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THE PLANETS FOR JANUARY.

Mercury may be seen in the morning at the beginning of the month, rising about half past six o'clock.

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Dec.

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Ist .R. A. 17 31 31 15th 5" 2 Venus, now approaching superior conjunction, is not well situated for observation; Mars and Jupiter also are too near the sun to be favourably observed.

Saturn may now be seen to some advantage in the early morning, rising at the beginning of the month at half past two o'clock, and about an hour earlier at the end of January; passing the meridian before daybreak.

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Dec.

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Ist R. A. 14 34 32 Diameter 14" 6 15th 15" 4 Dimensions of Ring: Outer Major Axis, 37"; Outer Minor Axis, 12"'5 Uranus is well situated for observation throughout the night. 5th R. A. 665

17th

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Neptune may be seen in the evening, passing the meridian a little before six o'clock at the beginning, and about four o'clock in the afternoon at the end of the month.

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The following are the Minor Planets which will arrive at opposition this month: full particulars will be found in the Supplement to the Nautical Almanac for 1869.

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LUNAR MAPS.-A Correspondent writes :

"Beer and Mädler's German map of the Moon, Berlin, 1834, in four sheets, may be obtained through David Nutt, 270, Strand. The publishers are Simon Schropp and Co., the title, Mappa Selenographica, and the price, I believe, of the four sheets, 16s., at least that was the quotation to me.-The small map, or General Karte, may be obtained through the same channel, price 28.-Lohrmann's Sections through the same, price 24s.-Lohrmann's Map may be obtained through Bumpus of Holborn Bars, price 148."

CELESTIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.-A very interesting and important communication on this subject, with illustrations of the instruments employed, by Mr A. Brothers of Manchester, has reached us, but unfortunately too late for the present number, as at Christmas time the printers make holiday to some little extent. It will receive our best attention in our next.

INSTRUMENTS, &c., FOR SALE.

These Notices, which are restricted to three lines each, are inserted free of charge to subscribers: applications respecting prices and other particulars to be made to the Editor, with a stamped envelope for reply, without which no answer can be sent.-For Advertisements with prices and more complete details, a small charge will be made.

N. B.-It is particularly requested that we may be informed when instruments are disposed of, in order that the notice may be withdrawn, and fruitless applications prevented.

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Achromatic Refractor, 7in. aperture, 9ft. focus, by Troughton & Simms; 5 celestial and I terrestrial eye-pieces; on large garden Equatorial stand, with patent steadying rods, &c. [54] Achromatic Refractor, 5 ft. 3 in. focus, 4 in. aperture, by Cooke & Sons; finder, 2 in. aperture, 3 eye-pieces, illuminating apparatus, &c., but no stand; price low. Achromatic Refractor, 3 in. aperture, 42. in. focus, 4 eye-pieces, finder, &c. Equatorially mounted. Achromatic Refractor, 4 ft. focus, 23 in. aperture, 3 pancratic eye-pieces, powers 60 to 200, with pillar and claw, and garden tripod stand. [61] Achromatic Refractor, 2 in. aperture, 42 in. focus, on tall tripod, finder, 5 astronomical and I terrestrial eye-pieces, sun shades, and illuminating mirror for transit wires, in mahogany case. [62] Achromatic Refractor, 28 in. clear aperture, 42 in. focus, one day and one night eye-pieces, on tall tripod stand. Of first rate defining power. [72] Gregorian Reflector, 4in. aperture, 2ft. focal length, by Dollond, 4 powers, 50 to 200, finder, &c., complete; on massive brass table stand. [63] Silvered Glass Speculum, 12 in.; ditto, 8 in.; and metal speculum, 8 in.; the two latter, 6 ft. 6 in. focal length, are fitted with tubes, &c.

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[66] Specula, (unmounted) of a Newtonian Telescope. The large metal, 6 in. aperture, 66 in. focus, divides 7 Coronæ perfectly, and strongly elongates y Andromedæ. [64] Transit Instrument, 5 ft. focus, 3 in. aperture, Ys fitted with agates, for mounting on stone piers. [29] Equatorial Stand, adapted for a 5 or 6ft. telescope: 13in. circles divided on silver, reading to 10" of space and 4s. of time.—Has never been used. Improved Varley Stand, with rackwork movements, adapted for a telescope of 5 or 6 ft. focus: fixed upon a circular turn-table, so as to be easily pointed in any direction. Polar Axis of mahogany, 7ft. long, adapted for a 4ft. telescope, with 12in. circles, reading to minutes. Speculum Grinding Apparatus, capable of working a 7ft. speculum with tube and fittings for a 9in. Newtonian. : Brass Orrery and Tellurium, (one or both) designed by and formerly the property of the late Dr Pearson, and purchased by the present owner at his sale of instruments in 1853. [59] Recreative Science: complete in numbers, half-price. [30]

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ACH

CHROMATIC REFRACTOR, 3 in. aperture, 42 in. focus, four eye-pieces, transit eye-piece, sun-glasses, finder, dew-cap. Equatorially mounted, with circles reading by microscopes to 2 seconds of time and 10 seconds of arc; level, rack, and clamps in R. A. and Dec., &c. Price £34. 0[67]

TO BE SOLD, the owner being about to mount a much larger

instrument, a 12 in. SILVERED GLASS SPECULUM; an 8 in. ditto ditto; and an 8 in. Metal ditto. The two latter are fitted with tubes and finders, and are 6 ft. 6 in. in focal length; the 12 in. is unmounted, and its focal length is 10 ft. 4 in. These Specula are all of them guaranteed to be of the finest quality, and will be disposed of at a very moderate price. N[66]

10 BE SOLD, an excellent 8 in. SILVERED GLASS SPECUtube: also a Flat Mirror. The Mirror will be sold cheap, the advertiser intending to set up a larger instrument. The Speculum will easily divide Zeta Cancri, and occasionally Gamma 2 Andromeda.-Apply to W. Matthews, Hill House, Gorleston, Yarmouth.

INSTRUMENTS, &c., WANTED.

Wanted, a Transit Instrument, 18 or 24 in. focus, 2 in. aperture. Apply to John Stead, Stanwix, near Carlisle. [71] Equatorial Stand, Wanted-adapted for a 5 ft. Refractor, with graduated circles; second hand, at a moderate price. [35] Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.-The third Volume wanted a good price will be given. [ 26 ] Celestial Globe wanted, not less than 18 in. in diameter, with the necessary circles, for a small observatory. Address, Mr Cuming, Workhouse, Williton, Somerset. Astronomical Clock, wanted immediately; not necessary to be a very first class one, therefore the price must be low. [65] Map of the Moon-a copy of the German edition of Beer and Madler's large map wanted.

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THE "EARTH'S" ROTATION ON ITS AXIS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ASTRONOMICAL REGISTER. Mr Editor,-Would you oblige me by putting the following question in your biggest types :

How many times does the Earth turn on its axis in the course of a year?"

It was asked me by an individual powerful in argument against the Moon's rotation, and I answered unguardedly "Why, 365 times." "6. Then," said he, triumphantly, "the moon does not rotate, for the earth turns to its centre, the sun, 365 times in the course of a year, or one revolution round it, while the moon, in one revolution round its centre, the earth, does not turn to it at all!" Being staggered at this, I ventured to observe, timidly, that the rotation of the earth might perhaps be referred to the stars, in which case it would be 366 times. "In that case," he replied, "the earth does not go round the sun!" This astonishing assertion caused me to retire from the contest for the time, resolving, in order to be prepared for the next attack of my friend, to put the above question by means of your periodical. I am, Mr Editor, Yours to command, December, 1865. A VICTIM TO THE MOON CONTROVERSY.

London:

THE PRESIDENT's Soirée.-Mr De La Rue's announcement that he intends holding another Reception at Willis's Rooms on the 17th instant, will be received with gratification, both by those who have a pleasant recollection of the last meeting, and by others to whom the pleasure is to come.

ASTRONOMICAL REGISTER.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS-Names received since our last number.
Backhouse, T. W. Esq., West Hendon House, Sunderland.
Briggs, Miss, Saville Place, Halifax.

Cundell, G. S. Esq., Clarence Road, Clapham Park, S.
Harris, J. W. Esq., F.R.A.S., 45, Southernhay, Exeter.
Heineken, Rev. N. S., Sidmouth.

Kevan, P. Esq., 12, Acresfield, Bolton.

Radford, Dr., Sidmouth.

Rump, H. R. Esq., Wells next the Sea, Norfolk.

Smith, Walter, Esq. 43, St Stephen's Street, Salford.

ASTRONOMICAL REGISTER-Subscriptions received by the Editor.

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In order to save the expense of Postage, Subscriptions, as a rule, are acknowledged in the number of the Register for the month following that in which they are received, if not sent later than the 20th, after which they will be acknowledged in the next following number.

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CORRESPONDENTS.

Several communications are unavoidably postponed.

Received Scientia Scientiarum, and Astronomy of the Old World, by Mr Reddie-Researches on Solar Physics, by Mr De La Rue and others-Leyton Astronomical Observations-the Journal du Ciel-and Astronomy without Mathematics, by Mr Denison.

The Editor regrets that, owing to other engagements, he is not always able to answer letters by return of post, and trusts that correspondents will not ascribe it to any neglect of their communications; he generally answers letters on the subject of the Register at the end of the week.

ERRATA.-The Rev. N. S. Heineken of Sidmouth requests us to make the following corrections in the report of the Astronomer Royal's description of Abraham Sharp's quadrant :-Register, Vol. 3, p. 280, line 5, for ‘until lately read 'until about forty years since.' Line 6, for 'Hunken' read 'Heineken.' Line 8, for 'in pieces' read 'taken to pieces for convenience of carriage.'

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, MRS.GORTON, Stamford Villa, Downs Road, Clapton, N.E., not later than the 15th of the month.

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