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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Occultation of Kappa Cancri. — This star, it will be remembered, was 
observed by Mr. Copeland on the occasion of its occultation by the moon 
on April 26, to disappear in two successive jerks. Other observers, how- 
ever, did not perceive anything unusual. In a communication, dated 
October 17, it appears, however, that Mr. Prince noticed the phenomenon 
described by Mr. Copeland, and states that it was not instantaneous by 
fully half a second. Mr. Creswick, of the Greenwich Observatory, like- 
wise confirms Mr. Copeland’s observation, but is certain that no great loss 
of light occurred half a second before disappearance. If such were the 
case, the duplicity of the star would still be extremely difficult, if not 
impossible, to detect, as the components would be little more than two- 
tenths of a second of space apart. 
Gamma Andromeda. — The close double star of this beautiful triple was 
measured by Mr. Dawes on November 12, with an 84-inch refractor by 
Alvan Clark. It has also been separated during the winter by Mr. Wray 
with a telescope of his own construction, and of the same dimensions. It 
is considered the most difficult test-object in the heavens; and as a proof of 
the extreme closeness of the components of Kappa Cancri, alluded to in 
the last paragraph, it may be stated that the distance of this close pair of 
Gamma Andromedse is six-tenths of a second. 
New Comets. — The fourth comet of 1863 was discovered on October 9, 
by Mr. Backer at Nauen. It arrived at its greatest brilliancy on Decem- 
ber 8, being nearly four times as bright as when first seen. It does not 
appear, however, to have been visible to the naked eye. On December 16, 
its R.A. was 16 h 23 m , and increasing, and its declination 43 degrees north. 
The fifth comet of the year was detected by M. Tempel, at Marseilles, on 
November 4, and was visible to the naked eye. Its nucleus, according to 
Mr. Hind, was nearly stellar. Neither of those objects appear to have 
been previously observed. The fourth comet arrives at perihelion on 
December 27. The sixth comet of 1863 was discovered by M. Schmidt, at 
Athens, in December ; but an ephemeris has not yet appeared. The comet 
supposed to have been detected at Cheltenham, on October 15, seems to be 
the great meteor observed by Mr. Lowe on that evening. 
New Planet. — The seventy-ninth planet of the group between Mars and 
Jupiter was discovered by Mr. Watson at Ann Arbor (U.S.) on Septem- 
ber 14. It is described as of the tenth magnitude. The discovery of the 
eightieth planet, announced b}" M. Schmidt, at Athens, has been found to 
be a mistake ; one of the asteroids already known having been reobserved. 
Observations of the Minor Planets. — An agreement has been made 
between the directors of the observatories of Greenwich and Paris, that at 
the former establishment the planets are to be observed from new moon to 
full moon, and at the latter, from full moon to new moon. The 
Astronomer Royal requests to be informed of any error which may be 
detected in the ephemerides of the asteroids, which will be immediately 
published in the daily bulletin of the Paris observatory. 
Eai'thquaJce on October 6. — This rare occurrence (in those islands) was 
noticed in a remarkable manner by Mr. Ellis, at the Greenwich Observa- 
tory, whilst observing the collimation of the altazimuth instrument — the 
mark fixed to the wall moving as if the latter was in motion. Mr. Hough, 
observing at Lord Wrottesley’s observatory at Wolverhampton, felt % 
