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SCIENCE 
expression of opinions from those who are anxious for 
it to fulfill the best hopes of its promoters, and Pro- 
fessor Cooper leads the van of those who, with hopes 
and fears, already see danger ahead, and would be in 
time with their council. 
The advice of Professor Cooper is most excellent, 
but in part it appears to us somewhat superfluous ; 
that “the first President of the University of Texas 
should be pre-eminently an organizer, conversant with 
the best systems both in America and Europe, and 
alive to the growing demands of the age, and that the 
instructors should be the best men, sought without re- 
gard to section or creed,” are recommendations which 
involve principles universally acknowledged; if the ap- 
pointments are not made to accord with these prin- 
ciples, it will not be from ignorance that such a course 
should be followed. 
But alas, academical appointments, like those in 
political life, are often influenced by “ interest ” and at 
some times by “ expediency.” As an instance of the 
latter class, we may refer to a case in which a most 
eminent American Naturalist was a candidate for the 
chair of Natural History in a Northern University. 
His high claims over other candidates for the position 
were admitted, and he was told informally that he had 
been appointed. The professor was preparing for his 
new home, when he received the very sudden an- 
nouncement that another of the candidates had been 
finally selected for the position. The explanation of 
the mystery was very simple. The University, or Col- 
lege, was supposed to be filling the chair of Natural 
History, as Professor Cooper would desire, “ with the 
best man without regard to creed or section,” but un- 
fortunately there was a want at the establishment for a 
man to do ministerial duties ; the result was that the 
trustees, in filling the chair of Natural History, rejected 
the eminent Naturalist, and selected from among the 
candidates the one who had the greatest capacity for 
prayer. 
For our part, we believe that such complications 
suggested by Professor Cooper, are not to be antici- 
pated; when the buildings are ready, the right 
men to fill the positions in the faculty will be 
forthcoming. The establishment of a University 
in America, is no new experiment, and the ex- 
perience of the past will be a valuable aid to those 
who will organize the University in Texas. 
As a rule, the management of the Universities and 
Colleges in the United States, is one of the redeeming 
points which has done much to restore confidence in 
the institutions of this country ; the selection of Pro- 
fessors is also usually judicious, and among the corps 
of instructors, the number of those who do honor to 
the position they occupy is fortunately great, and no 
American now has need to leave his native shores to 
obtain a thorough knowledge in any department of 
science. 
TYCHO BRAHE’S NEW STAR. 
On November nth, 1572, Tycho Brahe noticed a 
new and very bright star in the constellation Cassio- 
peia. Afterwards it appeared that this star had been 
seen before at various places in Europe, and Tycho, 
in order to fix its position, and to determine whether 
it moved, began a series of measures with his sextant, 
by which he connected the position of the new star 
with nine known stars in the same constellation. The 
new star shone with a wonderful brightness, being 
brighter than the planet Jupiter, and, according to 
some reports, it was visible in full daylight. In Janu- 
ary, 1573, its brightness began to wane, and in May 
of the same year it was only of the second magnitude, 
or as bright as Polaris. It remained visible to the 
naked eye, however, until March, 1574. 
This star was also remarkable for the changes of 
color that it exhibited. At first it was white, then it 
became yellow, and, finally, red. But in May, 1573, 
it was again of a dull white color, and remained so 
until it disappeared. 
Although many cases have occurred of new stars 
blazing out for a short time, and then fading away 
beyond the sight of the naked eye, such as those of 
1866 and 1876, yet Tycho’s star, on account of its 
brilliancy and its long duration, is the most remarka- 
ble of any star of this kind of which we have any 
authentic record ; and his observations of it have been 
carefully reduced and discussed by several astrono- 
mers. Professor D’ Arrest, of Copenhagen, made a 
very complete catalogue and chart of 2 1 2 stars, which 
are within a distance of ten minutes from the position 
of Tycho’s star. This catalogue is for the year 1865, 
and it will serve for a standard of reference in case 
Tycho’s star should again blaze out. Mr. J. R. Hind, 
of England, by the reduction of a part of Tycho’s ob- 
servations, found the position of the new star to be for 
1865, 
A.R. = 4 0 16' 48": Deck = + 63° 23' 5". 
(Monthly Notices, Royal Astronomical Society, Vol.21, 
p. 233.) From a more complete reduction of Tycho’s 
observations Argelander found for 1865, 
A.R. = 4 0 19' 58": Decl. = + 63° 23' 55". 
(Astronomische Nachrichten, Band 62, p. 274.) This 
position agrees very well with that of a small star of 
the io^th magnitude, which is No. 123 of D’Arrest’s 
catalogue. The position of this small star for 1865 is, 
A.R. — 4° 19' 30": Deck = + 63° 22' 54". 
When we remember that Tycho’s observations were 
made without the aid of telescopes or of any magnify- 
ing power, we may consider the difference of these 
positions as within the limits of the probable error of 
his determination. We conclude, therefore, that 
Tycho’s star is still visible in our telescopes, and that 
its brilliant appearance in 1572 was only an extreme 
case of the variations of light that are frequently hap- 
pening among the stars. 
