ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY 



NEW PLANETS DISCOVERED IX 1851. 



A NEW planet, a member of the group of asteroids, was discovered 

 by Mr. J. R. Hind, at Bishop's Observatory, London, on the 20th of 

 May, 1851. In number, it is the fourteenth of the ultra-zodiacal 

 planets, and is the fourth discovered by Mr. Hind ; the other three 

 being Iris, Flora and Clio. This new body has received the name of 

 Irene, from the goddess of Peace ; its symbol being a dove with an 

 olive-branch and star on head. The brightness of this planet is that 

 of a star of the eighth or ninth magnitude ; the light being of 

 a bluish color and steady. It appears to be surrounded by a faint, 

 nebulous envelope, which was not perceptible at the time of its dis- 

 covery about any of the stars in its vicinity. The distance of Irene 

 from the sun proves to be 2,554, and its period 1491 days ; coming 

 very close to the last previously discovered asteroid, Egeria, the numbers 

 for which were respectively 2.579 and 1513. An interesting feature 

 in this history of the discovery of this planet, is the fact of its having 

 been independently seen only four days later by the active Neapolitan 

 astronomer, M. Gasparis. 



On the 29th of July, another planet was discovered by Gasparis, 

 having the appearance of a star of the ninth magnitude. It has 

 received the name of Eunomia. 



COMETS IN 1851. 



Two new comets have been discovered in 1851. The first was by 

 Dr. D' Arrest, at Leipsic, on the 29th of June. This comet Villaceau 

 finds, from his observations, is a periodical one, and its time of revo- 

 lution is about eight years. There is some probability of its identity 

 with the comet observed 1678, and computed by Douwes. 



The second comet was discovered by Mr. Brorsen, August 1st, at the 

 Seuftenburg Observatory, Germany. It was also seen at Cambridge, 

 Mass., August 23d, 26th, and 27th, and its elements computed. 



NEW SATELLITES OF URANUS. 



MR. LASSEL, of Liverpool, on the 24th of October, discovered evidence 

 of the existence of two new satellites accompanying the planet Uranus. 



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