And in this connection I would remark that the record of rainfall kept at Marrietta in Ohio, coincides closely with the Toronto record. The curve in both cases show a depression on dry weather at max. and min. of sun-spots, and this record extends back to 1826.

The valuable tables lately published by the Smithsonian Institution, under the direction of Prof. Henery, will, when fully examined, doubtless throw much light on this interesting question.

The foregoing table shows a decided low temperature at every minimum of sun-spots.

I remain, truly yours,

A. ELVINS.

P.S.-In reply to the remark of "Observer" in the August Register, I wish to say that my observation in the Toronto Telegraph in 1870, was rather the conclusion of others than my own (Lardner was my chief authority). At present I think it quite likely that planetary positions must have more or less to do with weather; indirectly, however, I shall be glad to follow this subject with "Observer" at some future time. I would be much pleased if he would send me his address.-A.E.

NEW DOUBLE STAR NEAR 43, DELPHINI.

About two weeks since I had the pleasure of using for one evening Prof. Young's magnificent Alvan Clark Refractor of 9'4 in. aperture, at the Dartmouth College Observatory; and, although the night was a very poor one, I found one close double star worthy of note. About 25', almost exactly north of that fine pair, 43 Delphini (Σ 2723), will be seen a wide pair of 83 m. stars about 100" apart. The north star of this pair is the one in question. The components are nearly equal, and the distance estimated at o"7. It is a very difficult object with my instrument of 6 in. aperture, and the very best weather is necessary in order to see it well. This star is Weisse XX., 977, and its place for 1870:-R.A., 20h. 38m. 49s.; Dec. 12° 15′.

*There may be a fraction of error in the last year, as in this case I trust to memory not having the record at hand.

There are two very faint companions to 43 Delphini, np, the three being in a line, and the nearest some 20", or 30" distant from the primary. The brightest of the two I had detected with my own instrument last year, but the other is still more minute, and I think beyond the reach of a 6-inch. Neither of these faint stars are mentioned in any of the catalogues.

Chicago: September 10.

E. W. BURNHAM.

DISCOVERY OF THE PLANET VESTA.

Sir, I see by M. Arago's "Popular Lectures on Astronomy" (translated with notes, by W. K. Kelly, B.A., 1854), that the planet Vesta was discovered by a pupil of Olbers, and not actually by this astronomer himself, as I have always imagined. Surely if this is the case some credit is due to the pupil, though the discovery may have been made through the instrumentality of Olbers. I shall be glad if any of your readers can give me any information on this matter.

October 17, 1872.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

NEW DOUBLE STARS.

J. S. G.

Sir, I beg to call attention to three close and interesting double stars discovered within the last week with my 6-inch Alvan Clark Refractor. AQUARIUS. This pair is in the same low power field, with 60 Aquarii, 12′ 39" exactly south. The magnitudes are about 8 and 91, D=2", P=210°. A 13 m. star 20" or 30" from the primary s p makes it triple. By some oversight 60 Aquarii is not shown on Proctor's Atlas. It is the first star visible to the naked eye south of n Aquarii, the two being about 1 apart. The place (1870) of this triple is as follows :—R.A., 20h. 38 m. 49 s.; Dec. S 12° 15'.

n'

PISCES. This very beautiful pair is 1m. 30s. p 7 Piscium, and is the brightest of four stars in the same field, forming a small trapezium. The distance will not much exceed 1", the magnitudes being 8 and 9 or 91⁄2. This is is an elegant object, and a rather difficult one with a small aperture. This star is Weisse XXIII., 229. R.A., 23h. 12m. 12s.; Dec. N. 4° 42'.

SAGITTARIUS.-A very close and nearly equal pair, 13' north of o Sagittarii. The distance I estimate at o"-8. From its small elevation it is a very difficult pair. This star is B. A. C. 6,504, and is rated as 8m. in that catalogue; but it seems at least half a magnitude brighter. Its place is R.A. 18h. 56m. 33s.; Dec. S. 22° 1'.

A few weeks ago I forwarded a note in reference to two new double stars in Sagitta, but at that time could not give the catalogue position. The first and closer of the two pairs is Lalande, 38,415 7m. R.A., 19h. 59m. 27s. Dec. N. 15° 8'. This is rated by Argelander (+15° No. 4,040) as of the 6m. The second double star is Weisse XIX., 2,025, 8m., rated by Argelander (+15° No. 4,047) as 7m. If any observer is able to see the first well with an aperture much below 6-inches I should be glad to see it stated. All the places are for 1870.

I have now originals or copies of all the double star catalogues and lists heretofore published, so far as I am aware, and none of them embrace any of the doubles in question. In the Astronomical Register for August brief mention was made of 12 Scorpii, which star I now find is in Herschel's "Cape of Good Hope Observations," a work at that time I had never seen. Chicago: September 12. S. W. BURNHAM.

NEW DOUBLE STARS.

Dear Sir, I have been very much interested by Mr. Burnham's letter in the last number of the Register. That he should have been able, with his aperture of 6 inches to see so delicate a star as his X, speaks volumes for the great excellence both of his eye and his instrument. I cannot find this star (X) in any of my double-star catalogues, and I think it will prove to be hitherto unknown.

Mr. Burnham's other star (Y) seems to me very evidently No. 2629 of Struve's Dorpat catalogue (1827). This catalogue, it is well known, is the foundation of the Mensura Micrometricæ. No. 2629 is thus described-R.A. 19h. 59 5m., Dec. +15° 35′ (Epoch 1826) IV. (8) (10).

The Roman numeral IV. refers to Sir William Herschell's class IV., of stars between 16" and 32" distance. This is wider than Mr. Burnham's estimation, but it should be borne in mind that in the case of these very delicate stars, the most experienced observers are frequently at fault in estimations of distance. No. 2629 is one of the rejecta of the Mensuræ Micrometricæ, rejected because "the Comes is less than the ninth magnitude."

The pair F of Mr. Burnham's map is evidently No. 397 of Struve's Poulkova catalogue of double and multiple stars (1843), generally quoted as Otto Struve's. It is described as follows for Epoch 1840:

R.A. 19h. 57m. 26s. Dec. 15° 27′ (7·8) (8) mag. Cl. IV.

This Class IV. is again the same as Sir W. Herschel's, comprising stars of which the distance is from 16" to 32".

I have been interested by comparing Mr. Burnham's map with Argelander's wonderful charts. I think I can identify all Mr. B.'s stars with those in Argelander's map, which, however, contains many additional stars not shown in Mr. Burnham's delineation. The stars F, X, and Y, seem to be respectively the stars No. 4,038, 4,040, and 4,047, of Argelander's zone +15°, though Argelander's magnitudes are greater than those assigned by Mr. Burnham, possibly from a different scale being employed. Bad weather and other unavoidable impediments have hitherto prevented my examining this interesting group with my 8-inch equatorial.

Chad Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham :
October 11, 1872.

Yours truly,

GEORGE HUNT.

STARS ON MOON'S DISC IN OCCULTATIONS.

Sir,—The projection of a star on the disc of the moon in an occultation, is a phenomenon, the cause of which is so little understood, that all careful observations of it should be recorded in the hope that a fair explanation may be ultimately obtained.

ε

On September 24th, 1872, I observed the occultation of & Geminorum, with an 8 inch silvered glass reflector, by Browning, of excellent definition, the power used being an achromatic eyepiece of 144. The atmosphere was very clear, and free from cloud or haze.

The star approached the moon flashing a good deal, and of a decidedly yellow colour, almost orange. The bright limb of the moon, on account of the low attitude, was not steadily and sharply defined, but boiling a little. On the star coming in contact with the apparent limb of the moon it gradually diminished in brightness, lost all its flashing and its yellow colour, and encroached on the surface of the moon as a round white disc like a little planet cleanly defined. The star had passed through the

rather boiling edge of the moon and appeared on the even surface of the moon's disc before it disappeared. The time from the moment it began to diminish in brightness till it disappeared was about four seconds. On disappearing, the little white disc, which had no stellar character at all about it, seemed to hang or pause for an instant and then vanished.

The re-appearance of & Geminorum and its 9.5 magnitude comes was satisfactorily observed about 1h. om. 30s. after disappearance. It" started into light" as yellow and flashing, nearly as much as when first observed prior to occultation.

The Astronomer Royal's explanation of such phenomena, as quoted from the “Memoirs of the Astronomical Society" in Lardner's handbook, seems to account for the star diminishing in brightness, but it hardly explains the change of colour observed. Admiral Smyth (Cycle vol. ii. p. 103), reports an observation of the projection of Aldebaran on the moon's disc, but makes no mention of diminution of light or change of colour. He says:-"I saw Aldebaran approach the bright limb of the moon very steadily; but from the haze no alteration in the redness of its colour was perceptible. It kept the same steady line to about three-quarters of a minute inside the lunar disc, where it remained as precisely as I could estimate 24 seconds, when it suddenly vanished."

At the meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society, January 11th, 1867, it was stated that-" Mr. Airy remarked at the occultation of Aldebaran the star did not come out bright instantaneously but was 38 seconds regaining its full light."

This, I presume, refers to the occultation of Aldebaran, on November 22nd, 1866, when the star reappeared about 12 hours after full moon, and so close therefore to the bright terminator of the moon, that possibly under the Astronomer Royal's explanation referred to above, the retardation of the star's regaining its full light might be due to the same effects of irradiation which produced the diminution in the light of & Geminorum I noticed.

This phenomenon appears to have been frequently observed with Aldebaran, but I cannot ascertain that it has been ever noticed in occultations of stars of the third magnitude, though I cannot doubt that observers, using powerful telescopes, have often found it to be the case. Stormy weather unfortunately prevented me observing the occultation of Geminorum on the 25th. I trust if any of your readers witnessed either of these occultations they will favour you with their results.

Burton-on-Trent,
Sept. 26th, 1872.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,
E. B. KNOBEL.

P.S.-I should add that the atmosphere was so clear that the re-appearance of & Geminorum would have been visible without a telescope. The instant after it appeared I had no difficulty at all in seeing it with the naked eye.

It may not be generally known that amongst other works translated of late years into the Chinese language are the following:Herschel's Outlines of Astronomu, by Wylie, 3 vols., sm. folio, China, 1859; De Morgan's Algebra, by the same, 8vo, 1859; Mac Gowan's Law of Storms, China, 1853; Milner's History of England, abridged, by Muirhead, Shanghai, 1856. There is also a Treatise on Arithmetic, in Chinese, by Wylie, 1853.-See Bernard Quaritch's "Catalogue of Oriental Literature, &c.," Sept., 1872.

PATH OF NEPTUNE (N.).

From October 3rd, 1872, to April 15th, 1873 (inverted view).

A line joining ẞ and y Arietis, prolonged downwards to a distance from y equal to ten degrees, or less than twice the distance between a and Y, passes to the left of o Piscium, fifth mag. Having found this star, the diagram will readily enable Neptune to be identified. He appears about the same size as the star 149, eighth mag. In the beginning of 1873, the