Mercury is excellently situated for observation in th rising at the beginning of the month, nearly two hours befor the interval decreasing to twenty-one minutes at the end of th Venus rises at the beginning of the month, about half-anthe sun, the interval increasing. Towards the middle of the will be worth observing.

Jupiter rises at the beginning of the month five hours and sunset, the interval decreasing.

Saturn sets earlier each day, the interval varying from fou three hours and a quarter after sunset.

THE STABILITY OF THE UNIVERSE.

Should the rotation of the earth on its axis be inc five seconds of time in twenty-four hours all the time-keepers watch-towers of the world would proclaim the fact-all the s fail to keep their appointed meridian transits, and would, in with the great orbs of light, linger in their nocturnal march. ing out in the heavens of a thousand fiery comets in a single n produce no such mortal terror to the astronomer, as this falling of the mighty sphere of the starry universe for one single twenty-four hours, for it would speak the doom of the un announcing that God's right arm was growing heavy, and his o will was commencing to stagger under the weight of ten millio ing worlds. Should such an event ever occur-should the time when indeed those shining sentinels in the high heavens sho keep their appointed vigils—when the astronomer shall look

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247

through the "optic tube" for the coming of the faithful star which, prompt to the thousandth of a single second, has traversed his meridian line, and, lo! the star lingers in its journey, seconds ebb slowly away and merge into minutes, and at last the star appears, no matter if with its wonted beauty, the astronomer stands aghast, and well may he tremble, for the powers of the heavens are smitten, and God is deserting the universe which sprang into being at his divine command. Human confidence and faith would be gone for ever, and no remedy could avail to rectify the wrong.

We have no fears that our confidence will ever be thus rudely shaken, not because we believe nature and her laws to be eternal, not because we believe that this stupendous mechanism endured from all eternity-for even then, after countless revolutions, a fault, an anomaly, a failure in the series of sequences might occur, and, with its terrific utterance, announce the possible running doom or destruction of the mechanism, but because I believe that God, the Eternal, All-wise, Incomprehensible, created and now sustains all things by the word of his power; it is because of God's eternity that we dwell in simple trust upon an unshaken order and a purpose to be achieved.-From The Astronomy of the Bible. By the late Professor and General O. M. Mitchel, U.S, formerly Director of the Cincinnati and Dudley Observatories.

The New Planet No. 114 has been named Cassandra.

STRONOMICAL CURIOSITY.-A Chart showing all the

AS

324,000 stars in Argelander's series of forty full-sheet Charts, or twice the number counted by Sir William and Sir John Herschel in their famous star-gauges. Drawn by R. A. Proctor, B.A., F.R.A.S., and photographed by A. Brothers, F.R.A.S., eleven inches in diameter. Also, a Key-map of the same size, photolithographed, with Letter-press description. Price, 6s. 6d., free by post.-A. BROTHERS, 14, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.

R

UTHERFORD'S PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE MOON. Negatives of three of the most perfect of these acknowledged masterpieces, showing the moon half full (first and last quarters) and full, having been placed at Mr. Brothers' disposal, he purposes (having obtained Mr. Rutherford's permission) to publish enlarged Copies in a HANDSOME FOLIO VOLUME, with about 100 pages of Letter-press Introduction, by Mr. Proctor.

The enlarged Photographs, eleven inches in diameter, form pictures of very great beauty, the detail of the Moon's surface being shown more clearly (and of course more truthfully) than in any maps of equal size hitherto published.

Planispheres of the Moon will be given in the Introduction, showing the real shape, and the relative dimensions of the various lunar features.

Price (handsomely bound) to Subscribers, £1 11s. 6d. ; afterwards, £2 2s.

Subscribers' names may be forwarded to A. BROTHERS, 14, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.

NOTE.-The Work will not be published unless Names are received in sufficient number to cover cost of production.

September 21, 1871. Subscriptions after this date in our next.

Instruments, &c., For Sale or Wanted.

These Notices, which must in all cases be paid for in advance, are inserted at the rate of One Shilling for Twenty Words or under; half-price only will be charged upon repetition, if no alteration is required. When the address is not given, application may be made to the Editor, with a stamped envelope for reply, without which no answer can be sent.-The Notice will be withdrawn should the payment not be renewed.

For Sale by Auction, at Kilkenny House, Bath, on the 13th day of September, inst., at Twelve o'clock, by the direction of the Executors of the late Capt. R. W. H. Hardy, R.N.

AN

N ASTRONOMICAL NEWTONIAN REFLECTING TELESCOPE. Speculum 12 inches in diameter, 12 feet focus, equatorially mounted, circular iron body, with clockwork of sidereal time. In complete working order.

TWO SMALLER DITTO, in wooden bodies.

PORTABLE

ALTITUDE AND AZIMUTH or TRANSIT INSTRUMENT, by Hague, of Bath. Quite new.

PATENT ATMOSPHERIC self-winding astronomical CLOCK, with improved gravity escapement, mercurial pendulum, jewelled in 6 holes. By Horstmann, of Bath.

FOR SALE.-Telescope, equatorially mounted, by Slugg, of

Manchester, 3 inches aperture, 5ft. 2 in. focus. With 3 Eyepieces, Diagonal Reflecting Prism, &c., in oak case.

THI

BEDFORD CATALOGUE.-Wanted, a copy of "Smyth's Cycle of Celestial Objects," in fair condition.

CHEAP OBSERVATORY.-Wanted, a cheap Observatory

POTTER, Esq., 9, King Street, East, Toronto.

LARGE DOUBLE TELESCOPE Wanted with stand

complete, in good condition. Address, H., Pall Mall Club, S.W.

State maker, focal length, and price asked.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

In answer to a Correspondent, we prefer to receive subscriptions in January and June.

We have received an interesting pamphlet, entitled "Notes on Eclipse Photography," by Mr. A. Brothers, describing minutely the photographic apparatus used at Syracuse; published for the benefit of those who wish to take part in the observation of the eclipse in December.

We are obliged to defer several interesting papers for want of space. Our Subscribers are requested to take notice that in future Post Office Orders for the Editor are to be made payable to JOHN C. JACKSON, at Lower Clapton, London, E.

The Astronomical Register is intended to appear at the commencement of each month; the Subscription (including Postage) is fixed at Three Shillings per Quarter, payable in advance, by postage stamps or otherwise.

The pages of the Astronomical Register are open to all suitable communications. Letters, Articles for insertion, &c., must be sent to the Editor, Parnham House, Pembury Road, Clapton, E., not later than the 15th of the Month.

The Astronomical Register.

No. 107.

NOVEMBER.

1871.

NOTES ON THE WONDERS AND BEAUTIES OF THE STARRY HEAVENS.

BY C. GROVER, ASSISTANT TO JOHN BROWNING, Esq., F.R.A.S.

No. 4. THE CONSTELLATION LYRÆ.

About 20 north-east of Vega, we find a small star, which is perhaps better known and oftener observed than many of the greater lights of the firmament. This is Epsilon Lyræ, generally rated as of the 4th magnitude, but owing to its proximity to the brilliant α, it appears of considerably smaller magnitude. This simple effect of contrast is particularly apparent on some of our dark winter nights, especially if we compare our object with a few other stars, registered as of the same magnitude, but situated in parts of the heavens far removed from any brilliant neighbour. Attentive examination shows something about this star quite sufficient to attract attention, in fact, the naked eye shows this star irregular, elongated or notched, and, in the case of some few persons, gifted with visual organs of exceptional power, even separated; this is, however, but rare, and the amateur, who can distinctly elongate this star without optical aid, has no reason to be disappointed; the smallest telescope, or even an opera glass, shows it as a widely separated and nearly equal pair of stars, known as 4 and 5, Lyrae, & being the most northerly star of the pair. A moderate increase of optical power suffices to exhibit each of these as a very interesting and neat pair, thus constituting what is familiarly known as the double-double or quadruple star in Lyræ, discovered by Herschel, in 1779.

The observer will at once remark the points of resemblance between these two pairs, the components of E4 being 5 and 6, and those of ε 5 and 5 magnitudes respectively. There is also an absence of the strongly

VOL. IX.