The Astronomical Register. No. 25. JANUARY. TO OUR READERS. 1865. THE Astronomical Register, with the present number, enters the third year of its career. It is not necessary for us to here repeat the motives that led to our endeavour to establish the present periodical, about the immediate success of which we were, perhaps, somewhat too sanguine; nor do we desire to make more than a passing allusion to the many difficulties and embarrassments which have attended our attempt at times, indeed, causing us to entertain grave doubts of the possibility of prolonging its existence, in spite of all our efforts; but it becomes us to announce-and we are sure our numerous friends will participate in the pleasure we experience in doing so that steady perseverance, materially sustained by their kind assistance and encouragement, has surmounted many obstacles, and so far prevailed against much that impeded and disheartened us, as to relieve us from considerable anxiety concerning the future prospects of our monthly serial. As Editors we must be permitted to indulge a feeling of pride at the position which we venture to think the Astronomical Register has acquired, for we believe our readers will unhesitatingly concede that we now exhibit a list of subscribers, containing many of the most distinguished names known to the scientific world, which would do honour to any publication issuing from the press; while at the same time we derive no little gratification from the fact that many communications of peculiar interest have, through the medium of our periodical, been pretty widely circulated among those most capable of appreciating them. We avail ourselves of the opportunity now afforded to allude to a subject which has occupied a considerable portion of our space-namely, "The Moon Controversy "; some of our subscribers having expressed their dissatisfaction at our permitting a continuance of the discussion. We need scarcely state that it is our first desire to meet the wishes of all our readers; but, in doing so, we must still be consistent with our resolution to observe a strict neutrality with respect to the views and opinions entertained by those who address us. There is, undoubtedly, a limit within which lengthened correspondence upon any single subject ought to be confined; yet it must be remembered that the subject to which we refer is not only of great interest to many of our friends, but is intimately connected with the science to which the Register is exclusively devoted and on these grounds, therefore, the letters on lunar rotation (many of which are unquestionably entitled to high consideration) have been, as we submit, properly admitted to its pages. In intimating, however, that for the above reasons we do not feel justified in altogether declining articles and communications upon this somewhat absorbing question, or indeed upon any other controversial topic, we beg to observe that we shall not permit them to so unreasonably encroach upon our space as to exclude, or even postpone, any important general matters which may be forwarded to us for insertion. We trust our friends will not deem us insensible to the obligations we are under for their kind efforts to obtain and increase the number of subscribers; on the contrary, we feel that we owe everything to their solicitation on our behalf, and renew our grateful acknowledgments. Nevertheless, we must entreat them not to suffer their zeal to diminish, nor to cease to exert their influence in favour of our publication, for we declare it still to be a hard matter to reduce our expenses to a level with the receipts, and many whom we are addressing will at once understand that those expenses are necessarily heavy. Surely there must be numbers of amateurs who would immediately become subscribers were they but aware of the existence of the Register, and that it contains the valuable articles and correspondence it has been our privilege to publish! We can only hope that for their advantage and our own it will speedily be made known to them how much of interest and instruction is within their reach at so trifling a cost, not doubting that the regular appearance and perusal of our numbers will prove an agreeable incentive to study, and act as a wholesome, and not altogether unnecessary, stimulant to useful observation. We issue the Register for the present month printed on toned paper, which we hope will meet with approval; other alterations (and we trust improvements) will be made as experience, or our readers, may suggest to be necessary or desirable: and, once more returning thanks to our friends, subscribers, and correspondents, we conclude this address, with a promise that our exertions shall be unceasing to so conduct the Astronomical Register that it shall deserve a continuance of their patronage and cöoperation, and effectually carry out the objects for which it was originated. PROFESSOR PHILLIPS ON THE SURFACE OF THE SUN. One of the most interesting papers read at the Bath meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science was that by Professor Phillips on the sun's surface. The author commenced by alluding to the "spots" which—although they had claimed much of his attention—he desired to dismiss with a passing notice. They might form the subject of a communication at some future meeting; but before saying anything upon them, he considered they demanded a still farther and most careful study. The phenomena to which he now desired to direct the attention of the members of the Association were the Faculæ, and that peculiar characteristic which he called "Porosity." First, with regard to the faculæ. It is well known that as a spot passes across the sun's disc it very frequently changes its form, and on entering on the sun's disc, and also on going off, it is most generally surrounded with |