Nov. 1 8, iS86] 



NA TURE 



59 



A SHOCK ofearlbquake was felt in the district of Beira Alta 

 on the nth inst. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week inchide a Patas Monkey (Cercopilhecus falas), from 

 West Africa, presented by Mr. Thomas Baily ; a Yellow 

 Baboon {Cynocephaltis l/.iluuiii), from West Africa, presented 

 by Capt. J. Henderson Smith, R.A. ; two CGoshawks {A>/ur 

 pii/iimlinrius), European, jjresented by the Baron d'Epremesnil ; 

 a Hobby {Fjko siilitmteo), caught in the Indian Ocean, presented 

 by Dr. Kivis Mead ; two Java Sparrows (Paiida oryzivora) from 

 Java, four St. Helena Seed-Eaters [Crilkagra bulyracea), from 

 South Africa, presented by Mrs. Conrad Pile ; two Sing-sing 

 Antelopes (Cohis siii^-shig i Q), from West Africa, received in 

 exchange ; a Woodcock {Scolopax rusliciila), European, pur- 

 chased ; an Ocelot [FcUs farJalis) from America, a Bactrian 

 Camel (Caiiielus bactriamis 9) from Central Asia, two White- 

 backed Piping Crows {Gymnorhina leuconota) from South Aus- 

 tralia ; a Banded Parrakeet (Pahrornis fasciatns i), from India, 

 deposited ; a Vinacjous Turtle Dove (Turliis vinaceiis), bred in 

 the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 



The Inklue.nce of Astigmatism in the Eye on Astro- 

 nomical Observations. — Prof. Seeliger has published, in 

 the A(ih<indliingen der k. dayej- Akadcnie dcr Wiss.y ii. CI., xv. 

 Bd., 3 Abth., an interesting paper on this subject. The paper 

 is divided into four sections. The first part trea'.s of certain 

 details connected with the refraction of light which are used in 

 the suljsequent investigations. The second part gives the theory 

 of the formation of images in an astigmatic eye, and its appli- 

 cation to measures made with an altitude instrument. In the 

 third and fourth parts the author treats of the application of his 

 theory to the heliometer and wire-micrometer respectively. It 

 appears, from Prof. Seeliger's researches, that this malformation 

 in the eye, which is far from uncommon, exe.ts a larger influence 

 on astronomical measurements than is commonly supposed. 

 Thu-, he shows that a systematic error in a series of observed 

 declinations amounting to o"'26 may very well be due to it. 

 And it appears that the discordances in observed position-angles 

 of double stars, depending on the inclination of the line joining 

 the components to the vertical, with which the measures of some 

 observers are affected, may in part be referred to the same cause. 

 Prof. Seeliger's paper is one wh'ch may be profitably studied 

 by those who aspire to the attainment of greater accuracy in 

 astronomical observations. 



The Kalocsa Observ.\tory. — Dr. C. Braun has recently 

 published a report of this Observatory, founded by Cardinal 

 Haynild, Archbishop of Kalocsa. The equipment of the 

 Observatiry consists of a refractor, by Merz, of 7 inches aper- 

 ture ; another of 4 inches; a transit by Cooke, aperture 23 

 inches ; an altazimuth by Brt;ithaupt, of Cassel ; a chrono- 

 graph, three clocks, and a chronometer ; several spectroscopes, 

 of which a large solar spectroscope with automatic adjustment 

 to minimum deviation is the principal ; a star photometer by 

 Zollner, and a spectro photometer liy Vogel and Glan. The 

 two most important works effected at the Observatory have been 

 the determination of the geographical position of the Observa- 

 tory, and the observation of sunspots. A special value attaches to 

 the former, as hitherto the position of no place in Hungary had 

 been fixed by direct astronomical methods. The latitude of 

 the standard pillar of the Observatory was determined by 

 geodetic observations to be 46' 31' 4i"'92 ; the astronomical 

 methods made it o"o7 greater. The longitude was found to be 

 ih. 15m. 54. '3435. ea-t of Greenwich. The observations of sun- 

 spots extend from May 14, iSSo, to January 31, 18S4, and forma 

 useful record of an interesting period. The method of projec- 

 tion was employed in observing ; the observations were reduced 

 first by means of a projecli m of the sun, and secondly by calcu- 

 lation. In the latter method Dr. Braun e.iiployed an instrument 

 of his own device, which he terms a trigonometer, for the direct 

 solution of spherical triangles. From his observations Dr. 

 Braun deduces the following ex|>ression for the velocity of rota- 

 tion : — 365° '33 - 209' '85 sm- A. He also shows the downward 

 tendency in latitude of the mean spotted area, and points out the. 



curious partial effort at recovery which s'.iows itself at tolerably 

 regul >r intervals. The observations of each rotation are grouped 

 together and given in short tables, and diagrams similar to 

 Carrington's, showing the spjts of each rotation in shape and 

 position, are also added. The volume concludes with fall 

 descriptions of a number of ingenious instrumental devices, some 

 actually employed at Kalocsa, others still only projected. 

 Amongst these ii an ingenious transit micrometer for elimin- 

 ating personal equation in the observation of transits. 



f Cassiopei.-e. — The Sidereal Messenger reports, on the 

 authority of Prof. Colbert of Chicago, that this star appeared to 

 increase its brilliancy by quite half a magnitude on the night of 

 August 20. The most remarkable point of the observation was 

 the shortness of duration of the ])henomenon : for, about half 

 an hour after it was first noticed, the star began to return to its 

 normal'magnitude. It will be interesting to learn if the change 

 was observed elsewhere. 



New Minor Planets. — Prof. Peters discovered a new minor 

 planet. No. 261, on October 31, and Herr Palisa two — Nos. 

 262 and 2S3 — on November 3. 



Co.met Finlay. — The following ephemeris for Berlin mid- 

 night is in continuation of that given in Nature for November4 

 (P- 17):- 



R A Decl. log r Vyg A 



i836 h. tn s. , , 



Nov. 16 19 59 51 23 227 S. o'o697 0-0899 

 iS 20 8 42 22 537 



20 20 17 38 22 2 2 4 o 05S9 o'o874 



22 20 26 37 21 488 



24 20 35 39 21 130 S. o'o593 0-0356 

 Co.met Barnard. — The following ephen>eris for Berlin mid- 

 night is given by Dr. E. Lamp {Astr. Naekr., No. 2753) :^ 



R.A. Decl. log r log a Brlght- 



Nov. 18 13 16 59 13 12-4 N. 9-9433 0-0637 10^8 

 20 13 31 51 14 5-9 9'93o6 0-0485 12-31 



22 13 47 57 14 58-3 9-9180 00340 13-9: 



24 14 5 20 IS 47-7 99055 0-0207 157 



26 14 24 2 16 32-5 9'8934 00089 «7'S 



28 14 43 57 17 103 9-8817 99990 19-3 



The brightness at the time of discovery is taken as unity. 



Gould's "Astronomical Journal." — The first number of 

 the new issue of this journal appeared on November 2. It con- 

 tains the following papers :— On the light-variations of Sawyer's 

 variable in Vulpecula, by S. C. Chandler, Jan., in which the 

 elements of the star are given as Max. - 1S85 Nov. 2d. 20h. 3Sm. 

 G.M.T + (4d. loh. 29-om,) E. The minimum is I -o6od. earlier. 

 The rapidity of the rise is a striking characteristic of this star. — 

 A new short-period variable, by E. F. Sawyer. The star, 57 

 Sagittarii, has a period of not more than 6 days ; the variation i; 

 from 5-6 mag. to 66. Place for 1875-0, R.A. i8h. 14m. 2s. ; 

 Decl. l8'^ S4'-8. — Elements and ephemerides and observations of 

 Comets Fmlay and Barnard, by Profs. Winlock, Boss, and 

 Frisby. — Observations of U Ophiuchi, by E. F. Sawyer ; and 

 the first part of a paper on the lunar theiry, by Prof. Stockwell. 



ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 



WEEK 1886 NOVEMBER 21-27 



('t70R the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 



V ^ Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, 



is here employed. ) 



At Greenwich on November 2\ 

 Sun rises, 7h. 3tm. ; souths, lih. 46m. 3'ls. ; sets, i6h. im. ; 

 decl. on meridian, 19° 58' S. : Sidereal Time at Sunset, 

 2oh. 3m. 

 Moon (New on November 25) rises, ih. 37m. ; souths, 8h. 4ra. ; 

 sets, I4h. l8m. ; decl. on meridian, 1° 57' N. 



Souths Sets Decl. on meridian 



Pla 



Rises 



Mercury ... 9 3° 



Venus 7 '^ 



Mars 10 33 



Jupiter 4 '5 



Saturn 19 34* 



13 !■ 



II 35 



14 iS 

 9 34 

 3 36 



16 52 ... 25 2 S. 



15 58 ... iS 46 S. 



iS 3 ... 2432S. 



14 53 - 8 45 S. 



II 38 ... 21 22 N. 



Indicates that the rising is that of the preceding evening. 



