358 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
found that a certain period of time elapsed between eclipses of the same kind 
and magnitude; that is, if iSjyears ii days 7 hours and 43 minutes were added 
to the time of the happening of any eclipse, it would show the time of the return 
of the same ecHpse. 
SUN AND PLANETS FOR OCTOBER, 1883. 
W. DAWSON, SPICELAND, IND. 
The Sun's R. A. October ist is 12 h. 30 min., and 14 h. 22 min. on 31st — a 
much greater increase of R. A. than in September. His declination south will 
be marked during October; being from 3° 15' to 4° 10' south of equinoctial. 
This causes a decrease in the length of days from 11 h. 40 min. on the ist to 
10 h. 22 min. on the 31st, Spots on the Sun have been quite numerous during 
the first half of September. The greatest number observed thus far (Sept. 17th,) 
is Qo on the first; least number 50, on the loth; on the 14th, 80 were counted. 
A very large sun-spot was visible to the naked eye (with shade-glass) from 3d to 
14th. An aurora with several bright streamers occurred on the i6th at 9 P. M. 
New Moon occurs within a few minutes of the advent of October, and also 
on the 30th, about 6 P. M. On the latter date there will be an annular eclipse 
of the Sun, visible over the northern Pacific Ocean; central from Japan to 
Hawaii. Full Moon occurs October 15th, soon after midnight ; when there will 
be a small eclipse of the Moon visible throughout the United States. The Moon 
will pass over a small star on the 18th, near 8 P. M. This occultation can prob- 
ably be observed with a good sized spy-glass. There will be several occultations 
of stars by the Moon during the month, but not of much interest to those not 
having large glasses. 
Mercury comes to its inferior conjunction with the Sun October 6th, after 
which it will be morning star. The best time to observe it will be about the 22d, 
when it may be seen with a small glass, and possibly with naked eye about 4° 
south of the east point. Venus is evening star, but too near the Sun all the 
month for observation. Jupiter is the brightest of all the morning stars. It is 
high up in the sky, and crosses the meridian soon after 7 A. M. in the early part 
of the month. On the 31st it souths at 5:40 A. M. Its declination is about 20° 
north all the month. Its four moons and most prominent belt may be observed 
with a good spy-glass. It is a grand object with a telescope three inches or more 
in diameter. Mars is about 7° or 8° west of Jupiter in the first of the month ; 
comes up with and passes the great planet on the 19th ; and about the 24th passes 
through the Bee Hive cluster in the constellation of Cancer. Saturn is a fine 
morning star (as to meridian passage) near 4° north of Aldebaran in Taurus. It 
rises at 8:40 P. M. on the ist, and two hours earlier on the 31st. Its declination 
is the same as that of Jupiter, 20° north. It is about 15°, one hour east of the 
seven stars. For observation with a good sized telescope, Saturn is one of the 
