OBSERVATIONS OF AN EXPECTED COMET. %63 



reflection, proved of eminent use, and gave me the diame- 

 ter of this asteroid intirely free from all nebulous or atmo- 

 spheric appearances. 



The result of these observations is, that we now are in 

 possession of a formerly unknown species of celestial bodies, 

 which, by their small ness and considerable deviation from 

 the path in which the planets move, are in no danger of dis- 

 turbing, or being disturbed by them ; and the great success 

 that has already attended the pursuit of the celebrated dis- 

 coverers of Ceres, Pallas, Juno, and Vesta, will induce us 

 to hope, that some further light may soon be thrown upon 

 this new and most interesting branch of astronomy. 



Observations of the expected Comet, 



The comet which has been seen descending to the sun, Reappearance 

 and from the motion of which it was concluded, that we pj^g^ 

 should probably see it again on its return from the perihe- 

 lion, was expected to make its reappearance about the mid- 

 dle of last January, near the southern parts of the constella- 

 tion of the whale. 



January 27. Towards the evening, on my return from Seen by Miss 

 Bath, where I had been a few days, I gave my sister Caro- " ersc e * 

 lina the place where this comet might be looked for, and 

 between flying clouds, the same evening about 6 h 4Q/> she 

 saw it just long enough to make a short sketch of its situ- 

 ation. 



January 31. Clouds having obscured the sky till this time, 

 I obtained a transitory view of the comet, and perceived that 

 it was within a few degrees of the place which had been as- 

 signed to it ; the unfavourable state of the atmosphere, how- 

 ever, would not permit the use of any instrument proper for 

 examining it minutely. , 



There will be no occasion for my giving a more particu- 

 lar account of its place, than that it was very near the elec- 

 trometer of the constellation, which in Mr. Bode's maps is 

 called machina electrica ; the only intention I had in looking 

 for it being to make a few observations upon its physical 

 condition. 



February 1. The comet had moved but very little from Described* 

 the place where it was last night ; and as the air was pretty 



clear, 

 \ 



