86 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
suppose that in a deep spot rays might be absorbed which would escape 
absorption in the higher strata of the atmosphere ; hence also the darkness 
of a line may depend somewhat on the depth of the absorbing atmosphere. 
Ma} r not also some of the variable lines visible in the solar spectrum be due 
to absorption in the region of spots P and may not the spectroscope afford us 
evidence of the existence of the i red flames ’ which total eclipses have re- 
vealed to us in the sun’s atmosphere j although they escape all other methods 
of observation at other times P and if so, may we not learn something from 
this of the recent outburst of the star in Corona ? ” 
The Moon Committee have issued a circular pointing out an observation 
recently made by Dr. Schmidt, of Athens, which may prove to be of the 
utmost importance. The crater Linneus, in the Mare Serenitatis, has 
altogether lost its crateriform appearance, and appears to be obscured by 
something brighter than the surrounding parts of the lunar surface. Can it 
be that there is an eruption going on, and that we have here a cloud of smoke, 
which, in our almost atmosphereless moon, fills up the cavity of this crater 
like a liquid, bereft as it must be of all power of ascension ? On December 
15, it certainly appeared very different from all the other craters in the loca- 
lity, which in Beer and Madler’s map are made to put on the same appear- 
ance. Schroter observed a similar phenomenon in Linneus , in 1788. 
The planet Mars is now coming round again, and although it is not a very 
favourable opposition, the declination of the planet is so high that we may 
fairly hope for some good observations. Mr. Bishop has issued a circular 
(which can be had upon application to his observatory, at Twickenham), 
giving the position of the planet’s axis, the planet’s diameter, and the illu- 
minated portion of the disk, from the present time to March 28. This is the 
sixth circular for which astronomers are indebted to the labour of Mr. Hind 
and the liberality of Mr. Bishop. 
The asteroids now number 91. @ was discovered by Stephan in August, 
( 90 ) Antiope by Luther in October. 
Sir John Herschel, we are informed, has communicated to the Royal 
Astronomical Society, a catalogue of all the double stars observed by Sir 
"William and himself. The places are reduced to 1880. The Rev. W. R. 
Dawes has also done the same with the stars he has observed. The two cata- 
logues will form a precious boon to astronomers. 
The monthly notices for November contain a paper by Mr. Lynn, on a new 
mass of Jupiter, from which we gather that the observations of Themis require 
an augmentation of Bessel’s mass of Jupiter, amounting to the joffoo P ar ^ 
its value. This gives, for the actual mass of Jupiter, compared with the 
sun, the fraction a mean between the old values, as determined by 
Airy and Bessel, from the motions of the satellites. 
The same number also contains a valuable paper by Mr. Baxendell on 
T Coronse, which, since our last summary was written, has risen again from 
the- 10th to the 74 magnitude. Mr. Baxendell states that, on May 7, he ob- 
served all the naked eye variables, and several telescopic ones, among them 
two in Corona, but saw nothing of the new star. There are, however, other 
grounds for looking upon a statement made by a certain American named 
Barker, that he observed the star on May 4, as dishonest and untrustworthy. 
The fact of the suddenness of the break-out seems beyond all doubt. 
