the spectrum where HUGGINS said the aqueous vapor lines were stronger in Mars than in the Moon, VOGEL said no difference could be detected by him; and in the case of the vapor lines in another place in the spectrum, which VOGEL said were stronger in Mars than in the Moon, HUGGINS did not detect any difference. The two distinguished observers did not agree with each other in even a single point. "As stated above, the 1894 results were arrived at entirely by visual methods. The past winter, Professor KEELER and I, working independently, repeated my 1894 work, using the photographic method. We photographed the spectrum of Mars and the Moon when these bodies had equal altitudes. After a few trials, it was easy to determine the exposure time necessary to make the two photographic images of the same density. When the negatives were developed, it remained only to compare the spectra to detect any differences that might exist. Neither Professor KEELER nor I was able to detect the slightest difference between the spectrum of Mars and that of the Moon. (It should be said that the aqueous vapor lines most studied by the various observers lie in the yellow and orange of the spectrum, and to record them photographically it was necessary to use orthochromatic plates. The oxygen lines lie wholly, so far as we know, in the red, and could not be photographed satisfactorily. The investigation applies, therefore, only to the aqueous vapor lines.) "Professor KEELER considered that if the Moon moved from the zenith down to an altitude less than forty-five degrees, its spectrum underwent appreciable changes: the vapor lines were the stronger in the lower position of the Moon. My estimate of the sensitiveness of the method was practically the same, or a trifle less, than KEELER'S. Now, the length of path in our atmosphere traversed by the Moon's rays, when at an altitude of forty-five degrees, is forty per cent. longer than when the Moon is in the zenith. Again we confirmed my visual results of 1894, since I then found that twenty-five to fifty per cent. increase in the length of path produced an appreciable change in the spec Recalling that the light coming to us from Mars has passed twice, either completely or partially, through that planet's atmosphere, we arrive again at the result that the water-vapor there is not more than one fourth as extensive as on the Earth. (In speaking of extensiveness,' I mean the absolute quantity of vapor above a given area—a square mile, for example — of the planet's surface.) "Having been led, by the observations of 1894, to take the unpopular side of the question, viz: the oxygen and water-vapor (or some other vapor analagous to water-vapor) in Mars' atmosphere are of slight amount, probably not more than one fourth as extensive as on the Earth, I may be pardoned for saying it is a pleasure to have so able and conscientious an observer as Professor KEELER write: No doubt you are entirely correct on the water-vapor question.' "Assuming that the chemical constituents exist in the same proportions in the Earth's and Mars' atmospheres - we cannot say that they do what would be the density of Mars' atmosphere at the planet's surface? If there is not more than one fourth as much atmosphere above a square mile on Mars as there is above the same area on the Earth, its density at the surface of the planet would be less than one eighth the density of our air at sea level; that is, it would be less than half as dense as the atmosphere at the summit of Mt. Everest. Such being the case, the conditions of life on the two planets would no longer be comparable. Astronomers would wisely turn the question of life on our neighboring planet over to the physiologists for solution; and possibly the latter would wisely hand it over to the domain of pure speculation for the present."-From the S. F. Chronicle, April 25, 1897. MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECtors, President HUSSEY presided. A quorum was present. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The following members were duly elected: LIST OF MEMBERS ELECTED MARCH 27, 1897. The following resolution was, on motion, adopted: WHEREAS, On the 12th day of January, 1891, the sum of $70.89 was paid out of the Alexander Montgomery Library Fund for sixty Comet-Medals, which amount should have been paid out of the DONOHOE Comet-Medal Fund; Be it resolved, That the Treasurer be instructed to transfer said sum of $70 89 from the DONOHOE Comet-Medal Fund to the Alexander Montgomery Library Fund. [*] The Library Committee presented its report, as follows, and the report was, on motion, adopted and filed: SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., March 27, 1897. Board of Directors, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, San Francisco, California:GENTLEMEN-At your meeting of January 30, 1897, the following resolutions were adopted: 'WHEREAS, The Society possesses a considerable number of valuable books and periodicals that are still unbound; and "WHEREAS, A considerable portion of the income from the Alexander Montgomery Library Fund remains unexpended; be it therefore "Resolved, That the unexpended portion of the accrued interest from this fund be expended: "1. For bindings for valuable unbound books and periodicals already in the possession of the Society; and then, if any portion of this income remains unexpended, "2. For the purchase of additional astronomical books and periodicals; and be it further * It seems proper to say here that the medals in question were bought in Paris, in 1890, by the Chairman of the Comet-Medal Committee. They could not be paid for from the principal of the medal-fund (which can not be impaired), nor from its interest (which was not sufficient). Accordingly, on December 15, 1890, the Chairman wrote to the Treasurer of the Society (Mr. MOLERA) to request that their cost be defrayed, provided the Directors approved, from the General Fund (not the Library Fund). EDWARD S. HOLDEN. "Resolved, That the President and Library Committee be authorized to carry these provisions into effect." We beg to report, that by virtue of the authority granted by the above resolutions, we have examined with care the unbound books, periodicals, and pamphlets in possession of the society, and have prepared and sent to the binders 101 volumes. We have delivered these books to the Hicks-Judd Company, 23 First Street, San Francisco, for binding. Their schedule of prices for this work is given in their letters of March 13, 1897, which are appended to, and made a part of, this report. In the case of periodicals and works issued in parts, we have found that numbers are sometimes missing. Such volumes have not been sent to the binders. We have written to some of our exchanges for missing numbers; we have ordered the missing numbers of the Astronomische Nachrichten from Dr. KREUTZ, Kiel, Germany, the remaining parts of PROCTOR'S Old and New Astronomy, from Messrs. LONGmans, Green & Co., 15 East 16th St., New York City. From Prof. W. W. PAYNE, Northfield, Minn., we have ordered] Vol. 1 of the Sidereal Messenger, to complete our set, and Vols. 1 to 5, inclusive (the last to be sent as issued), of Popular Astronomy, The Society already has Vols. 95 to 128 of the Astronomische Nachrichten. We have ordered the first ninety-four volumes of this important periodical from F. A. BROCKHAUS, Leipzig, Germany, at a cost (our offer) of $300. We have directed all bills to be sent to the Secretary of the Society in San Francisco. We have arranged our orders so as to leave a sufficient balance of the funds available to cover freight and other charges that may yet arise in connection with our purchases. I wish to go on record that the ninety-four vols., A. N., were bought without my knowledge, and I would not have consented to such a large expenditure. C. B. MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASTRONOMICAL A quorum The meeting was called to order by President HUSSEY. was present. The minutes of the last meeting were approved. The Secretary read the names of new members duly elected at the Directors' meeting. The following papers were presented: I. Address of the retiring President, by Prof. W. J. Hussey. 2. Reports of Committees: on Nominations; on the Comet-Medal; on Auditing; and Annual Report of the Treasurer. 3. Astronomical Observations made in 1895, by Mr. TORVALD Köhl, of Odder, Denmark. 4. Predictions for the Solar Eclipse of July 29, 1897, for Mt. Hamilton and San Francisco, by Mr. C. D. PERRINE. 5. Planetary Phenomena for May and June, 1897, by Prof. M. McNeill, of Lake Forest, Illinois. 6. Ephemeris for physical observations of the Moon for certain dates between 1890 and 1895, by A. MARTH, F. R. A. S., of Markree, Ireland. The Committee on Nominations reported a list of names proposed for election as Directors, as follows: Messrs. ALVORD, HOLDEN, Molera, Morse, Perrine, Pierson, Seares, St. John, Von Geldern, ZIEL, and Miss O'HALLORAN. For Committee on Publication: Messrs. HOLDEN, BABCOCK, Aitken. Messrs. BURCKhalter and BRASCH were appointed as tellers. The polls were open from 8:15 to 9 P.M. After counting the ballots, the tellers announced that the following persons had received a majority of the votes cast, namely: For Directors-Messrs. ALVORD, HOLDEN, Molera, Morse, Perrine, Pierson, SEARES, ST. JOhn, Von Geldern, ZIEL, and Miss O'HALLORAN. For Committee on Publication-Messrs. HOLDEN, BABCOCK, AITKEN. The Chairman declared these persons duly elected, to serve for the ensuing year. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE COMET-MEDAL, SUBMITTED MARCH 27, 1897. This report relates to the calendar year 1896. The comets of 1896 have been: Comet a (unexpected comet), discovered by Mr. C. D. Perrine, Assistant Astronomer in the Lick Observatory, on February 15th. Comet b: (unexpected comet), discovered by Dr. LEWIS SWIFT, Director of the Lowe Observatory, on April 13th. Comet c (periodic comet), 1889 V (BROOKS), re-discovered by M. JAVELLE, Astronomer of the Observatory of Nice, on June 20th. Comet d: (unexpected comet), discovered by Mr. W. E. SPERRA, of Randolph, Ohio, on August 31st. Comet e (unexpected comet), discovered by M. E. GIACOBINI, Assistant Astronomer of the Observatory of Nice, on September 4th. Comet f: (unexpected comet), discovered by Mr. C. D. PERRINE, Assistant Astronomer in the Lick Observatory, on November 2d. Comet g (unexpected comet), discovered by Mr. C. D. PERRINE, Assistant Astronomer in the Lick Observatory, on December 8th. On September 21st, two comets were reported by Dr. Lewis Swift, Director of the Lowe Observatory. As no positions of these objects were secured elsewhere, they have not been included in the list of comets for the year. The Comet-Medal has been awarded to the discoverers of Comets a, b, d, e, f, g, in accordance with the regulations. Respectfully submitted, EDWARD S. HOLDEN, Committee on the Comet-Medal. |