jljlronomical Notices. 187 



/or train, and appeared only as a nebulous (tar of not more 

 than two or three minutes diameter; a little more luminous 

 towards the centre than the edge, which was diffufe, or not 

 well defined. 



iC According to my obfervations, this comet at 12 hours 

 mean time had jii degrees 14 minutes right afcenfion, and 

 69 degrees 31 minutes northern declination. This period 

 -was very nearly that of its lower pafTage of the meridian, 

 where its altitude above the horizon was 28 degrees. It 

 appears to def'cend towards the fouth about 3 1 degrees in 

 24 hours, and is proceeding rapidly towards the eaft. I 

 mail follow it attentively; and, when I have made a fuffi- 

 cient number of obfervations to determine its orbit, 1 fhall 

 have the honour of tranfmitting to you the refult of my re- 

 fearches. 



" If you think this notice of the appearance of a new 

 comet worthy the attention of the Firfl Conful, it belongs to 

 you to prefent it to hirn. 



" This is the third comet which I have difcovered at the 

 National Obfervatory fince I entered it, after having termi- 

 nated the portion of the meafurement of the meridian, with 

 which I had the honour of being charged ; and it is the 

 twelfth altogether that I have found without the afliftance 

 of any perion fince I have been employed on this part of 

 aftronpnpy. 



" C. Bouvard, affiftant of the Board of Longitude, who 

 refides alfo in the obfervatory, and who purfues with zeal 

 the courfe of the daily and fundamental obfervations, dif- 

 covered yeflerday the fame comet nearly at the fame time as 

 myfelf, and without our having had any communication on 

 the fubjeel:. Mf.chain." 



IV. The comet difcovered on the 12th by three aftrono- 

 mers at the fame time, is a Angularity, of which we have no 

 example: it is the twentieth of C. Meflier, the twelfth of 

 Mechain, and the fourth of Bouvard. It was feen on the 

 1 8th near the ftar Lambda, in the paw of the Great Bear; 

 having moved at the rate of four degrees per day, and ac- 

 quired a little increafe of light. As it is proceeding towards 

 the fouth, it is probable that it will ceafe to be vilible to us 

 tn eight days on the back of the Lion. 



I had the pleafure of -finding in my 50,000 ftars, that which 

 was near the comet at the moment when it was difcovered. 



The notary has written to the Board of Longitude to know 

 to whom he ought to pay the 6co francs deposited in his 

 hands; and has received for anfwer, that he mud wait till it 

 is known whether the comet has been difcovered in any 

 pther country. July zoth. Lalande. 



CHU- 



