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Mr. TALMAGE: Solar Eclipse of December 31, 1861.

was not accurately noticed. It appeared to take place at 1h 45m G.M.T. Soon after the eclipse began, and for some time afterwards, the overlapping surface of the Moon was covered over with a soft grey tint, which terminated on the advancing edge in a narrow band of deep purple. Concurrently with this purple band, there appeared in advance of the Moon's edge, but concentric with it, at a short distance, a bright gleam of light brighter than the solar disk. This light was separated from the Moon's edge by a narrow pale green shadow, which softened into the former. This is also the character of all shadows from objects on our Earth. At 2h the Moon's edge undulated rapidly, while the Sun's edge remained comparatively tranquil. About this time also, the outline of the Moon appeared to form an irregular curvature, bulging out at the edge a, figure 1. This irregularity, however, diminished as the Moon advanced till she reached the central line, when it ceased; but began again to increase from this epoch till it reached a second maximum near the point a', figure 3, at 3h G.M.T. Before this, at 2h 15m, a bright yellow-green light reflected from the Moon's edge and contiguous surface attracted our notice, which not only brought out our satellite in strong relief, but also showed the lunar surface beautifully foreshortened, especially so at 3h 35m. With respect to the apparent undulations of the edges of the Sun and Moon, they were about equal when our satellite reached the line of centres, and at their greatest difference of velocity when she attained the two opposite points a and a', figures 1 and 3. When the Moon reached the middle of the eclipse, as shown in figure 2, and by carefully excluding every ray of direct solar light, the Moon's edge was traceable upwards to a considerable distance from both cusps, as if illuminated by a faint twilight. The conclusion of the eclipse was not seen, owing to the thickness of the sky about that time.

My telescope is a 12-inch Newtonian reflector; the eyepiece I used on the occasion was an inverting one, and the power employed 60 times, which takes all the sun into the field. The projecting glass was a neutral tint, which does not materially affect the appearance of the colour of natural objects.

92, 93 meter observations are put by themselves, as being easier for reference.

At the total immersion of spot (b), it seemed suddenly to blaze forth, and quite a mauve tint was visible all round it. I

have only seen one instance on record of such an occurrence (Hind's Solar System, p. 65). The Moon's limb presented no irregularities. As the obscuration advanced to its greatest phase, a very sensible difference took place in the temperature of the atmosphere. At about 3h 25m M.T. a very cold northeast wind sprung up, and blew for about half an hour-so cold that most of the visitors on the promenade (Promenade des Anglois) returned home, and at the greatest phase only a few gentlemen with coloured glasses were left. At this time, also, Venus shone forth with great brilliancy; Arcturus, Antares, and a Aquila were looked for without success. At 3h 45m, a remarkable phenomenon presented itself on the surface of the Moon there appeared a semicircular streak of red light close to the limb, gradually diminishing to two abrupt points. About this time the landscape had a very peculiar tinge: the mountains at a great distance appeared of a deep blue tinge, and seemed to stand out with unnatural distinctness. Spot (e) was only just grazed by the Moon's limb. The Sun unfortunately setting before the eclipse had ended, we had not an opportunity of observing the time of last contact.

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Fig. 3.

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Time of total immersion of spot (g)

Time of first contact of spot (c) total immersion

Time of first contact of spot (d)

Time of total emersion of spot (c) 3 38 35

3 20 5

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3 21 40

3 24 0

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Mr. BOND: Observations and Elements of Comet III., 1861.
Occultations of Stars by the Moon. Observed by
C. G. Talmage, Esq.

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Mr. H. P. Tuttle, at 3 A.M. Dec. 29th. The following observations and elements have been obtained :

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The following elements have been computed by T. H. Safford, Assistant at the Observatory:—

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* Distance of the perihelion from the ascending node in the direction of motion.

The middle observation is represented as follows:

C-O.

dλ cos B +0.19
δβ
+0'03

The subjoined Ephemeris may, perhaps, be useful for the reduction of observations:

Greenwich M.T.

Apparent R. A.

Apparent N.P.D.

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Observations and Elements of Comet III., 1861. Communicated by G. P. Bond, Director of the Observatory of Harvard College, Cambridge, U.S.

A telescopic comet was discovered at this Observatory by

Minor Planet (9)

The name Olympia has been given to this planet.

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Arthur Cottam, Esq., 1 Whitehall Place;

Wm. Thynne Lynn, Esq., Superintendent of Computers, Royal Observatory, Greenwich;

The Hon. Samuel Cockburne, Governor of Montserrat, West Indies;

George Dollond, Jun., Esq., 59 St. Paul's Churchyard; and Charles Mason, Esq., 16 Queen's Road, Regent's Park, were balloted for and duly elected Fellows of the Society.

After the business was concluded, a Special General Meeting was held for the purpose of electing Miss Sheepshanks an Honorary Member of the Society, which was done accordingly.

Bills:

Brought forward

Strangeways and Co., printers..
J. Basire, engraver.......
Joyce, engraver

C. Frodsham, clock

Insurance (Sun Fire Office).

L. Wyon, medals.

Miscellaneous items:

Charges on books, and carriage of parcels
Postage of Monthly Notices, letters, &c.
Porter's and charwoman's work

415 15

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£ 8. 283 19

d. 2

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Progress and present state of the Society:

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Patroness, and Honorary.

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to the Forty-second Annual General Meeting. IOI, 102 theodolite for horizontal angles only, with extra pair of parallel plates; tripod staff; in which the telescope tube is packed, repeating table; level collimator, with micrometer eyepiece; and Troughton's levelling staff.

Total Fellows.

Associates.

31

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Deceased.......

Removal

February 1862

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The Sheepshanks' collection of instruments, viz.,—

1. 30-inch transit, by Simms, with level and two iron stands.

2. 6-inch transit theodolite, with circles divided on silver; reading microscopes, both for altitude and azimuth; cross and siding levels; magnetic needle; plumbline; portable clamping foot and tripod stand.

3. 4 achromatic telescope, about 5 feet 6 inches focal length; finder, rack motion; double-image micrometer; objectglass micrometer; two other micrometers; one terrestrial and ten astronomical eyepieces, applied by means of two adapters.

4. 34-inch achromatic telescope, with equatoreal stand; double-image micrometer; one terrestrial and three astronomical eyepieces.

5. 24-inch achromatic telescope, with stand; one terrestrial and three astronomical eyepieces.

15. Level collimator, plain diaphragm.

16. 10-inch reflecting circle, by Troughton, with counterpoise stand; artificial horizon, with metallic roof; two tripod stands, one with table for artificial horizon.

17. Hassler's reflecting circle, by Troughton, with counterpoise stand.

18. 6-inch reflecting circle, by Troughton, with two counterpoise stands, one with artificial horizon.

19. 5-inch reflecting circle, by Lenoir.

20. Reflecting circle, by Jecker, of Paris.

21. Box sextant and 3-inch plane artificial horizon.
22. Prismatic. compass.

23. Mountain barometer.
24. Prismatic compass.
25. 5-inch compass.
26. Dipping needle.
27. Intensity needle.
28. Ditto ditto.

29. Box of magnetic apparatus.

30. Hassler's reflecting circle, with artificial horizon roof.

31. Box sextant and 24-inch glass plane artificial horizon.

32. Plane speculum artificial horizon and stand.

33. 24-inch circular level horizon, by Dollond.

34. Artificial horizon roof and trough.

35. Set of drawing instruments, consisting of 6-inch circular protractor; common ditto; 2-foot plotting scale; two beam compasses and small T square.

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6. 2 achromatic telescope, about 30 inches focus; one ter

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restrial and four astronomical eyepieces.

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No. 6, to Rev. J. Cape.

7. 2-foot navy telescope.

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8. 45-inch transit instrument, with iron stand, and also Y's

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for fixing to stone piers; two axis levels.

9. Repeating theodolite, by Ertel, with folding tripod stand. 10. 8-inch pillar-sextant, divided on platinum, with counterpoise stand and horizon roof.

11. Portable zenith instrument, with detached micrometer and eyepiece.

12. 18-inch Borda's repeating circle, by Troughton. 13. 8-inch vertical repeating circle, with diagonal telescope, by Troughton and Simms.

14. A set of surveying instruments, consisting of a 12-inch

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Report of the Council quadrant (said to have been Lacaille's), reported for many years past as being in the possession of the Royal Society.

The Fellows are aware that the Council intend this day to propose, at a Special General Meeting, that the name of Miss Anne Sheepshanks be added to the list of Honorary Members. The splendid present of instruments made by this lady to the Society, and the large endowment by which she has perpetuated the name of her brother and his astronomical pursuits in his own university, most properly call for such acknowledgment as a Society devoted to Astronomy can give. So much might be said in any similar case. But when it is remembered that the brother whose memory is thus affectionately preserved was one of the best friends this Society ever had, equalled only by Francis Baily in the amount of time and labour which he bestowed upon it, and the untiring zeal with which he served it, the Council feel, and are sure the Society at large will also feel, that the duty of acknowledgment will be performed with greater pleasure in that it again connects us with the name of Sheepshanks.

The Council have to announce the receipt of a handsome reversionary gift. Mrs. Hannah Jackson has made over 300l. stock, reserving the dividends during her life, for the promotion of Astronomy by rewards to be given in the name of "Hannah Jackson, née Gwilt." The conditions, including some slight modifications to which Mrs. Jackson at once consented on the suggestion of the Council, are as follows. When the endowment takes effect, the accumulations of income, for any term not exceeding seven years, are, at the discretion of the Council, to be from time to time given in the form of a medal, or of money, or both, to the writer of any astronomical work or memoir, the inventor or improver of any astronomical instrument, the discoverer of any new heavenly body, or the promoter in any other way of the science of Astronomy. The Council invite the Fellows to return thanks to Mrs. Jackson, not only for this very munificent gift, but for the judgment. shown in allowing the mode of employment to be unfettered by any restrictions which might possibly diminish its utility.

The Council have awarded the Gold Medal to Mr. Warren De La Rue, for his astronomical researches, and especially for his application of Photography. The President will, in the usual way, explain the grounds of this award in detail: but the Council cannot help remarking that this public recognition of the success of chemical delineation of celestial objects may be an important date in the history of Astronomy. No discovery of our day affords a more hopeful field of anticipation than that of photography, which seems destined to take that part in the astronomy of visual phenomena which graduated instruments have taken in the astronomy of motions and positions.

The volume of Memoirs will shortly appear. It contains two papers only, these are, first, a Memoir On the Lunar Theory, by Sir J. W. Lubbock, Bart., of which an abstract was published in the Monthly Notices, January 1861. The memoir relates chiefly to the comparison and discussion of the numerical values of the coefficients of the several inequalities as given by M. Plana and M. de Pontécoulant, and in the American Tables, Washington, 1853; but it contains also theoretical investigations in relation to the acceleration and to certain long inequalities. Secondly, Observations on Donati's Comet-Sketches and Notes by Messrs. Lassell, Dawes, and Webb, Prof. Challis, the Astronomer Royal, and Mr. De La Rue. The paper is drawn up by Mr. Carrington. It is illustrated by eight plates.

Pursuant to the Report of a Committee on Income and Expenditure, it has been arranged that the ballot for printing of

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the papers intended for the Memoirs is to be deferred until the Council Meeting in June in each year, when a scheme of the whole volume for the year is to be submitted to the Council. The final decision upon papers provisionally approved of for the Memoirs is by this regulation deferred until the June Meeting.

The Council have thought it in the interest of the Society to prepare an Index of the Memoirs, and to offer sets for sale at a considerably reduced price. The scarcity of parts of the two first volumes has necessitated a considerable difference in the price of complete sets, and sets wanting vols. 1 and 2. The sales have not been very numerous at present, but (in whatever number effected), they tend to diminish the dead stock, to disseminate the writings and conclusions of astronomers, and thereby directly to promote the objects of the Society, assist its funds, and increase the number of those interested in the subject.

It will hardly be necessary to inform the Meeting that the Council thought it their duty to present an Address of heartfelt condolence to Her Majesty, the Patroness of the Society, on the lamented death of the Prince Consort. Our history has never offered an occasion of the kind in which such addresses have been so thoroughly real and genuine. The country has felt for the Queen as if she had been a member of every family in the kingdom; and every useful institution mourns the loss of a real friend in the good and able Prince Albert.

The Society has to regret the loss by death of George Bishop, Esq.; Sir W. Cubitt; T. F. Ellis, Esq.; Dr. Fitton; T. Forster, Esq.; Sir W. K. Murray; General Sir Charles Pasley; W. Wilson, Esq.; M. Daussy; and M. Biot.

GEORGE BISHOP was born at Leicester, August 21, 1785. From the age of eighteen he lived in London, employed in the well-known business to which he eventually succeeded. By this he added to his patrimony and became very wealthy, as do many others who well deserve the praise of serving their country in the way which they choose of serving themselves. But Mr. Bishop had also a strong love of science, and an earnest but very quiet desire of making his tastes useful, and investing some of his money in a way which would produce a higher return than can be measured by per-centage. Astronomy was a particular object of interest to him, and to obtain knowledge of it he cultivated mathematics to a greater extent than would have been supposed likely. When nearly fifty years of age, at the time when the firm establishment of his business made him feel a right to relaxation, he made a very serious study of mathematics, and mastered enough of the Mécanique Céleste to obtain a perfect idea of the nature of the great problems of astronomy. His conversation never gave any idea of his knowledge in this and other matters: he listened more than he talked, and was not communicative about himself or his plans.

He had always had a great wish to possess an Observatory, but never had the opportunity until he removed his residence to South Villa, in the Regent's Park. The Observatory was erected in 1836. Mr. Bishop was from the beginning well aware that by far the most important part of an astronomical instrument is the astronomer. This is the foundation of the true theory of an instrument; and the Chaldean shepherd, with no lens except that of the eye, added more to the knowledge of the heavens than all the unused telescopes put together. Mr. Bishop, knowing that his own leisure would never suffice to work an observatory, determined that what he could not do others should. From the beginning this was his

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