Abstract
PARIS. Academy of Sciences, October 31.—M. Janssen in the chair.—Observations of the minor planets made with the great meridian of the Paris Observatory during the second quarter of the year 1887, by M. Mouchez. The right ascension and Polar distance, with correction of the ephemerides, are given for Belisane, Athor, Asterope, Nausicaa, Vesta, Antiope, Amphitrite, Polana, Bellona, Hecuba, and Arethusa.—On the Observatory of Nice, by M. Faye. In connection with the Geodetic Conference just concluded at Nice, the author announced that the magnificent Observatory of that place, due to the munificence of M. Bischoffsheim, is now completely finished. This institution, he added, is entirely at the service of the astronomers of all nations who may wish to avail themselves of its exceptional advantages in the prosecution of their researches.—New fluorescences with well-defined spectral rays, by M. Lecoq de Boisbaudran. The results are described of spectral researches made with gallina and samarine (Ga2O3 + 1/50V Sm2O3) moderately calcined; the same very highly calcined; gallina and the earth Zα2O3; gallina and the earth Zβ2O3; and alumina with a small portion of the oxide of praseodyme (Pr2O3) highly calcined.—Observations of the new planet, Peters (270), made at the Observatory of Algiers with the 0·50m. telescope, by MM. Rambaud and Sy. The observations cover the period from October 14 to October 17.—Observations of the new planet, Kriorre (271), made at the same Observatory by the same astronomers during the period from October 20 to October 24.—Magnetic declinations and inclinations observed in Tunis by the Hydrographic Mission of 1884–86, communicated by M. Bouquet de la Grye. The results of these observations are tabulated for twenty-one places, whose latitudes and longitudes are also accurately determined.—On the phosphites of ammonia, by M. L. Amat. The process is described by means of which the author has obtained the salt (PhO3HO) NH4O,HO, which has not hitherto been studied. It maybe prepared very easily in beautiful crystals and in a perfectly pure state, which is rarely the case with phosphites.—On the production of the double carbonate of silver and potassium, by M. A. de Schulten. The carbonate of silver obtained by the action of an alkaline carbonate on the nitrate of silver is found to be sometimes yellow, sometimes white, while in most cases the white precipitate takes the yellow colour when washed with water. The experiments here described show that, as anticipated by the author, the white colour of the precipitates is due to a combination of the carbonate of silver with the alkaline carbonate, this combination being transformed by the water into a yellow carbonate by eliminating the alkaline carbonate.—On some salts of aniline, by M. A. Ditte. The salts here described are formed by metallic acids almost insoluble in water, or by energetic oxidants, and have been obtained by the process of double decomposition. They comprise a molybdate, a tungstate, a vanadate, an iodate, a chlorate, and a borate.—Formation of normal amylic alcohol in the fermentation of glycerine set up by Bacillus butylicus, by M. Ed. Charles Morin. Fitz has shown that, under certain conditions of temperature and environment, this Bacillus transforms glycerine into alcohols, glycol, and acids. To the normal ethylic and propylic alcohols determined in the products of the fermentation must now be added normal amylic alcohol, which may be easily extracted by distillation.—On a remarkable variety of mineral wax, by MM. G. Dollfus and Stanislas Meunier. The specimens here described came from Sloboda Rungorska, near Kolomea, in Austrian Galicia, where petroleum wells have recently been sunk. A rough analysis yields H = 15, C = 85, corresponding to the formula CH, with density 0·60.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Societies and Academies . Nature 37, 47–48 (1887). https://doi.org/10.1038/037047b0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/037047b0