Nr. 491. 175 American Journal of Science nnd Arts. Vol. XLV. G r e a t C o m e t T h i s splendid comet, which was seen in thc sunshitle on the by thousands of spectators in New England , and which for a month after adorued the evening sky mitli its long and brilliant train , has excited uncommojt interest in all quarters of the globe. A letter from Mr. J o h ~TqyZor of Liverpool, to the Editors of tliis Journal, states that iu the I s l e o f F r a i r c e (S.Lat. 20') the comet was seen in great splendor 'from the 28 of February to the S - of Riarch, (and doubtless l i ~ k,)r the traiti rcsentbliiig ,,a streani of lire froti1 a furnace." At B o n i b a y (X. Lat. 19') the train was discovered shortly after sunset RIarch 4 , a s a long, straight beam of light streantirig from the westcrrt horizon towards the zenith. T h e nest night the niicleus, or at least thc loxer termination of the comet, brcame distinctly apparent. From this time onward, nunicrous obscrv;itions were take11 at that place: but with what precision remains to lie seen. Siniilar accounts have been received froni various places oit both sides of the e t p t o r : yet we have no eviderrce that 11y ally of these early obscrsers (except Rlr. CZo4e of Portlalid ) was the position of the tiucleus accurately detcrniineci. This delicieticy is inatter of great regret, a s it is o h i o u s that good ineasurcs of the place of the nucleus taken rvitliiri a rseek alter the perihelion passage, would far outweigh in value those which were made clnring the latter part of the month of 3laIch. '[email protected] day of February last It appears quite probable that the train of this comet was seen in the evening before the perihelion passage, at: 1Seriiiuda, Philadelphia and Porto Rico on the 1 W 23d and [email protected]'I oCFebruary. Sonie of the oliservations on which this statement i s fountled, w e d however further irivestigation bcfore tftc are given to the public. In stating a t p. 413 of the last solume of this Journal the distance af the nucleus of the comet from the sun on the [email protected] of February, as mrasured by RIr. J. G..Clarke, of Portland, Me. , ail error was conimittcd, which is corrected it1 the - I 11 11 Nr. i July 1843. o f p. 229. 1843. following valuable inemorantla, which Iiave lteeii kindly furnished me b y that gentleman. The nuclcus and also every part of the tail, as seen Iiy him, in strong sunshine, were as well delined a s the moon on a clear day. The nucleus anci tail bore the same appearance, and resembled a perfectly pure white cloud, without any satiation except a slight change near the head, just sufiicicnt to tlisti~iguishthe nucleus from the tail a t that poiut. The derisetiess of the itucleus was so great that Wr. Clrcrk. has no doubt that it might have been visible upon t.he suit's di& if it had passed between it and the observer. This dense appearaim he considers due in part to the fact that the tail was foreshortcneil liy projection, and so directed with reference tu the earth, that the nucleus must have been secn trough a considerable inass of the matter of the tail. Xotwithstaading the difticulties resultiiig from the neartress of the coinet to thc sun shitring it1 its strength, Mr. Clnrkc succeeded i n obtainiirg with ail instrunlent of reflection tlie following nieasurenieitts, viz. Febr. 28. 3h 211115 s 1'. ill. Suii's farthest limb froin nearest litiib of uuclcus. .4' 6' 15" Febr, 28. 3'1 611120s1'. 81. Sun's farthest limb from farthest h n b of nucleus. .4' 7' 30" Fclir. 23. 3'1 9'11405 1'. M. Suns t'arthcst linib from extrenrity of tail.. .5'6'30" The first of this measures Rlr. Clarke cousiders reliable within IS''> and the otlier tn-o may be tnkcrt as near approximations. Due allomance must of c o u ~ s cbe iiiadc Tor the ]no1ion.s of the two bodies dtirirtg the period of observation. When the sun was in the place of the incricliari, the angle Inn& b y the line joining the centres of the sun and nucleus, with the lower rertical, on the eastern side TVX about 7.3'. These data must evidently sul)ersede those derived from the observations which were made a t Waterbury without the use of instrunletits. .......... .......... ............. %: c. N. a 1 t. Babbugcs Andyticrl Eii&ie (Besclilufs). 1'. 161. Ueber die Anmeiidiin der Meiliode der Lleinsteii Quadrate a i l € einen beionLterii Fall. Von lferrn Professor Argelandcr. p. 163. - Sclieinbare 5ositioiicn der bei den Beobnchtiur en des Mazrvaisscfien Cometen a n f der Hnmbnrger Sternwarte gebrauclit.cn Vergleiclitings -Sterne. VOII Herrn Director Riiirrfer mit dem Repsoldschen Meridiaukreise bestimiiit. p. 167. - Opposition des Urauus auf der Iiamhurger Steriiwarte beobachtet. Von Eierrri Director R u d e r . p. 169. Ausxiig aus einein Sclireiben des H e r m Prof. Anger i n Danzig an Jcn Herausgeber. y. 171. Elemente und Epliemeridc des Bielaschen Cometen. p. 171. Beobachtungcn der Sonnenfinsteritifs rani ? t e n Jiiliits (aus den Biilletius de 1'AcadCmie Royale de Bruxellei). p. 173. Great Coiiiet of 1843. p. 175. - -- Altona 1843. Deceinber 7.
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