's " Annuaire " 

 for the alternation of various subjects in the successive 

 issues, the volume for this year contains, in addition to the 

 astronomical data, tables regarding statistics, geography, 

 &c., to the exclusion of data for chemistry and physics. 



The astronomical section contains, among many other 

 things, the following useful information : — A table for 

 calculating the altitude from readings of the barometer, a 

 complete table of the elements of variable stars of known 

 periods, tables of stellar parallaxes, double stars and proper 

 mc tions, and an article of stellar .spectroscopy by M. 

 <;ramont, whilst the sun-dial, solar physics, the' table of 

 minor planets, &c., are reserved for the issue of igob. 



NO. 1836, VOL, 71] 



Eclipse Results and Problems. — In the December (1904) 

 number of the liulleiin de la Sociele astronomique de France 

 .M. le Comte de la Baume Pluvinel reviews the results 

 obtained during the total solar eclipses of the last thirty 

 years, and in connection with the study of each eclipse 

 phenomenon he outlines the problems which yet require 

 further elucidation. To those interested in eclipse work 

 the article will be found to be a useful risume. 



Bibliography of Conte.mporary Astronomical Works. 

 — We have received from Prof. Ernest Lebon, of the Lyc^e 

 Charlemagne, Paris, an extract from a plan of an analytical 

 bibliography of contemporaneous writings on historical 

 work in astronomy, as submitted by him to the International 

 Congress of Historical Science held at Rome in April, 1903. 

 Judging from the list of authors named in the plan and 

 the specimen extracts given therein, the bibliography will 

 be found extremely useful by those workers in astronomy 

 who have occasion to refer to previous results obtained since 



PRIZES PROPOSED BY THE PARIS ACADEMY 



OF SCIENCES FOR 1905. 

 /^EOMETRY. — The Francoeur prize (1000 francs), for 

 ^^ discoveries or work useful for the progress of pure or 

 applied mathematics ; the Poncelet prize (2000 francs), for 

 work in applied mathematics. 



Mechanics. — A Montyon prize (700 francs), for the in- 

 vention or improvement of instruments useful in the progress 

 of agriculture, the mechanical arts or sciences ; the 

 Poncelet prize (2000 francs), for a work on applied mathe- 

 matics ; the Fourneyron prize (1000 francs), for a memoir 

 on the theoretical or experimental study of steam turbines. 



Navigation. — The extraordinary prize of 6000 francs as 

 a recompense for any work tending to increase the efficiency 

 of the French naval forces ; the Plumey prize (2500 francs), 

 for an improvement in steam engines or any other invention 

 contributing to the progress of steam navigation. 



.Astronomy. — The Pierre Guzman prize (100,000 francs), 

 for the discovery of a means of communicating with any 

 celestial body other than the planet Mars ; failing the award 

 of the capital sum, the interest will be awarded every five 

 years for a work important to the progress of astronomy. 

 The Lalande prize (540 francs), for the observation, memoir, 

 or work most useful to the progress of astronomy ; the 

 Valz prize (460 francs), and the G. de Pont^coulant prize 

 (700 francs), under similar conditions. The Damoiseau 

 prize (2000 francs) ; the question proposed for this prize is 

 as follows : — there are a dozen comets the orbit of which, 

 during the period of visibility, is shown to be of a hyper- 

 bolic nature. The problem set is to find out whether this 

 was the case before the arrival of the comet in the solar 

 system, going back to the past history of the comet, and 

 allowing for the perturbations of the planets. 



Geography. — The Gay prize (1500 francs), for an explorer 

 in ."Africa who has determined with great precision the 

 geographical coordinates of the principal points on his 

 journey ; the Tchihatchef prize (3000 francs), as a recom- 

 pense or encouragement for naturalists of any nationality 

 who have most distinguished themselves in the exploration 

 of the Asiatic continent, more especially in the lesser known 

 regions ; the Binou.x prize (2000 francs). 



Physics. — The H(5bert prize (1000 francs), for a discovery 

 or treatise on the popular applications of electricity ; the 

 Hughes prize (2500 francs), for a work contributing to the 

 progress of physics ; the Gaston Plants prize (3000 francs), 

 for a discovery, invention, or important work in the field 

 of electricity; the L. la Caze prize (10,000 francs), awarded 

 in one sum for works important in physics. 



Chemistry. — The Jecker prize (10,000 francs), for work 

 in organic chemistry ; the Cahours prize (3000 francs), for 

 the encouragement of young chemists ; the Montyon prize, 

 unhealthy trades (2500 francs and a mention of 1500 francs), 

 for a means of rendering a trade less unhealthy or 

 dangerous; the L. la Caze prize (10,000 francs), for the 

 best work on chemistry during the last two years; the 

 Hordin prize (3000 francs), for a memoir on the silicides 

 and the part played by them in metallic alloys. 



Mineralogy and Geology. — The Delesse prize (1400 



