SCIENTIFIC SEMMAET. 
419 
show the principal details of the nehula^ should he directed to its delineation. 
There is no phenomenon in nebulous or sidereal astronomy that has yet 
turned up,” says Sir J. Herschel^ which presents anything like the in- 
terest of this, or is calculated to raise so many and such momentous points 
for inquiry and speculation.” The whole nebula would seem to have 
changed in form and character, and not only so, but the fixed stars which 
are presented in the same field would appear, if Mr. Abbott’s views can be 
trusted, to have bodily fled away and given place to a new set.” Not less 
remarkable is the great increase which would seem to have taken place in 
the brilliancy of the nebula. And in the midst of these phenomena, which 
we are compelled to look on for the present as more or less doubtful, there 
is the admitted fact that the strange variable i] Argus itself (round which 
the nebula clings) — which was shining a few years ago with a brilliancy 
rivalling that of Sirius — is now reduced to the sixth magnitude ; in other 
words, is just perceptible with the naked eye on a very dark night. 
Penumhral Lunar Eclipses. — Solar eclipses, in which the earth passes 
within the moon’s penumbra, are noticed in the Nautical Almanac as 
^•partial solar eclipses.” But the corresponding class of lunar eclipses — that 
is, eclipses during which the moon passes within the earth’s penumbra, but 
does not touch the umbra — are not recorded in astronomical ephemerides. In 
a paper communicated to the Eoyal Astronomical Societjq Mr. Proctor has 
noticed this omission, and he gives the elements of an eclipse of this sort 
which (according to his calculation) must have occurred on the morning of 
Sept. 2. We do not hear that any observer has witnessed this phenomenon. 
Eclipses of this sort might have some value to the spectroscopist. 
Jupiter and Mars. — Jupiter is now very favourably situated for obser- 
vation. Mars is gradually becoming more favourably situated. He has now 
a great northerly declination j and although he is nearly at his greatest dis- 
tance from the sun, he will probably be subjected to careful scrutiny during 
the next few months. We understand that Mr. Browning proposes to ob- 
serve the planet systematically with his fine 12-inch reflector ; and we 
hope for valuable and interesting views of the planet’s northern hemisphere, 
hitherto very insufiiciently observed, on account of the unfavourable circum- 
stances under which Mars is seen when his northern hemisphere is turned 
towards the earth. 
The. Lunar Crater Linne. — Professor Respighi, in a letter to the Padre 
Secchi, published in the Bidlettino Meteorologico of Rome for May 31, presents 
his reasons for arriving at the definite conclusion that the crater Linne is not 
subject to variations of figure. Our best observers still continue to be 
divided in opinion respecting this remarkable object. Whatever opinion 
may eventually prevail, the announcement of a lunar volcano in- eruption, 
which was so confidently made a few months ago, has not been without 
profitable results, as it has called the attention of astronomers to the dif- 
ficulty and value of selenographical delineation. 
The 99^7^, 10077^, and lOls^ Asteroids have been discovered — the first at the 
Marseilles Observatory ; the second by Mr. Watson,' of Detroit, Michigan ; 
and the third by Dr. Peters, of the Observatory connected with Hamilton 
College, New York. On August 24, at 3 a.m., the last-named was in Pisces, 
R.A. 18° SS', and N. Dec. 19° 64'. During the past twenty-three years no 
