404 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



These two results agree in showing that this system is more 

 distant than its large proper motion would lead us to expect. 



Dr. Gill compai-ed the star with two stars of the 6th and 6*7th 

 magnitudes, over a degree distant in opposite directions, thus 

 eliminating the temperature corrections. The star passed much 

 nearer the zenith of Cape Town than of Washington. 



The observations upon the close binary indicate a period of 

 revolution between 125 and 140 years, of which 102 have elapsed 

 since Herschel's first observation. If we take the mean of the 

 two determinations of parallax, the mean distance of the close 

 binary is about 25 radii of the earth's orbit, and the sum of the 

 masses of these components is not largely different from the sun's 

 mass. 



The distance of the principal star from the binary, measured 

 perpendicularly to the line of sight, is a little over 400 radii of 

 the earth's orbit. Distinct evidence of rotation of the binary 

 about the principal star is yet wanting. 



Measured in units of annual velocity of light, Prof. Hall's 

 parallax implies a distance from us of about 15, while Dr. Gill's 

 parallax gives a distance of about 20. 



2. Report No. 8 of the Cincinnati Observatory. Observations 

 of the Comets of 1883, by H. C. Wilson, Astronomer pro 

 tern.; published under the direction of J. G. Porter, A.M., 

 Astronomer. Cincinnati, 1885. — The Report No'. 7 gave the 

 results of the observations at the observatory on the comets of 

 1881 and 1882. No. 8 contains the results from comets I and II 

 of 1883 (the Brooks-Swift and Pons-Brooks comets), made by Mr. 

 H. C. Wilson, assistant astronomer during the time that he was in 

 temporary charge of the observatory. The report is illustrated 

 by 13 fine plates, 11 of which are devoted to views of the comet 

 at different times during its passage. 



IV. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. The Washington Co., Penn. Meteorite ; by G. F. Kunz. — 

 At 4 o'clock on Saturday evening, September 26th, 1885, under a 

 remarkably clear sky, a meteor passed over several townships of 

 Washington County, in southwestern Pennsylvania. Its general 

 direction was southeast over Hanover township, Burgettstown in 

 Smith township, Jefferson township, Cross Creek village in Cross 

 Creek township, the village of Hickory in Mt. Pleasant township, 

 Canonsburg in Chartiers township, and Cecil township. The fall- 

 ing body was also distinctly seen and heard in many towns in 

 southwestern Alleghany County, as Bridgeville, Mansfield, Mid- 

 dletown and McKeesport. The great noise and disturbance 

 which it created were attributed to various causes, usually to the 

 explosion of some boiler in the neighborhood or blasting in the 

 quarries. The meteorite undoubtedly exploded and fell some- 

 where in this section. 



Mr. John Connor of Canonsburg writes that the meteor passed 

 over his house, accompanied by a loud roar like a peal of thunder. 



