The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-24 00:00:00

J UPITER' S 310 ON S.

The disappearance of all the four moons of Ju-
piter on Wednesday night proved an object of at-
traction to all astronomers, because of the rarity
of the phenomenon, not because it was of any prac-
tical astronomical value. From the number of
clouds about the evening proved very unfavourable.
At Twickenham Observatory Mr. J. R. Hind,
F.R.A.S., watched for the disappearance of each
moon, but did not see the phenomenon in any single
instance. Several times after the moons had dis-
appeared, Jupiter was seen apparently without his
satellites, through openings in the clouds, the great
length of time the disappearance lasted apparently
from 10.4 p.m. to 11.49 p.m., favouring observers
in this respect. Wheu the phenomenon was pre-
viously seen, on the 27th September, 1813, Jupiter
appeared without satellites only from 11.53 p.m. to
12.28 a.m. The little observatory at Twickenham,
whence several gazers saw what they could of the
apparent less of the moons on Wednesday night, is
very pleasantly situated on the opposite side of the
Thames, from the Star and Garter Hotel, on
Richmond Hill. Originally the observatory stood
in Regent's Park, but in 1863 it was moved to
its present position, where it now remains,
the property of Mr. George Bishop, F.R.G.S.
The principal work done at the observatory is the
mapping of the positions of large numbers of the
fixed stars, in order to form charts to assist in the
discovery of planets. On turning the telescope to
a part of the heavens which has previously been
mapped, and finding an orb there not laid down in
the charts, the probability is that the new body is a
planet. In this way, at Twickenham Observatory,
Mr. Hind has discovered no fewer than ten new
little planets, on the following dates August
13, 1847 ; Flora, October 18, 1817 ; Victoria, Sep-
tember 13, 1850 ; Irene, May 19, 1851 ; Melpo-
mene, June 24, 1852 ; Fortuna, August 22, 1852 ;
Calliope, November 16, 1852 ; Thalia, December
15, 1852 ; Euterpe, November 8, 1853 ; and
Urania, July 22, 1854. An assistant at the obser-
vatory, Mr. A. Marth, discovered the planet Am-
phitrite, March 1, 1854. There are no fewer than
75 little planets like these between Mars and Jupiter,
the largest of them probably not more than 480
miles in diameter. The other special work of this
useful observatory is the observation of some of the
double stars, and their motions with regard to each
other. There is an instrument there of low power
and large aperture, made for the purpose of sweep-
ing the heavens with rapidity, for the discovery of
new comets, and this gave additional good views of
Jupiter on Wednesday. The large equatorial tele-
scope, which does most of the work, has an object-
glass 7 inches in diameter. This, according to
modern notions, is not a very large instrument, but
it has done good service in its time.

COTTRSEfr OF EXCHANGE.--Last Evening.

Amsterdam Short. 11 181. 11 19
Ditto 3 Months. 12 0 12 Of
Rotterdam
Antwerp — 25 371 25 42f
Brussels
Hamburg — 13 lit 13 101-.
Paris Short 25 15 25 25
Ditto 3 Months. 25 321 25 37}
Marseilles
`r.erankfori on the Maine 1201 1201
Tienna — 12 721 12 85
A rieste s 12 75 12 8 i
l'etersburgli - 31 31i ,
Berlin
Madrid . — 49
491
Cadiz
49} 49}
Leghorn
litilan
Genoa — 27 22k 27 30
Naples — 27 22k 27 30
Palermo
Messina
Lisbon — 511 52
Oporto — 51 52

Foreign Iklail racket fiat.

MAILS DUE.

rtairasmeilal
..........
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Baen)s Ayres, and Monte Video Sept. 13
VI: . ••••••• ......... •••
BraziiiiF Sept. 3.
Ditto, by French packet
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Cape of Good Hope, Asoension, and at. lielena.... Sept. 27.
China, Penang. and Singapore, via Southampton..Se_ t. 7.
.Ditto, via Marstilles
Falkland Islands Lept. 3
J.braliar, via Southampton..
India. via Southampton ...... ... • „.. ......... Sept. 7.
Ditto, vl a Marseil es . ..................... ...Sept. 5.
Malta, li:opt,
Ditto, M Art 3, tiles... ........................... Sept.. 6
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Southampton ................................... Sept. 19.
Ditt', via Miami lea .......................... Sept. :3.
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Ditto, by private ship to Oporto
D.tto ditto to Lisbon
United States, Canada, California, .te,:, by British
packet ............................... Aug. 28.
Ditto, by United States packet
Ditto ditto (New York
D.tto ditto (New York)
Ditto ditto (Baltimore)
Ditto, by Canadian packet lug ' so'
West Coast at Afriea, Madeira, and Teneriff.s s pi: :I .
West Indies and Pacific (except Mexieo and Balla- '-'-
. __

.. _ _
mas) ...... . ................................... Aug. 23.
Cubs and Mexico... Aug. 28.
•13ahamas, via New York
Bermuda, via ditto u„,
_,_.o __ . ~Aug. 28,