portion of the ring turned away from the Mare presents the usual characteristics of the “ring mountains," the part towards the Mare is absent. Can any of your correspondents throw any light upon the forces that have produced these appearances, or upon those of a somewhat allied character, in which a portion of a pre-existing crater has been destroyed by a more recent one? S. C. C.

THE PLANETS FOR MAY.

Mercury is in the constellation Aries during the month of May, and is in inferior conjunction with the sun on the 3rd; it arrives at its greatest westerly elongation on the 30th.

1st R.A. 2 45 48

Dec. N. 16 59

Diameter II":4

7-8

Venus is in inferior conjunction with the sun on the 8th May, the planet being about 4° North of the sun: it should be watched carefully during the conjunction, to observe the passing of the crescent from one side to the other. At the end of the month it will be splendidly visible in the early mornings. It remains in the constellation Virgo. 1st R.A. 3 10 4 Dec. N. 23 91 Diameter 56" 6 31st

2 29 7

99 13 34

Illuminated portion of the disc of Venus=0'020. Mars passes from Gemini to Cancer during May. ist R.A. 7 14 15 Dec. N. 24 5

31st

8 27 9

99 20 39

43"-8

Diameter 5"o

Illuminated portion of the disc of Mars=0'925. Jupiter continues in the constellation Sagittarius, rising about 11 o'clock in the evening at the beginning, and about 9 o'clock at the end of the month.

1st R.A. 17 53 56 31st, 17 42 29

Dec. S. 22 58

22 57 99

Diameter 40"-6

99 43"0 Saturn remains in Virgo, rising about half-past 5 in the evening at the beginning, and about half-past 3 at the end of the month. Dec. S. 7 27 Diameter 17"0

31st Dimensions of ring-Outer major axis, 42"

Uranus remains in the constellation Taurus.

The following are the minor planets which will arrive at opposition this month. Full particulars will be found in the Supplement to the

Mars, 6° 49' N.

Mon 29

tion of Mercury, 24° 17'

Sun 28 21 40 Conjunction of Moon and 1st Ec. D.

Tues 302 25 Greatest westerly elonga

9 23 59

Oc. R.

9 8.2

99

12 2

Moon.

Oc. R.

14 48

4 7'0

4 53.8

Wed 31 20

22 Moon's First Quarter

2nd Tr. E.

943

538.2

THE NEW COMET.-Communications have been received from Mr. Ellery, of Williamstown, N.S.W., and from M. Moesta, of Santiago de Chile. The principal point of information is that there is no chance of the comet becoming visible in Europe. It passed through perihelion on January 14, 4 days before its discovery by Moesta, and at the time he wrote (January 31) the comet was fast passing southwards. The elements of the orbit have been calculated, but as the next mail may be expected to bring a more reliable determination, we refrain from saying more than that it does not appear that the comet is one which has been previously observed and calculated. It may, however, be added that a slight similarity is shown to the comet of 1677, observed by Hevelius, Flamsteed, and others, but not sufficient to justify an assumption of identity. Its path in space is inclined 87° to the ecliptic, and the comet appears to have made a pretty close approach to the sun on the 14th January, which will account for its brilliant aspect and the rapid development of the tail. Its distance from the sun's surface at 6 P.M., Greenwich time, on the above date, was about 2,300,000 miles.

ASTRONOMICAL REGISTER.

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS-Names received since our last number. Morton, Rev. J., F.R.A.S., Grenville House, near Leeds.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The letter from E. J., also the communications from the Rev. F. Howlett and Mr. E. Hopkins, on the Sun's Diameter, are in type, and will appear in our next.

ERRATA. In the review of 'Mazzaroth,' page 112, line 12, for 'such as the constellation. Mazzaroth,' read ، such as the constellations. Mazaloth,' &c.; page 116, line 14 from bottom, the semicolon after Celestial Cycle should be a comma.

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

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.

Equatoreal Telescope, 5 ft. focus, 4 in. aperture, powers 60, 340, and 450, on extra stout mahogany tripod stand, steadying rods, levels, large finder, &c., complete. [18] Achromatic Refractor, 5 ft. focus, 3 in. aperture, Equatorially mounted on strong garden tripod, with eye-pieces, &c., complete, price low. [41] Achromatic Refractor, 46 in. focus, 38 in. clear aperture, by Dollond, on extra stout tripod stand, with steadying-rods, finder, &c., in case, complete. [40] Astronomical Refractor, focal length 4 feet, aperture 38 inches, complete, on a Portable Universal Equatoreal Stand. [3] Achromatic Refractor, 4 ft. 6 in. focal length, 33 in. aperture, by T. Cooke & Sons, Equatorially mounted, on tripod stand. [36] Achromatic Refractor, aperture 3 in., by Cooke & Sons; 5 celestial eye-pieces, powers 20 to 240, terrestrial and diagonal eye-piece, finder, &c., on tripod stand, with steadying-rods complete. [48] Achromatic Refractor, 4 ft. focal length, 31 in. clear aperture, by Wray; with two celestial and one terrestrial eye-pieces; on garden stand. [46] Achromatic Refractor, 4 ft. focal length, 3 in. aperture, on brass tripod stand, with achromatic finder, 3 celestial and 3 terrestrial eye-pieces, &c. [20] Newtonian Reflector, 7 ft. focus, 7 in. aperture, eight eye-pieces, powers from 30 to 360, Equatoreally mounted. [11] Transit Instrument, 5 ft. focus, 3 in. aperture, Ys fitted with agates, for mounting on stone piers.

[29] adapted for a Driving appa[5]

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INSTRUMENTS, &c., WANTED.

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]

Schröter's Selenotopographische Fragmente-a copy wanted,

in two volumes.

[49]