SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
87 
passage were roughly parallel, yet, as the direction of the earth would change 
through about sixty degrees, the position of the radiant would change markedly 
during those eight or nine weeks. But observation, it seems, indicates the 
same “ radiant.” Hence it is certain that the meteors belong to different 
systems. We could, in fact, only accept Mr. Denning’s inference if we re- 
jected his observational results. 
Observations of Jupiter and his Satellites. — Mr. Todd presents a very valu- 
able and interesting series of observations of Jupiter and his satellites, with 
the Adelaide equatorial, in the Monthly Notices for November. “The 
visibility of the satellites through the edge of the planet has been carefully 
looked for,” he says, “ and on two occasions I felt quite certain I saw the 
satellite at occultation within the disc — namely, on June 19 at occulta- 
tion-disappearance of Satellite IT., and on July 2 at disappearance of Satel- 
lite I. Mr. Ringwood also saw the same phenomenon at the disappearance 
of Satellite II. on August 29. I thought I could see Satellite III. through 
the limb at reappearance on June 9, and Satellite II. at disappearance 
on July 21, but could not be certain. In every other case the occul- 
tation was perfect at the limb. On June 19, Satellite II. was visible 
through the white belt south of equator, and on July 2 Satellite I. was seen 
for the space of one minute through the southern dark belt. It would be 
interesting to know whether this has been seen by other observers. The de- 
finition on each occasion was very good, or I should think I might be 
deceived.” The observation on July 2 is a very singular one. Mr. Todd’s 
notes say that “ the satellite was distinctly seen through the edge of the 
planet for the space of its full diameter .” 
TempeVs Short Period Comet. — This comet, as observed at the Oxford 
University Observatory from July 27 to August 1, resembled a faint round 
nebula of about V in diameter. The condensation was very slight. 
Encke's Comet. — This comet was observed by Mr. Tebbutt, at Windsor, 
New South Wales, from August 3 to August 13. On August 3 it presented 
the appearance of a small round nebula, gradually condensed towards the 
centre, and was within a few minutes of arc of the position assigned to it in 
the ephemeris. 
Intra-Mercurial Planets. — From a comparison of his own and Professor 
Watson’s observations of stars near the sun during the last total eclipse, 
Professor Swift arrives at the conclusion that four intra-Merc urial planets 
were seen on that occasion — two by himself and two by Watson. He con- 
siders that both the stars he himself saw were planets, since, if one of them 
had been, as he before supposed, the star Theta Cancri, Watson could not 
have failed to see the other. For a similar reason neither of them can have 
been the object which Watson saw near Theta Cancri. The other object, 
which Watson at first mistook for Zeta Cancri, is now regarded by him 
very confidently as a planet. Accordingly, it would follow that four intra- 
Mercurial planets were seen by these two observers, and that all were so 
situated as to present appreciably round discs. Other observers, who with 
equal or better means sought specially for such planets, would seem to have 
been singularly unfortunate. 
The Annular Eclipse of January 22, 1879. — Mr. Hind states that this 
eclipse, the first of the annular eclipses of 1879, and a return of that of 
January 10, 1861, which was central in Australia, commences in Uruguay, 
