TRANSACTIONS OF THE Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto, FOR THE YEAR 1896, INCLUDING SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. P RI CE ON E DOLLAR TORONTO: ROWSELL & HUTCHISON, Printers to the Society. 1897. LIGHTNING FLASH. Photographed by Mr. Harold B. Lefroy, Toronto, June 6th, 1896. TRANSACTIONS OF THE Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto, FOR THE YEAR 1896, INCLUDING SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. P RI CE ONE DOLLAR TORONTO: ROWSELL & HUTCHISON, Printers to the Society. 1897. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE. Officers ..................................................................................................................... v Council ..................................................................................................................... v Life Members............................................................................................................. v Honourary Members ........................................................................ .................. vi Corresponding Members.......................................................................................... vi Active Members and their Addresses.................................................................. vn Associate Members .................................................................................................. x Affiliated Societies ........................................................................................ x Unification of T im e................................................................................................ 1 Lunar Phenomena...................................................................................... Copland. 2 The Roentgen Discoveries ......................................................................Harvey. 3 Precipitation of R a in ......................................................................Hollingworth. 4 Experiments with “ X ” Rays .................................................................. Chant. 6 Observations of Jupiter.......................................................................Wadsworth. 8 Planetary Mass and Atmosphere............................................................. Elvins. 9 Solar Observations...................................................................................... Pursey. 12 Problems in Selenology.................................................................................. Peal. 14 Spectra of the Nebulae (Explanatory Note) ............................................Miller. 19 Memorial to the late Mr.John Goldie...................................................................... 20 The “ X ” Rays .............................................................................................Hull. 21 A Popular Observatory...........................................................................L umsden. 24 Auroral Observations ..........................................................................Newnham. 25 Auroral Observations.............................................................................. Nicolson. 27 Observational Notes ............................................................................. Lumsden. 28 Out-door Meeting .....................................................................................Harvey. 31 Occultation by Ju p ite r..............................................................Blake and others. 32 Rays of Energy............................................................................................. Elvins. 34 Solar Corona Observations during Sunshine .....................................Shearmen. 35 Spectrum of Fire-fly Light (Note) .......................................... Lumsden. 38 Occultation of Ju p iter.............................................................................. Lindsay. 39 Construction of Telescopes ......................................................................Collins. 41 Falling Stars and Meteorites ........... Harvey. 43 Life History of Star Systems................................................................... Masson. 50 Meteoric Showers ....................................................................... The President. 52 The Solar Eclipse of August 9th ................................................. Miss Proctor. 54 Visit from Dr. J. A. Brashear ............................................................................... 54 Refraction Phenomena............. Boyle. 56 IV The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. Visit to Europe ...................... .................................................................Ridout. 56 Observations of Saturn ...................................................................... Wadsworth. 57 Woodstock Observatory .......................................................................Shearmen. 57 Reformation and Simplification of the Calendar...................................... Watson. 59 Memorial to the late J. C. Donaldson, LL.D.......................................................... 73 Historical Sketch of the Greenwich Nautical Almanac ..................... Lindsay. 74 Application of the Polarization of Light ......... Hunter. 87 Graduation of the Thermometer.................................................................Watson. 91 Lowell’s Observations of Venus (Discussion)...................................................... 92 International Meteorological Conference.................................................Stupart. 93 Seventh Annual Meeting....................................................... 95 Officers’ Reports..................................................................................................... 95 Scientific Terminology ..........................................................................Lumsden. 98 Progress of Astronomy in 1896 .................................................... The President. 100 The Lunar Section ................................................................ Lumsden. 122 The Meaford Astronomical Society ........................................................ Appendix. Obituary...................... .......................................................................................... [Authors are alone responsible for views expressed in papers or abstracts of papers published in the Transactions. ] The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. Officers, 1897. Honourary President,—The HON. G. W. ROSS, LL.D., F.R.S.C. Minister of Education of the Province of Ontario. President,—JOHN A. PATERSON, M.A. Vice-Presidents,-{ARTHUR HARVEY, F.R.S.C. ’ R. F. STUPART, Director Toronto Magnetic Observatory. Treasurer,—JAMES TODHUNTER, 85 Wellesley Street. Corresponding Secretary,—G. E. LUMSDEN, Parliament Buildings. Recording Secretary,—CHARLES P. SPARLING, 370 St. James’ Square. Assistant Secretary and Editor,—THOS. LINDSAY, Technical School. Librarian,—W, B. MUSSON, 145 Howland Avenue. Council. The HON. G. W. ROSS, LL.D., F.R.S.C. CHARLES P. SPARLING, LARRATT W. SMITH, D.C.L., Q.C., G. E. LUMSDEN, E. A. MEREDITH, LL.D., A. T. De LURY, B.A., JOHN A. PATERSON, M.A., C. A. CHANT, B.A., A. HARVEY, F.R.S.C., ANDREW ELVINS, R. F. STUPART, Rev. C. H. SHORTT, M.A., JAMES TODHUNTER, J. R. COLLINS, G. G. PURSEY. Life Members. ANDREW ELVINS, Esq., 12 College Street, Toronto. LARRATT W. SMITH, Esq., D.C.L., Q.C., 96 Summerhill Avenue, Toronto, Ex-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Toronto. LADY WILSON, Spadina Crescent, Toronto. VI The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. Honourary Members. SIR ROBERT STAWELL BALL, Kt., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Lowndean Professor of Astronomy, King’s College, Cambridge, England. WM. HENRY MAHONEY CHRISTIE, 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. SANDFORD FLEMING, C.E., C.M.G., LL.D., Etc., Etc., Chancellor of Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario. PROFESSOR EDWARD S. HOLDEN, LL.D., For. Asso. R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Director of the Lick Observatory, Mount Hamilton, California, U.S.A. WILLIAM HUGGINS, D.C.L. (Oxon.), LL.D. (Cantab. Edin. et Dubl.), Ph.D. (Lugd. Rat.), F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Hon. F.R.S.E,, Etc., Etc., Cor. L’Institut de France, 90 Upper Tulse Hill, London, S. W., England. JAMES EDWARD KEELER, D.Sc., Etc., Etc., Professor o f Astronomy in the University of Pennsylvania, and Director of the Allegheny Observatory, Allegheny, Pa., U.S.A. SAMUEL PIERPOINT LANGLEY, LL.D., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Secretary of The Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. JOSEPH MORRISON, M.A., M.D., Ph.D., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., 116 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C. PROFESSOR SIMON NEWCOMB, LL.D., For. Asso. R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Cor. L’Institut de France, Etc., Etc., Superintendent of the American Nautical Almanac Office, Washington, D.C. PROFESSOR EDWARD CHARLES PICKERING, LL.D., Etc., Etc., Director Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A. M. OTTO STRUVE, Late Director of the Imperial Observatory, Pulkowa, Russia. PROFESSOR DOCTOR HENRY C. VOGEL, Etc., Etc., Director of the Astrophysical Observatory, Potsdam, Germany. Corresponding Members. JOHN A. BRASHEAR, LL.D., F.R.A.S., Allegheny, Penn. S. W. BURNHAM, M.A., F.R.A.S., Etc., Etc., Chicago, Ill., 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. THOMAS GWYN E. ELGER, F .R.A.S., Etc., Shakespeare Road,