THE . YOUNG 
Dec. 17. 
Moon Apogee; tide lowest. 
" 18. 
Uranus stationary. 
" 19. 
Jupiter 9^ in Pisces. 
" 21. 
Sun enters Capricornus ; winter begins. 
" 23. 
Uranus 6° North of Moon. 
" 23. 
Mars very close to Mercury ; 1" 
south. 
" 24. 
Saturn stationary. 
26. 
Saturn 2° in Pisces. 
" 29. 
Moon lowest. 
" 29, 
Mars J° North of Moon. 
" 30. 
Mercury 12' North of Moon. 
" 31. 
A Partial Eclipse of the Sun. 
In the 
eastern part of the U. S. the sun will 
rise more or less Eclipsed. At New 
York City the middle of the Eclipse 
occurs at sunrise, and the end at 
8h. Mm. morning. 
" 31. Moon Perigee ; tide highest. 
" 31. Uranus 13° in Leo. 
EPHEMERIDES OF THE PEINCIPAL STARS AND 
CLUSTERS, DECEMBER 20, 1880. 
H. 
M. 
Alpha Andromeda (Alpheratz) in 
meridian 
6 
2 
even 
Omicron Ceti (Mira) variable, in 
Meridian 
8 
13 
Beta Persei (Algol) variable, in 
Meridian, 
9 
0 
Eta Tauri (Alcyone or Light of 
Pleiades) in Meridian 
9 
40 
Alpha Tauri (Aldebaran) inmerid. 
10 
28 
Alpha Aurigae (Capella) " 
11 
7 
Beta Orionis (Rigel) 
11 
8 
Alpha Orionis (Betelguese) " 
n 
48 
Alpha Canis Majoris (Sirius or Dog 
Star) in meridian 
0 
43 
morn 
Alpha Canis Minoris (Procyon) in 
meridian 
1 
36 
Alpha Leonis (Eegulus) rises 
9 
23 
even 
Alpha Virginis (Spica) " 
1 
58 morn 
Alpha Bootis (Arcturus) " 
1 
1 
Alpha Scorpionis (Antares) rises 
6 
4 
Alpha Lyrae (Vega) sets 
9 
26 
even 
Alpha Aquillae (Altair) sets 
8 
14 
Alpha Cygni (Deneb) " 
0 
36 morn 
Alpha Pisces Australis (Fomalhaut) 
sets 
8 
50 
even 
THE MOON, v.— 2d OR N.E. QUADRANT 
CONTINUED. 
Between 110 and 112 are 61 minute craters, 
easily seen when the Sun is rising on the east 
side of the wall of Copernicus ( 112) . The diame- 
ter of these craters has been variously esti- 
mated at from 400 to 700 feet. These craters 
are arranged mainly in rows, and so very 
close that but for the partitions they would 
form canals, which fact has lent strength to the 
-belief that the so-called canals were originally 
SCIENTIST. 139 
continuous lines of craters. Above, and a little 
to the right, is Archimedes (120), a very large 
and regular walled plain 60 miles in diameter, 
with a wall averaging 4,200 feet above the in- 
terior, upon which are several high towers ; the 
highest 7,400 feet. One astronomer has de- 
tected a minute crater within ; a magnificent 
object against the rising or setting Sun. 129, 
and its companion to the right, are twin craters ; 
depth of the companion estimated at 13,600 feet. 
Pico (131) is called an " insulated pyramid," and 
rises from a narrow base to the lofty height of 
9,600 feet, and must form a fine sight from the 
surrounding plain. Plato (132) is another walled 
plain 60 miles in diameter, with three towers 
about 7,000 feet high. Some supposed craters 
have been observed within, but the peculiar 
feature of this object is the local shading of the 
interior. There is an alternation of light and 
dark bands within, which are believed to be 
variable. Sinus Iridum (P) is a beautiful object, 
almost as level as water, dark, semicircular, 
and surrounded by abrupt and high cliffs. The 
two promontories which reach out on either 
side are 140 miles apart, and very high and 
abrupt ; best seen two or three days after First 
Quarter. Aristachus (148) is considered the 
brightest crater in the Moon, and is quite beau- 
tiful, even in a small telescope. The steep 
central hill shows with fine effect four or five 
days after First Quarter. The ring is 28 miles 
across, and in the west rises 7,500 feet above its 
inner, and 2,600 above its outer base. On the 
east the ring becomes a plateau, connecting it 
with the steeper crater Heroditus (149), north of 
which is a curious serpentine valley, nowhere 
exceeding 2J miles in width, not unlike a dry 
river-bed. Owing to the great reflective power 
of this object, Herschel the I. mistook it for a 
volcano in eruption. It may be seen with the 
naked eye when on the bright side, and with a 
telescope when on the dark side. Above, and a 
little to the right are several mountains, the 
highest 6,300 feet. Pythagoras (176) is the 
deepest walled plain in this quadrant, measur- 
ing some 17,000 feet on the S.E. side. 
These are the abbreviated descriptions of the 
most remarkable objects in the 2d or N.E. Quad- 
rant, still leaving the whole southern lunar 
hemisphere untouched. 
Penn Fan, N. Y. 
• • • • 
Welding- Cast Steel Cold.— A writer in the 
Blacksmith and Wheelwright says : " Cast steel can 
be welded cold by simple hydraulic pressure. In- 
credible as it may seem, it has often been done." 
We know that lead and the softer metals can be 
welded by great pressure but we were not aware 
that pieces of steel or iron could be so united. 
