JANUARY 3, 1907] 
NATURE 231 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
Comet 1906g (THIELE).—From observations made with 
the Lick Observatory 12-inch refractor, Messrs. Aitken and 
Fath have computed a set of parabolic elements for 
Thiele’s comet. These elements, together with an 
ephemeris extending to January 19, appear in No. 103 of 
the Lick Observatory Bulletins, and give the time of peri- 
helion passage as 1906 November 21. The comet is at 
present (January 3) about 5 m. east of + Draconis, and is 
travelling nearly due east, its brightness being about one- 
half that at the time of discovery (mag. 8-5). 
Tue Lunar Crater Linnfé.—In a recent number of the 
Astronomische Nachrichten Dr. Wirtz pointed out that an 
apparent enlargement of the white spot surrounding Linné 
could be produced by interposing a shade-glass between the 
telescope and the eye, and from this fact he argued that 
the enlargement of the spot observed during a lunar eclipse 
might be merely a subjective phenomenon due to the 
diminution of light. 
In No. 4141 of the same journal Prof. W. H. Pickering 
points out that whilst this apparent enlargement, which 
Dr. Wirtz describes, undoubtedly exists, its magnitude is 
much less than that recorded by the eclipse observers. 
Furthermore, the majority of the eclipse observations in- 
dicate that the white spot was decidedly larger after the 
passing than at the same length of time before the 
encroachment of the earth’s shadow, whereas if the enlarge- 
ment were merely a subjective effect it should not survive 
the re-illumination. The fact that Dr. Wirtz has observed 
similar results in the case of the crater Linné B is not 
regarded by Prof. Pickering as an argument against their 
reality, for if the phenomenon is due to the deposition of 
hoar-frost it should, ceteris paribus, be general over the 
moon’s visible surface, and he has himself obtained similar 
results for Sulpicius Gallus A (Astronomische Nachrichten, 
No. 4141). 
EPHEMERIDES OF COMETS AND PLaNets.—With the 
commencement of the new year the editors of the Astro- 
nomische Nachrichten are issuing the ephemerides of comets 
and planets in a separate publication called the 
Ephemeriden-Zirkular der Astronomischen Nachrichten. 
The annual subscription is 10 marks, and orders should 
be addressed directly to the ‘‘ Expedition in Kiel, 
Niemannsweg 103.” 
A Résumé or AEROGRAPHY.—In No. 22 (1906) of the 
Revue générale des Sciences, L’Abbé Th. Moreux discusses 
the present state of our knowledge of Mars, especially in 
reference to the more recent observations of Prof. Lowell 
and other aérographers, although in the first part he 
details the work of the earlier observers, Herschel, Beer 
and Madler, Secchi, Lockyer, Kaiser, and others. Whilst 
agreeing with Lowell as to the bolder features, M. 
Moreux evidently entertains very grave doubts as to the 
objective reality of many of the fine rectilinear canaux of 
which the former observer has recorded 420, and further 
states that he has never seen the alleged oases which are 
said to mark their intersections. 
M. Moreux also discusses the gemination of the canals 
at some length, and then gives in detail the results of his 
own observations during the opposition of 1905, giving a 
number of drawings and a chart to illustrate his points. 
From these observations he is convinced that the persistent 
transparency of the Martian atmosphere has been over- 
rated in the past. To illustrate this conviction he gives 
instances of cloud formations blotting out the detail, locally, 
on the planet’s surface. 
Jupiter’s SaTELLITES.—No. 4143 of the Astronomische 
Nachrichten contains an ephemeris for Jupiter’s sixth satel- 
lite, computed by Mr. J. E. Martin, of Washington, from 
unpublished elements derived by Dr. Ross. The ephemeris 
extends to April 17, 1907, and gives the differences 
(Satellite-Jupiter) in a and 6, and the position angle and 
distance from the planet for every fifth day. 
In the same journal Herr K. Graff records the observ- 
ation, on September 24, 1906, of the occultation of an 
8-5 magnitude star by Jupiter’s third satellite. 
Tue Causes oF Sotar PHENOMENA.—We have received 
from Don Horacio Bentabol y Ureta, of Madrid, a mono- 
NO. 1940, VOL. 75] 
graph dealing with the causes which produce 
prominences, facule, &c., on the sun. The discussion is 
too lengthy to give the author’s points in extenso, but he 
favours the meteoritic origin of the spots, and shows how 
the other solar, and the correlated meteorological, pheno- 
mena may be accounted for on this hypothesis. 
spots, 
PRIZES AWARDED AND PROPOSED BY 
THE PARTS ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
T the anniversary meeting of the Paris Academy of 
Sciences held on December 17, 1906, the president, 
M. H. Poincaré, announced that the prize awards for the 
year 1906 were as follows :— 
Prizes AWARDED. 
Mathematics.—Grand prize in the mathematical sciences, 
divided between H. Padé (1500 francs), R. de Montessus 
(1900 frances), and M. Auric (500 francs), for their work on 
the convergence of continued algebraical fractions. The 
Francceeur prize to Emile Lemoine, for his works on 
geometry. The Poncelet prize to M. Guichard, for the 
whole of his contributions to geometry. 
Mechanics.—A Montyon prize to Georges Marié, for his 
study of the oscillations of railway carriages; the Boileau 
prize to Edmond Maillet, for his investigations on the yield 
of deep springs. 
Navigation—The extraordinary prize of 6000 francs, 
divided between MM. Daveluy, Rollet de I'Isle, J. Th. 
Saconney, and G. B. Girard; the Plumey prize to Prof. 
Stodola, for his work on steam turbines. 
Astronomy.—The Pierre Guzman prize was not awarded. 
The Lalande prize to R. G. Aitken and W. J. Hussey, for 
their work on double stars; the Valz prize to J. Palisa, 
for the whole of his astronomical researches; the Janssen 
medal to A. Ricco, for his observations on the sun. 
Geography.—The Tchihatchef prize to Jean Baptiste 
Louis Pierre; the Binoux prize to MM. Larras and E. 
de Larminat; the Delalande prize to L. Seurat, for his 
exploration of the islands near Tahiti. 
Physics —The Hébert prize to G. Gouré de Villemonteée, 
for his researches on the conditions governing differences 
of contact potential; the Hughes prize to Daniel Berthelot, 
for his application of interference methods to the measure- 
ment of high temperatures and his researches on the com- 
pressibility of gases. 
Chemistry.—The Jecker prize to M. Grignard, for his re- 
searches on the organo-magnesium compounds ; the Cahours 
prize to M. Martine, for his work on menthone and 
menthol and their derivatives; a Montyon prize (unhealthy 
trades) to Victor Georgel, for his researches on leadless 
glazes. 
Botany.—The Desmaziéres prize to Jules Cardot, for 
his researches on mosses; the Montagne prize to Emile 
Boudier, for his work on mycology; the De Coincy prize 
to E. G. Camus and Mlle. A. Camus, for their work on 
the classification and monography of the willows of Europe. 
Anatomy and Zoology.—The Savigny prize to Paul 
Pallary, for his work on northern Africa and the Red Sea; 
the Thore prize to C. Houlbert, for his entomological work ; 
the Gama Machado prize to Antoine Henri Mandoul and 
Pierre Stéphan (in equal parts). 
Medicine and Surgery.—Montyon prizes to Paul Poirier 
and A. Uharpy, for their work on anatomy ; J. Albarran, 
for his work on renal functions; and Ch. Porcher, for his 
studies on lactosuria. Mentions are also accorded to Robert 
Loewy, for his memoir on fractures; to Adolphe Javal, for 
his memoir on the treatment of Bright’s cedema; and to 
MM. Guillemard and Moog, for their work on the influence 
of high altitudes on the general nutrition. Citations are 
accorded to Lucien Graux, Louis and Paul Murat, and 
A. Gougenheim. The Barbier prize to Adrien Lucet, for 
his memoirs on the bacteriology of suppuration in animals 
of the bovine species and on pathogenic moulds, with a 
mention to J. V. Detroye, for his work on cancers and 
tumours in animals. The Bréant prize to M. Rémy, for 
his quantitative studies on serums; the Godard prize to 
L. H. Farabeuf, for his monograph on the blood-vessels of 
the genito-urinary organs; the Baron Larrey prize to Dr. 
Morel, for his memoir on epidemic and endemic diseases 
in the French colonies; the Belljon prize to Georges G. 
