1900-1901.] Note on the New Star in Perseus. 
365 
Note on the New Star in Persens. By The Astronomer- 
Royal for Scotland. (With a Plate.) 
(Read March 4, 1901.) 
We are again indebted to Dr T. D. Anderson of this city for the 
announcement of the discovery of a new star, which was first seen 
by him at 2 h 40 m a.m., G.M.T., on Friday, the 22nd February. 
Shortly after eleven o’clock on the forenoon of that day Dr 
Anderson came to the Royal Observatory and communicated the 
exact particulars of the startling phenomenon. The approximate 
position of the star in the heavens was R.A. = 3 h 24 m 25 s , Decl. = 
+ 43° 34' ; it was of the 2*7 magnitude, and of bluish- white colour. 
Telegrams were at once dispatched to the Royal Observatory, 
Greenwich, and to the International Central Bureau for Astro- 
nomical Telegrams at Kiel for general distribution to the observa- 
tories of the world. To make assurance doubly sure, special 
telegrams were also sent to a few distinguished spectroscopists. 
The magnificent spectroscope, presented to the observatory by 
Lord Crawford, and specially constructed by Messrs T. Cooke & 
Sons of York for stellar spectroscopy, was at once mounted to the 
15-inch refractor, and everything prepared, as far as possible, for 
observation. Fortunately the sky partly cleared in the evening, 
when, at 6 h 30 m p.m., I had the great pleasure of inspecting the 
star with the 6 ■ 3-inch Simms’ refractor and a small direct vision 
prism. The first impression was in a certain sense disappointing, 
as the spectrum showed none of the striking peculiarities so con- 
spicuously displayed in the case of Nova Aurigse, which, it will be 
recollected, was also discovered by Dr Anderson. The spectrum 
was brilliant indeed, but apparently absolutely continuous from 
the red to the extreme violet ; a fact which was confirmed by Mr 
G. Clark. The first view with the larger instrument gave no 
further information, and it was only on very careful inspection 
that Dr Halm noticed about half a dozen delicate absorption 
lines, and, in addition to these, two hazy dark bands, closely ac- 
companied in each case by indications of brighter intervals on 
the less refrangible side. The wave lengths of these bands were 
