ON THE PLANET CERES, 293 



portion of a circle, which has been paft fince Jan. 1, 1801, 

 is that in which the velocity has been above a mean velocity ; 

 therefore the period thus obtained is (liorter than the true 

 period by a quantity which depends upon the equation of the 

 center, which has not yet been examined. At prefent want which, for rea- 

 of leifure, and the length of this paper, render it neceflary t °o afor^"' " 

 that I fhould defer entering upon the other particulars, which 

 remain to be difcufled, fome of which, it is prefumed, will 

 be found interefiing ; for I propofe to (how that fome of the 

 elements affigned by Gaufs, which are confidered as the mofl 

 accurate, are not in due proportion to one another. This 

 difcuflion will therefore conftitute the fubjecl: of another com- 

 munication. In the mean time we may infer, either that the though the pe- 

 whole period is (horter than has been prematurely determined, SJJJJJJJSa— 

 or otherwife that the greatelt equation fhould be much greater be too long j or 



than the eccentricity at prefent affigned requires. Indeed, it the gf eateft 



•11 r i ... - , equation rouft 



will hereafter appear that the eccentricity, given from the exceed what the 



Moniteur in the different journals, is almofl two-thirds too lit- affigned excen- 



tle to correfpond to the equation which has been attributed to nci ™ * ' 



the new planet. 



I am, SIR, as ufual, 



Your-s very refpec^fully, 



W. PEARSON. 



The early obfervations of Profeflbr Piazzi, to which Mr. Early obferva- 

 Pearfon refers, are given by the profeflbr in the following tables. tlons oi Pwzzi# 

 The computations in the latter table were made from elements 

 which, at the prefent time, would require to be greatly 

 amended j but I have not chofen to omit them. W. N. 



Table 



