The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-13
High Honors Paid by the Royal Astro-
nomical Society Of London to
American Astronomers.
RECENTLY DISCOVERED STARS.
The Works and Achievements OF
the MedalliSts.

8EEOTQeQ
Economical society OF London In their monthly
notices inst received by mail we have, first, note
Of tbe discovery during the year or five more as
xeroids four OF the i've by Peters aud Watson;
then we nave full notice OF the work going on be-
tween our astronomers in the United states and
those IN England Tor some time past, as our read
ers know; the Geographic announcements OF as
Economical discoveries, work inau9uraled ~
Professor Henry and proposed TO the Smithsonian
Institution by Professor Peters, or Clinton N i. !;
next. a nigh commentator OF the washington
star Catalogue OF 900 stars, the work OF Pro-
lessor Yarna, for the United states Naval observ-
sfOry, and then the invoking OF sneclal attention
nv the Council 10 the beautiful collection
OF pictoral illustrations OF astronom cal
pnenomena.r published by Winlock OF iar-
ward This is followed by a notice OF the OBJ
seryarions and star photographs made at
the Cordoba Observatory OF the Argentine Repub-
Ia under the dictatorship OF DR. b. A. Could
somcilec only at Cordoba. but whose astronomi-
cal lame and residence are familiar TO all as Ameri
can, and by an account OF the success OF our anna
teur observer, Burnham, OF Chicago. in the discov
cry OF double stars. The whole is closed by an
ADDRESS OF rhe President, Cayey, occupying ten
pages in eulogizing the works OF simon Newcomb,
Q professor in the United States NAVY.
AZ REGARDS ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERY IN OUR
It is indeed worth remembering that Bond, OF Har-
ward, gave new satellite to saturn Teceiying for
this and for his observations OF Donati's comet in
1860 q gold medal from this same society Miss
Mitchell received the King of Denmark's gold
medal for the discovery OF a comet and Tuttie
Ferguson and more recently Peters and Watson
have increased the list OF comets and asteroids
that our American catalogue Of discovery is but
little short or fifty OF the heavenly bodies. Watson
Had medal for his discoveries from the French
Academy two years ags.
THE USE or THE CABLE IN ASTRONOMY.
The Geographic announcement or discoveries
Of heavenly bodies, in order that there may be Co
operative observations in Europe and America, is
more important advance than our readers may
have supposed. 1t is not mere matter of crafty
ing curiosity. To observe such iaint body az a
planet OF comet usually is when first discovered
tits place in the heavens must be made known to
the distant observer before it has so lar changed
that it cannot be readily found. The ordinary
mail to Europe OF at least ten days is too slow for
this; but the cable advice OF such discovery in
either country--or OF any remarkable phenomenon
such was the sudden outburst OF the star in the
Corona Boreais-permits astronomers in Dotn
countries to make prompt and careful observa-
lions. The planets discovered IN America have
already been observed in Europe on the next even
Ing after the telegram was received.n The At
lantic Telegraph Company ana others are to be
commended for their liberality in sending these
dispatches free. The Director OF the Imperial
Russian telegraph has ordered that such be tree
throughout the whole Russian Empire.
THE STAR CATALOGUE
sf the United States Naval Observatory, ais,
praised by the Council OF the Astronomical So
ciety, ia the reduction OF the observations made
Aprl he no usa or tha a.
ferent instruments OF our national institution
Besides the stars observed with these it includes
others observed the Army and Coast surveys
and also many from Lacale's catalogue, most o.
them above the ninth magnitude. The Astronom
cal Society pronounce this valuable work
which Will be found most useful addition to the
library or the computing rooms in our Observable.
ries.n
THE HARVARD PHOTOGRAPHS
could net well fail OF commentator. Among
them are copies OF photographs or the sun, show
ing groups OF solar spots and OF solar promnences
observed in 1872; OF Jupiter and Saturn and OF
those oddly-named craters ToriceIi,
Agrippa, Eratostnenes, Hypata, Gutenberg and
JULIUS Caesar, and or the solar eehpses OF 1865 In
America and 1870 in Europe.
DR.. Gould, formerly OF Cambridge and OF Dudley
Observatory, with his assistants Messrs Thome
and Bachman, have been
OBSERVING NEARLY FOUR HUNDRED ZONES CONTAIN
ING FIFTY THOUSAND STARS,
In the Southern Hemisphere; and he has photo
grapned series OF southern star clusters, usin,
xne Photographic method OF Mr.. Rutherford, o
New YORK, who himself is so far in the front o
British and American workers by his discoveries
and inventions in celestial photography.
As regards Mr.. Burnham OF Chicago who use
IN his private observatory only Six inch Alvar
Clark reIractor, the Astronomical Society accredi
him with new catalogue OF nearly 200 doubl
stars. They say that tan examination OF his cata
lOgue reveals interesting pairs OF double star
which had escaped the notice of the two Her
scbels, the Strives Dawes and other double sta
Sbeerverar
We have not space to mark the further commen
aations by the society OF Mr.. Rutherford, who's
observatory is so well known in New York, or o
Professor KirRwood, who Is making meteorlc az.
ronomy MS speciality, both OF which gentlemen
are highly SPOKEN OF in various places In IN,
monthly notices
In the review or
NEWCOMERS WORKS,
occupying the ten pages spoken Of Presiden
Sayley goes back to the first memoir on the as
teroias 1850, and shows that the conclusion Is, or
the whole against the hypothesis OF Oilers, thai
,areS syeo oooes are the FRAGMENTS OF shat
ter and more important works, "Investiyation OF
the Distance Of the SUM- and the Theory OF Nep-
tune" and "Iabes Of Uranus- and says oi
AL these that they exntb.t union Of profound
mathematical skill and power IN combination
with good, hard WORK Tor astronomy The adj
dress was called out by It's being the duty OF the
President 10 present from the Astronomical So
ciety the gold medal awarded DIR. Newcomb for
1hs astronomical works.
Having had the pleasure OF examining this
mccall we can state that It is equal IN intrinsic
value and SIZE TO double eagle, and has upon the
one side the head OF the immortal Newton with
the date Of the founding OF the society and the
Latin equivalent uf "Dispelllng the clouds nv
mathematics On the reverse IS seen Herschel,s
Telescope, with the motto above, Whatever ia
brilliant should be recognizedi'-mottOes which
rendered into 1reer English mean 10 Say that New
coInb's astronomy and mathematics have thrown
light on the distant planets and that his genus
and iabors deserve ths medal from the first socle
in Europe.
While TINS commenting the living the society
paced among the notices Of their deceased mem.
bers very honorable record Of Matthew Fontane
Manry, Ii D., speaking Of him correctly
as hydrogyapner rather than astronomer.
but dev0ting several pages OF their record
10 notice Of his navigation, and particularly OF
MS physical geography OF the seq, and commend
ing his laDOrs on the wind and current charts and
nig influence In advancing metrOrolopy. 10