240 POSITION OF PLANETS FOR JUNE, 1877. 



49m. r. m. On the 30th, Uranus rises at 8h. 9m. a. m., and sets at 9h. 57m. 

 p. M. Uranus is still among the stars of Leo. 



Sun Spots. — The report is from April 17 to May 16 inclusive. In the 

 photograph of April 17, there appears on the western limb the group of 

 large spots mentioned in the last report; but from this date to April 21 

 clouds prevented observations, and during that time the group disappeared. 

 On April 21, a pair of small spots was seen far advanced on the eastern 

 limb. On April 22, this pair was followed by a pair of very small ones. 

 During the passage across the disk, there was a continual change in the 

 number and arrangement of the spots in these two groups. Before April 

 30, both had disappeared. In the picture of this date, a small group was 

 seen on the eastern limb ; but after May 5 it could not be found. When 

 last seen, it was near the center of its course, but very faint. The observa- 

 tion of May 5 showed a small spot, followed by a very faint one. On May 

 4, these spots had not been seen, and were first visible on the western limb 

 On May 8, a large spot was seen coming on. From May 8 to May 12 no 

 observation could be made. On May 12, two large spots were seen near the 

 center ; one of these was seen before May 8, the other had burst out be- 

 tween May 8 and May 12. The one first seen on May 8 disappeared between 

 May 13 and May 14 at about the center of its course ; the other is still visi- 

 ble (May 16), and is at present preceded by a small spot not seen on 

 May 15. — Scie?ififlc American. 



One of the most remarkable appearances which has been seen on the 

 planet Saturn since the time of Herschel, was noticed by Prof Hall, of the 

 United States Naval Observatory, on December 7. A spot so bright that it 

 could be seen with small telescopes suddenly showed itself near the equa- 

 tor of the planet. It gradually spread out along the equator, so as finally 

 to present the appearance of a strip extending over some 90°. The bright- 

 est part was not in the middle of the strip, but near one end, as if the 

 shining material had spread itself out in one direction only. The discovery 

 was at once communicated to several American astronomers, and the spot 

 was observed at Albany, Hartford, Vassar College and elsewhere. It was 

 watched during most of a month, when the planet approached near to the 

 sun, and the band became so faint that no further accurate observations 

 could be made on it. It does not appear to have been seen in Europe at all 

 as the astronomical journals which have come to hand are entirely silent on 

 the subject. The spot was utilized by Prof. Hall to determine the time of 

 rotation of Saturn, which no one but Herschel had hitherto done. The re- 

 sult was about 10 hours 15 minutes, hardly a minute different from Her- 

 schel's estimate. 



