66 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
double stars of the southern region are noted ; but for every one 
thus indicated ten are “nowhere.” 
Yet nearly half a century has elapsed since the date of Sir 
John Herschel’s Cape observations. Lxoriare aliquis / 
The field is rich beyond expression. The grandest binary 
system in the heavens, having the additional interest of being 
the nearest of the stars, A/pha Centauri, is invisible to English ob- 
servers. <A/pha Crucis, the brightest star of the Cross, is a pair un- 
matched in splendour and beauty by any northern object. The 
glory of the great nebula of Oviouw we share with our brethren 
under the Great Lear; but the equally mysterious and awe-in- 
spiring nebula around 47a Argus belongs to ourselves alone, and 
has the added interest of the great Variable, which lies still 
obscurely buried in its haze. The glorious object hard-by, H 
3315, was confessed by Sir John Herschel] to be the most superb 
star cluster he had ever seen. The “Gem Casket” of our 
Southern Cross presents, within the narrow limits of one or two 
minutes of a degree, a variety of colours unmatched in the 
heavens. The wonder and mystery of the Magellanic Clouds 
have no northern parallel. The southern region of the Milky 
Way presents a variety of structure, with contrasts of condensa- 
tion and vacuity, nowhere else so strikingly displayed. 
How numerous, too, are the unsolved questions—dquestions 
towards which the labours of the humblest observer might be a 
contribution—of our southern skies. Is Alpha Crucis a binary? 
Is Gamma Centauri? The balance of evidence seems to favour 
the view that they are; yet the recorded measures are so vari- 
able and unsteady as to leave no little room for doubt. 
What is the movement of p. Arzdanz? It promised to be a 
binary of short period. But I find my friend Mr. Russell, of 
Sydney Observatory, contending that the one star is simply 
becoming separated from the other by the large proper motion 
of g', and that the supposed orbit of #* is simply an apparent 
straight line. 
To make a rough selection out of a number of Southern 
objects readily observable at the present time (March), and 
within the range of telescopes of quite moderate power—3 or 
34-inch aperture,—I might name 7heta Eridani, 12 Eridant, 
H3416 Zoucari, H3475 Hydri, Theta Reticuli, H3752 Leporis, 
Dunlop's 32 Puppis, H3928 Puppis, B.A.C. 2336 Carine, B1507 
Caring, B.A.C. 2753 Puppis, Epsilon Volantis, B.A.C. 2866 
Velorum, H4188 Velorum, Upsilon Argis,H4455 Hydre, B.A.C. 
4115 Centauri, H4522 Muscw, B5442 Trianguli, Hi Lupi, H4848 
Scorpit, H4850 Scorpi, Rho Oppiuchi, H4896 Arw—all of which 
are objects of great beauty and interest, and most of which are 
awaiting further observation, to determine whether they are 
merely optical doubles-or physically-connected systems. It is 
worthy of notice that, of the above casually-selected twenty-four | 
objects, only eight are marked as doubles in Proctor’s Atlas, 
while Crossley’s superb “ Handbook of Double Stars” knows 
only three, 
