468 



NA TURE 



{March 19, 1885 



densation Compounds of Diketones with Ketones," by Messrs. 

 Tapp and Miller, and "On Condensation of Benzil with Ethyl 

 Alcohol," by Dr. Japp and Miss Mary E. Owens. 



We have received from Messrs. Lancaster and Son, of Birm- 

 ingham, a catalogue of photographic apparatus for dry-plate 

 photography, and a useful illustrated pamphlet, " How to be a 

 Successful Amateur Photographer," by W. J. Lancaster, F.C.S. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Bonnet Monkey (Macacus sinicus 9 ) from 

 India, presented by Mrs. Thomas ; a Grey Ichneumon (Herpistes 

 griseus) from India, a Vulpine Phalanger (Phalangisla vulpina $ ) 

 from Australia, presented by Mr. J. G. Baxter; a Plantain Squirrel 

 (Sciurus plantain) from India, presented by Lieut. A. H. Oliver, 

 R.N. ; a Barn Owl (Strix flammed), British, presented by Mr. 

 W. P. Clark ; a Red-billed Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna 

 autumnalis) from South America, presented by Mr. Wm. 

 Boutcher ; an Indian Crocodile (Crocodilus palustris) hom India, 

 presented by Mr. John Murphy ; a Common Boa {Boa con- 

 strictor) from South America, presented by Mr. Allen ; an 

 Algerian Tortoise (Testudo mauritanica) from North Africa, 

 deposited ; a Red-eared Monkey (Cercopithcats erythrotis i ), a 

 Pluto Monkey (Cercopithecus pinto 9 ), a White-thighed Colobus 

 (Colobus vellerosus & ) from West Africa, a Hairy-nosed Wombat 

 (Phascolomys latifrons ? ), a Blood-stained Cockatoo {Cacalua 

 sanguined) from South Australia, purchased ; three Long-fronted 

 Gerbilles (Cerbillus longi/rons), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 



Tempel's Comet (1867 II.). — M. Raoul Gautier has circu- 

 lated an ephemeris of this comet, intending to communicate the 

 details of his calculation of the effect of the perturbations of 

 Jupiter during the comet's long continuance in the neighbour- 

 hood of the planet in the last revolution to the Astronomische 

 NachHchten, The ensuing perihelion passage is retarded thereby 

 rather more than 148 days : the major-axis of the orbit is con- 

 siderably increased and the eccentricity diminished. As a con- 

 sequence the perihelion distance receives a very important 

 augmentation. This result, which could not have been foreseen 

 without at least an approximate determination of the perturba- 

 tions occasioned by the attraction of Jupiter, materially dimin- 

 ishes the chances of observing the comet during the present 

 year, and indeed in future years, so long as the elements' do not 

 undergo considerable change. M. Gautier finds that the peri- 

 helion passage is delayed until September 25, but that the 

 nearest approach of the comet to the earth occurs on March 31, 

 when its distance is I '51. The maximum theoretical intensity 

 of light which is attained on April 10 is only 0-074 (if ex- 

 pressed in the usual manner) ; for comparison with this value, 

 it may be remarked that on August 21, when Schmidt last 

 observed the comet for position in that year, perceiving it, as he 

 says, only " blickweise," the intensity of light was o'2l, and at 

 M. Tempel's last observation at Florence on July 8, 1879, it 

 was 0-33. It will therefore be obvious that the observation of 

 the comet in the present year is at least doubtful, but an extract 

 from M. Gautier's ephemeris, applying to the next period of 

 absence of moonlight, is subjoined : — 



R.A. 



At Berlin Midnight 

 Decl. 



Log. distance from 

 Earth Sun 



April 2 ... II 55 17 ... +18 56-3 ... 0-1792 ... 0-3877 



4 ••■ " 53 44 •■• 18 58-2 



6 ... 11 52 14 ... 18 59-1 ... 01803 ... 03S51 



8 ... 11 50 47 ... 18 58-9 



10 ... 11 49 24 ... iS 57-7 ... 01824 ••• 0-3826 



12 ... n 48 5 ... 18 55-3 



14 ... 11 46 52 ... 18 5 1 S ... 01855 •■■ o^Soi 



16 ... 11 45 43 ... 18 47-2 



18 ... 11 44 40 ... +18 41-6 ... 01894 ••• °'3776 



The elements of the orbit are as follows (M. Eq. iSS5'o) :- 



Perihelion passage, i8S5, September 25-7649 M.T. at Berlin. 



Longitude of perihelion 



,, ascending node 



Inclination 



Angle of excentricity 



Log. semi-axis major 



Mean daily sidereal motion . 



... 241 26 I'O 



72 28 7-7 



10 50 27-2 



■•■ 23 53 57-0 



0-542244 



545"'3°73 



The perihelion distance in 1867, in which year the comet was 

 first detected by M. Tempel, was 1-564, the earth's mean 

 distance from the sun being taken as unity : the above elements 

 show that at perihelion passage in 1885, this distance will have 

 been increased by perturbation to 2-073. The nearest approach 

 of the comet to the earth's orbit occurs at or very close to peri- 

 helion, and it will appear that under the most favourable con- 

 ditions, with the orbit of 1885, the theoretical intensity of light 

 cannot exceed one-sixth of the value which it might have attained 

 in the orbit of 1867. At aphelion in the ne-.v orbit the comet 

 approaches that of Jupiter within 0-17. 



The Variable Star Mira Ceti. — Mr. Knott, who has had 

 this star under close observation at Cuckfield since January 7, 

 has ascertained that a maximum of 2-9 m. occurred on Feb- 

 ruary II, which is fourteen days later than given by the formula 

 of sines in Prof. Schonfeld's second catalogue. The next 

 minimum may be expected to fall about the middle of Sep- 

 tember, and the following maximum in the first days of January, 

 1886, assuming that there is a similar retardation on the date 

 assigned by the formula. 



ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 



WEEK, 1885, MARCH 22-28 

 (For the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 

 Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, is here 

 employed.) 



At Greenwich on March 22 



Sun rises, 6h. om. ; souths, 12'n. 6m. 53'8s. ; sets, iSh. 15m. ; 



decl. on meridian, o° 49' N. : Sidereal Time at Sunset, 



6h. 16m. 

 Moon (at First Quarter on March 23) rises, 9I1. 22m. ; souths, 



I7h. 12m. ; sets, ih. 5m.* ; decl. on meridian, 17° 55' N. 



Planet 



Mercury 



Venus 



Mars 



Jupiter 



Saturn 





Sets 



Decl. 



Rise 



h. m. h. m. h. m. 



6 15 ... 12 40 ... 19 4 ... 4 5 N. 



5 50 ... 11 2S ... 17 6 ... 4 57 S. 



5 51 ••■ 11 38 ■■• 17 25 - 3 23 S. 



14 42 ... 21 57 ... 5 12* ... 13 38 N. 



9 3 ... 17 8 ... 1 13* ... 21 47 N. 



* Indicates that the setting is that of the following day. 

 Occultations of Stars by the Moon 



1 1 1 Tauri 

 117 Tauri 



Mag. 



IGeminorum.. 5J 



.. B.A.C. 

 . . h Leonis ... 

 .. B.A.C. 3529 

 . . 43 Leonis 

 .. B.A.C. 3836 



Disap. 



h. m. 

 1852 



21 2 



23 39 



41 



1 45 



22 24 



23 37 

 22 19 



Reap. 



19 54 • 



21 23 ., 



37t. 



1 38 ■ 



2 36 .. 

 23 23 .. 



O 28f.. 



23 19 •• 



Corresponding 

 angles from ver- 

 tex to right for 

 inverted image 



84 334 

 56 19 

 122 294 

 "3 295 

 82 319 

 37 303 

 131 233 

 24 290 



Ma 



f Occurs on the following day. 

 Phenomena of 'Jupiter 's Satellites 

 March 



25 



25 



3 39 II. occ. disap. 



20 17 I. tr. egr. 



21 46 II. tr. ing. 



41 II. tr. egr. 

 18 43 III. eel. reap. 

 20 49 IV. occ. disap. 



1 29 IV. occ. reap. 1 

 The Occultations of Stars and Phenomena 



are visible at Greenwich. 



4 1 1 IV. eel. disap. 



21 16 II. eel. reap. 

 3 58 I. occ. disap. 



.. I 18 I. tr. ing. 



I 50 III. tr. ing. 

 3 37 I- tr. egr. 



22 25 I. occ. disap. 

 :>f Jupiter's Satellites are such 



March 



Saturn in conjunction with and 3 56' north 

 of the Moon. 



