March 30, igos]' 



NATURE 



519 



actual variations, and tliat, wliilst tlie recent observations 

 of these two circles and of Linne are not in accordance 

 with the records obtained prior to 1866, there is no sub- 

 stantial evidence for recent changes in these features such 

 as have been announced by several selenographers. M. 

 Puiseux believes that many of the circles are undoubtedly 

 of later origin than certain systems of divergent streaks 

 seen on the lunar surface. 



New Variable Stars in the Region about 5 Aquil^e. — 

 In No. 4005 of the Astronomische Nachrichlcn Prof. Wolf 

 publishes a list of thirty-six newly discovered variable stars 

 in the region about 5 .Aquilne. Their variability was de- 

 tected by the comparison of two plates taken with the 

 Bruce telescope on July 12, 1902, and July 6, 1904, re- 

 spectively. The positions (1875-0) of the new variables are 

 given in the catalogue, and, together with the positions 

 of four others which are also probably variable, are shown 

 on thirty-two circular charts accompanying the paper, each 

 chart including a field twenty-one minutes of arc in 

 diaineter. In a second table the magnitudes of the stars 

 on the two plates mentioned above are compared with the 

 magnitudes as shown on a third plate taken on August 11, 



Orbit of the Binary Star Ceti 82. — The orbit of the 

 binary star Ceti 82 (designated 305 in Prof. Burnham's 

 catalogue) is discussed by Prof. Aitken in Bulletin No. 

 71 of the Lick Observatory. 



The Lick observations confirmed the rapid orbital 

 motion, but have also indicated a very different orbit from 

 that previously published by Prof. See {Astronotnische 

 Nachrichten, vol. cxliv., p. 359, 1897). 



The elements obtained by Prof. .Aitken show a period of 

 240 years, and give the G.M.T. of periastron passage (T) 

 as 1899-7. The elliptical orbit is graphically presented, and 

 shows the differences between the observed and computed 

 places. The eccentricity of the ellipse is 0-15, and the 

 apparent length of its semi-major axis o"-66 of arc. Prof. 

 Aitken also gives an ephemeris extending from 1905-7 to 

 iqio 7. 



Radial \'elocities of Certain Stars. — In No. 70 of the 

 Lick Observatory Bulletins Prof. Campbell and Ur. H. D. 

 Curtis discuss the radial velocities of Polaris, tj Piscium, 

 e .Aurigae, and Rigel from the spectrograms obtained at 

 Lick during the last eight years. 



In the case of Polaris, the measurement of groups of 

 plates taken during the last four years indicated that the 

 velocity of the centre of mass of the rapid pair in this 

 triple system is changing very regularly with a period of 

 at least eleven or twelve years, but the period may be 

 found to be much longer when further observations are 

 completed. 



The radial velocity of tj Piscium was suspected by Prof. 

 Lord to be variable with a long period, but as no spectro- 

 grams of this star were secured at Lick during the period 

 covered by him, the Lick observations do not settle the 

 question, although the values obtained only range from 

 + 16-6 to 13-3 km. per second, whilst Prof. Lord's range 

 was from +9-5 to 25-4 km. 



The spectrograms obtained of e Aurig;c fully confirm 

 Prof. X'ogel's conclusion that this star is a spectroscopic 

 binary with a period of several years. 



Prof. Vogel's view that Rigel has a variable radial 

 velocity is not confirmed by the Lick observers, who rather 

 favour the conclusion arrived at by Profs. Frost and 

 Adams that the apparent variation is only a function of the 

 difficulty experienced in measuring the wide lines. 



Star Places in the Vulpecula Cluster. — In No. 4004 

 of the Astronomische Nachrichten Dr. H. Meyer gives a 

 catalogue of the positions of thirty-five stars in the 

 Vulpecula cluster. The catalogue contains the B.D. 

 number, the magnitude, and the positions, the latter re- 

 ferred to the equinox of 19000 for the epoch of observ- 

 ation iqoi-b. The precession and the secular variation in 

 each coordinate are also given for each star, and in the 

 case of fourteen of the brighter ones the proper motion, 

 as determined from the discussion of previous catalogues, 

 js likewise given. 



NO. 1848. VOL. 71] 



THE U.S. C0.4ST AND GEODETIC SURVEY. 



'T'HK report of the Coast and Geodetic Survey for 1904 

 is a record of manifold labours and results which 

 have for their theatre of action an area practically coter- 

 minous with that of the United States and all its island 

 possessions. The main body of the report contains a 

 detailed account of the wide range of duties devolving 

 upon this bureau, and in the appendices we have a pre- 

 sentation of discussions and results which must prove of 

 great economic value and interest to surveyors, engineers, 

 navigators, and physicists. 



The re-surveys and developments imperatively required 

 to show the changes in harbours and approaches due to 

 works of improvement or the ceaseless action of natural 

 causes along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts of the 

 United States, and to meet the e\'er-increasing demands of 

 commerce and the Navy for up-to-date charts, particularly 

 of the waters of Alaska, Porto Rico, Hawaii, and the 

 Philippines, gave constant employment to the eleven vessels 

 available for these duties. 



In Alaska the work included the continuation of the 

 survey of Prince William Sound, the survey of Con- 

 troller Bay, and a deep-sea examination from the Strait 

 of Juan de Fuca to Prince William Sound, preliminary to 

 the laying of a deep-sea cable from Seattle to Valdez. The 

 Porto Rico work was continued in certain bays and 

 harbours as well as in the development of the conditions 

 in the off-shore waters. In the Philippine Archipelago 

 the Survey has secured the cooperation of the Insular 

 Government, and a detailed risunu' shows a most satis- 

 factory progress of the triangulation, hydrographic, topo- 

 graphic, magnetic, and astronomical operations. 



The reconnaissance for the primary triangulation along 

 the 98th meridian was completed to the Canadian border, 

 and a scheme was extended eastward connecting this work 

 with the triangulation of the Mississippi River Commission. 

 The execution of the primary triangulation in the Dakotas 

 and Texas was prosecuted at a rate which surpassed even 

 the notable record which had already secured an enviable 

 reputation for the geodetic operations along the 98th 

 meridian, the total extension amounting to 300 miles 

 (500 kilometres). .\n equal distinction must be accredited 

 to similar work in California and Oregon, whereon remark- 

 able progress has been made in connecting the Trans- 

 continental .Arc work with Puget Sound. 



The progress of the magnetic work is shown in detail 

 in Appendix No. 3, which includes a table of results of the 

 magnetic declinations, dip and intensity of force observed 

 on land and sea during the year, this being supplemented 

 with full descriptions of the magnetic stations occupied 

 and meridian lines observed. (This report has been noticed 

 separatelv, Nature, March 9, p. 449-) 



The determination of the longitude of Manila from San 

 Francisco, thus completing the first longitude circuit of 

 the earth, was one of the astronomical events of the year, 

 and in Appendix No. 4 is a comprehensive illustrated report 

 on the various instruments and operations used in the 

 undertaking, with a comparative rdstimi' of the various 

 links and results from which the longitude of Manila had 

 been determined from the w^estward. The generous co- 

 operation of the Commercial Cable Company, through the 

 patriotic enterprise of which the work was made feasible, is 

 gratefully acknowledged. The results of the determinations 

 from the eastward and westward differ only by o-oo6s., or 

 about 8-8 feet. The other results of this expedition are 

 the determinations by the telegraph method of the longi- 

 tudes of Honolulu and Midway anet Guam Islands. 



The third attempt at representing the tide for the world 

 at large, the first having been made by Whewell and 

 Airy and the second by Berghaus, is described in Appendix 

 No.' 5. The advancement in recent years of the general 

 use of the harmonic analysis, and the greatly improved 

 tidal data that are now obtainable for such a great part 

 of the globe, coordinate to make a new presentation of this 

 subject very opportune. The theoretical discussion of the 

 problems involved, the wide range of data and authorities 

 consulted and referred to, the graphic presentation of the 

 cotidal lines, the results presented, and the conclusions 

 deduced, make a most suggestive paper, and one which 

 will be highly interesting to all students of the subject. 



