TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL AND PHYSICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO, FOR THE YEAR 1899 INCLUDING TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. PRICE ONE DOLLAR TORONTO: THE CARSWELL COMPANY, LIMITED, PRINTERS TO THE SOCIETY. 1900. TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL AND PHYSICAL SOCIETY OF TORONTO, FOR THE YEAR 1899 INCLUDING TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. PRICE ONE DOLLAR TORONTO: THE CARSWELL COMPANY, LIMITED, PRINTERS TO THE SOCIETY. 1900. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. Officers................. v Council. ; .......................................................................................................................... v Life Members............................................... v Honourary Members..................................................................................................... vi Corresponding Members........................ vi Active Members and their Addresses......................................................................... vii Associate Members............................................................................ ix Affiliated Societies............................ ix Letters from Honourary Members.......... ....................... 1 Resolution of Sympathy in re Dr. E. A. Meredith................................................. 3 Observations................................. Lumsden. 4 World Formation and Dispersion ............................................. Elvins. 5 Notes on the Andromedes............................................................................... Harvey. 11 Historical Sketch of the Greenwich Nautical Almanac........................... Lindsay. 12 Observations of Parhelia....................................... .........................................Brown. 20 Regulations pertaining to the Library..................................................................... 21 Diffraction Gratings......................................................................................Brashear. 22 An Aureole about Mercury........................................................................ .Harvey. 24 Auroral Observations........................................................................................ Hadden. 26 Observations ................................. Lumsden. 28 Stationary Meteor Radiants........................... Monck. 28 Auroral Observations ................................................................................ Harvey. 88 Spectrum of Auroral Arch ................................................... Elvins. 39 Solar Observations.......................................................................... Pursey. 41 Visit to Yale Observatory.............................................................................. Lindsay. 41 Observations................................ Wadsworth. 43 Total Eclipse of the Sun, May 28th, 1900 .................................................. 44 Diffraction of L igh t.............................................................................................Chant. 61 The Tides..................................................................... Elvins. 62 Observations of Meteors................................................ Mayhew. 63 Lunar Eclipse, December 16th .................................................Howell and Collins. 65 Observations at Lowell Observatory............................. ................Mrs. Savigny. 65 Annual M eeting............................................................................... 65 President’s Address........................................................................................................ 67 Appendix I * ................................................... ............................................................... Appendix II. Tidal Phenomena......................... 97 Transactions of the Meaford Astronomical Society .............................................. *Mr. D. J. Howell’s paper on “ Colour Photography,” read before the Society on February 21st, 1900, was subsequently presented to and published by the Canadian Institute. [Authors are alone responsible for views expressed in papers or abstracts of papers pub lished in the Transactions.] The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. Officers, 1900. Honourary President,—The HON. RICHARD HARCOURT. M.A., Q.C. Minister of Education. President,—G. E. LUMSDEN, F.R.A.S., 57 Elm Avenue, Rosedale. R. F . STUPART, Director Toronto Magnetic Observatory and Superintendent of the Dominion Meteorological Service. Vice-Presidents,— C. A. CHANT, B.A,. Lecturer in Physics, University of Toronto. Treasurer,—CHARLES P. SPARLING, 13 Isabella Street. Corresponding Secretary,—W. B. MUSSON, 145 Howland Avenue. Recording Secretary and Editor,—THO'S. LINDSAY, 58 Richmond Street E. Libarian,—Z. M. COLLINS, 172 Borden Street. Assistant Libarian,—A. ELVINS, 101 Willcock Street. Director of Photography,—D. J. HOWELL, Saturday Night Building. Other Members of Council. E x officio: Elected : LARRATT W. SMITH, D.C.L., Q.C., J. R. COLLINS. Ex-President. G. G. PURSEY. ANDREW ELVINS, Ex-President. A. T.DeLURY, B.A. JOHN A. PATERSON, M.A., Ex-President. JOHN PHILLIPS. ARTHUR HARVEY, F.R.S.C., Ex-President. J. G. RIDOUT. Life Members. ANDREW ELVINS, E sq., 101 Willcock Street, Toronto. LARRATT W. SMITH, E sq., D.C.L., Q.C., 96 Summerhill Avenue, Toronto, Ex-Vice Chancellor of the University of Toronto. LADY WILSON, Spadina Crescent, Toronto. The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. V Honourary Members. SIR ROBERT STAWELL BALL, Kt., M.A., F.R.S., F .R.A.S., Etc., Etc. Lowndean Professor of Astronomy, King's College, Cambridge, England. WM. HENRY MAHONEY CHRISTIE, C.B., M.A., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc. Astronomer Royal, Greenwich, England. GEORGE HOWARD DARWIN, M.A., LL.D (Glasgow), D.Sc. (Dublin), Dr. Phil. Nat. (Padua), F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Etc. Etc., Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, England. A. M. W. DOWNING, D.Sc., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac, Verulam Buildings, London. SIR SANDFORD FLEMING, G.C.M.G., LL.D., Etc., Chancellor Queens University, Kingston, Ontario. PROFESSOR EDWARD HOLDEN, LL.D., For. Asso. R.A.S., Etc., Etc., New York, U.S.A. SIR WILLIAM HUGGINS, K.C.B., D .C.L. (Oxon.), LL.D. (Cantab. Edin. et Dubl.), Ph.D. (Lugd. Bat.), F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Hon. F.R.S.E., Etc., Etc., Cor. L'Institut de France, 99 Upper Tulse Hill, London, England. JAMES EDWARD KEELER, D.Sc,, F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Director of the Lick Observatory, Mt. Hamilton, Cal., U.S.A. JAMES PIERPOINT LANGLEY, LL.D., For. Asso., R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Secretary of The Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. PROFESSOR G. E. HALE, D.Sc., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc. Director of the Yerkes Observatory, William's Bay, Wis., and of the Kenwood Physical Observatory, University of Chicago, Ill., U. S. A. PROFESSOR SIMON NEWCOMB, LL.D., For. Asso., R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Cor. L'Institut de France, Etc., Etc., Washington, D.C. PROFESSOR EDWARD CHARLES PICKERING, LL.D., For. Asso., R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Director Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A. Corresponding M embers. E. E. BARNARD, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Yerkes Observatory, William’s Bay, Wis., U.S.A. JOHN A. BRASHEAR, D.Sc., F.R.A.S., Allegheny, Penn. S. W. BURNHAM, M.A., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Yerkes Observatory, William's Bay, Wis., U.S.A. MISS AGNES M. CLERKE, 68 Redcliffe Sq., London, S.W., England. W. F. DENNING, F.R.A.S., Etc,, Etc., Bishopston, Bristol, England. THE REVEREND T. H. E. C. ESPIN, M.A., F.R.A.S., Etc.. Etc., Director of the Wolsingham Observatory, Tow Law, Darlington, England. VI The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. J. ELLARD GORE, F.R.A.S., M.R.I.A., Etc., Etc., Ballysodare, Ireland. M. PAUL HENRY, For. Asso., R.A.S., The Observatory, Paris, France. J. H. KEDZIE, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A. W. F. KING, C.E., D.L.S., Etc., Etc., Chief Astronomer, Department of the Interior, Ottawa, Ont. EDWARD WALTER MAUNDER, F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., First-Class Physical Assistant, Greenwich Observatory, London. W. H. S. MONCK, F.R.A.S., Dublin, Ireland. PROFESSOR CLEMENT HENRY McLEOD, Ma.E., F.R.S.C., M. Can. Soc C.E., Superintendent of McGill College Observatory, Montreal, P.Q. THE RIGHT REVEREND J. A. NEWNHAM, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Moosonee, Moose Factory, H.B.T. WILLIAM H. PICKERING, M.A., Etc., Etc., Director of the Harvard College Observatory at Arequipa, Peru, T. S. H. SHEARMEN, Brantford, Ontario. MISS MARY PROCTOR, 29 East 46th Street, New York. CAPTAIN W. NELSON GREENWOOD, F.R.G.S , Glasson Docks, Lancaster, Eng. Active Members. A tkinson, R ev. R....................................... 498 Ontario Street, Toronto. B aldwin, M rs. M. F ......................................... Mashquoteh, Deer Park. B almer, M rs........................................................ 131 Grace Street, Toronto. B ambridge, M iss M ........................................... 19 McGill Street, " B artholomew, C ............................................... East Toronto. B ell, Clarence ............................................... Osgoode Hall, Toronto. B ertram, J ohn, ex -M .P .................................. 14 Madison Avenue, " B lake, F. L., D.L.S ...............Astronomer, Magnetic Observatory, " B lue, A ., F ellow , A .A .A .S ........................... Director of Mines, " B oyd, A ................................................................. Rosedale, " Caldwell, H u g h ...................... ................. 2 College Avenue, " Caswell, S. D .................................................... Molsons