OcTOBER 2, 1902 | 
NATURE 
557 
Messrs. Philip Harris and Co., Ltd., Birmingham, have 
sent us a handy little pocket diary giving, besides space for 
notes, addresses, &c., particulars and dates of the various 
science examinations which are to take place during the session 
1902-3. 
THREE catalogues which should be of interest to our readers 
have reached us, viz., a ‘‘ Subject List of Works on the Textile 
Industries and Wearing Apparel, including the Culture and 
Chemical Technology of Textile Fibres, in the Library of the 
Patent Office” (issued by the Patent Office); ‘‘ Catalogue of 
Geological Books and Papers,” on sale by Dulau and Co. ; and 
a * Catalogue of Miscellaneous Books in Literature, Science and 
Art,” offered by Sotheran and Co. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a White-throated Capuchin (Cebus hypoleucus) 
from Central America, presented by Dr. O. Inchley ; an African 
Civet Cat (Viverra civetta) from Sierra Leone, presented by 
Mr. Reginald Espeut; a Ring-tailed Coati (Maswa rufa) from 
South America, presented by Mr. Alfred Stockman; a 
Sparrow Hawk (Accéfiter nisus), British, presented by! Mr. 
M. T. England ; a Nilotic Crocodile (Crocodilus niloticus) from 
Africa, presented by Mr. L. C. Ditton; a Common Boa (oa 
constrictor) from Trinidad, presented by Mr. W. J. Sanger 
Tucker ; a Macaque Monkey (AZacacus cynomolgus) from India, 
a Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus lalandiz) from South Africa, 
four Lesser Egyptian Gerbilles (Gerbcl/us aegyptius) from North 
Africa, a Great Anteater (J/yrmecophaga jubata) from South 
America, a Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsittacus spixz), ten Cope’s 
Terrapins (Hydromedusa tectifera) from Brazil, a Limbless 
Lizard (Pygopus lepidopus) from Australia, deposited. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
EPHEMERIS FOR THE SEARCH OF THE COMET TEMPEL,- 
Swirr.—M. F. Bossert contributes to No. 3811 of the Astvo- 
nomische Nachrichten an ephemeris for the search for this comet. 
An extract is given herewith :— 
12h. Paris M.T. 
1902. a 5 log ~. log A. 
He Ty Se . , 
Oct er <-- 19) 3 28... —19 T2-2eemoreemSs .. 0-13.35 
ane Wie Sy Tek. 18 58°1 ... O°2421 ... 0°1385 
see pe 13) 30). 18) 42-3eewOreRet.., O'1432 
sy LOLs. TOUS T 18 23°8 ... 0°2220 ... O°1471 
So aoa: 27) 4. 18| 3:0) sOr2nn7 ... 01507 
Ph ee) 31 tage 17, 35°88 O0r3 ... O°1535 
Pde aces 43 54. 17 12'0 ... O°1909 ... 0°1563 
Novigse--. 19) 53 28 ... —16 qicgueeomso3)... o71582 
GriGcG’s ComMEer.—The comet which was announced by Mr. 
John Grigg has been named 1902 ¢, and the following ephemeris 
has been calculated for it by Herr M. Ebell, taking T=June 
20'0 Berlin M.T., from the elements previously published :— 
1902. a 6 log ~. log A. 3right- 
h. m eee, ness. 
May 20... 4 13°7 +16 15 ... 9'9407 ... 0°2706 ... 0°38 
MME 2IN. 7 20° 4-16 27) OumeaneeeeOrOgR 7)... 2°20 
july 235... 11 28:5 7 1... O:Q50ymemmO:O410 ... 1°00 
AUpS24y... 14 20:2 — 2 54... OUsGsmeelOnmSQ6 ... 0°20 
Sepi 25. 15 5775 — 8 22 . a Gi2hsheeor536 ... 0°05 
Oct. 27 <-. 17 4/0 —10 30 ... (Om 7Suueo4773 ... 0:02 
ee of brightness on July 23. (Astronomische Nachrichten, 
3816. 
REAPPEARANCE OF Eros.—This planet was visually redis- 
covered by Dr. Charles J. Ling, using the 20-inch refractor of 
the Chamberlain Observatory, at 3.15 a.m. on August 2. On 
August 7, Dr. Ling made an accurate determination of the 
planet’s position and magnitude, and this showed the right 
ascension to be 15 seconds less than the computed R.A. ob- 
tained from Miss M. C. Traylor’s ephemeris ; the declination 
only shows a variation of less than 1 minute from the position 
given by the ephemeris. Dr. Ling estimated the magnitude to 
NO. 1718, VOL. 66] 
be 1m.‘o brighter than one would expect from the observations 
published in No, 61 of the Harvard College Cz7cu/ar, and he 
has confirmed his estimate on several later occasions. As these 
estimations were made when the planet was low down in the 
east and just before dawn, it is not likely that he has over- 
estimated the brightness ; photometric measures should therefore 
be made as soon as possible by those observatories which are 
equipped for this work. 
Eros is now moving eastward néarly as fast as the sun, and 
will move southwards for several months, so that it will not be 
very favourably situated for observers in the northern hemi- 
sphere. Its position on’ August 11 at 15h. 25m. 19s. (Univer- 
sity Park M.T.) was :— [ 
R.A. 5h. 36m. 35s.°03 
Dec. “F317 56! 17/*7 
(Popular Astronomy, No. 97.) 
A REMARKABLE METEOR.—A meteor of extraordinary 
brightness was observed at Earlsfield, Surrey, on the evening of 
September 29. 
Two observers, Mr. Archibald McDougall, of Earlsfield, and 
Mr. W. E. Rolston, of the Solar Physics Observatory, were, at 
the moment of the meteor’s appearance, looking at that part of 
the sky in which it was first visible, and both were very much 
surprised by the brightness and beauty of the appearance. They 
recorded the following data regarding the phenomenon :— 
At 10.16 p.m. the meteor appeared as a faint greenish trailing 
light, having a phosphorescent appearance, in the S.S.W., and 
very deliberately travelled in a south-eastern direction. Its 
altitude at the commencement of its flight was about 25° to 30°, 
and its bursting point was 10° to 15° above the horizon, The 
head gradually swelled out into an elongated pear-shaped mass, 
and the light emitted by it on bursting was of a yellowish red 
tinge, which afterwards became rose-coloured. The whole 
phenomenon occupied about 4 to 5 seconds, but the faint 
greenish trail disappeared, closing up from its starting point, in 
about 14 seconds ; this trail was about 10° long. The meteor 
was appreciably brighter than Jupiter ; it first appeared about 
halfway between a and y Aquarii and then travelled in the 
direction of Cetus. 
Several other bright meteors were seen by Mr. Rolston on 
the same evening. 
METEOR RapiaNtTs.—In a list of radiants observed at the 
Observatory of Athens during 1900 and 1901, M. Eginitis 
records in the Astronomische Nachrichten (No. 3815) two new 
radiants, and three which he says are ‘‘ probably new.” 
During 1900 and 1901, the maximum of the Perseid shower 
was recorded as occurring on August 11, the principal radiant 
being situated near to 7 Persei, whilst the principal point from 
which the Leonids seemed to radiate was recorded as being 
situated near to Regulus. M. Eginitis remarks on the number 
of different radiants from which each shower appears to proceed. 
INSTRUCTIONS ON THE OBSERVATION OF THE SUN.— 
Under this heading, ‘* La Commission Solaire” publish, in the 
September Budleten de la Sociélé Astronomique de France, an 
introduction to the ‘‘ Instructions for Solar Observations,” of 
which they propose to send a copy to all members of the 
Société Astronomique who intend taking part in the solar 
observations the preparation and collection of which form the 
raison d@’étre of the commission recently appointed. 
The introduction first points out the vital importance of an 
earnest and continuous study of solar physics, and then proceeds 
to state under twenty-one subheadings the details of these 
studies, the necessity for each, and the necessity for the con- 
tinuous gathering together and the reduction of the whole work. 
M. Deslandres, who is the writer of the introduction, especially 
insists upon the absolute necessity of the co-operation of many 
observers in this work. 
CORRECTIONS TO THE RIGHT ASCENSIONS OF THE 
PRINCIPAL STARS OF THE BERLINER JAHRBUCH.—Nos, 
3813 and 3814 of the Astronomesche Nachrichten are devoted 
to an account, by Senor Campos Rodrigues, of the methods 
pursued, and the results obtained thereby, in determining the 
corrections obtained at Lisbon to the right ascensions of 384 of 
the principal stars given in the Berliner Jahrbuch. 
Senor Rodrigues describes the meridian circle and the in- 
strumental aids which he has used in this work, and then sets 
out in tabular*form the results he has obtained since he com- 
menced the work in 1887. 
Y 
