156 Mr. Gourue's Remarks on the Comet of March, 1843. 



2Qth April, — The President in the CJiair. 



XXXYUL—Bemarks on the Comet of March, 1843. 

 By William Gourlie, Jun., Esq. 



Mr. Liddell, in his interesting account of the Philosophical Society, 

 states, that since its formation, in 1802, almost every discovery and 

 new or striking phenomenon in physical science has been brought 

 under review at the meetings ; and since this has been the case, I do 

 not think it would be right to allow the late most remarkable comet 

 to fade from our remembrance as rapidly as it has done from our 

 vision, without recording in the Minutes of the Society the fact of its 

 short visit to the centre of our solar system. 



The faint luminous streak which attracted the attention of astrono- 

 mers about the middle of last March, although by no means conspi- 

 cuous, was at once inferred, by Sir John Herschell and others, to be 

 the tail of an immense comet, the nucleus of which was below the 

 horizon. The fact of its early discovery shows the close and perse- 

 vering attention with which our astronomers continually scan the 

 heavens, whilst their accurate conjecture as to its nature equally 

 exhibits the great knowledge of astronomical phenomena, which has 

 resulted from the labours of men who have devoted the most brilliant 

 talents to this sublime science. 



There were not wanting those who laughed at the idea of such an 

 enormous tail (70 degrees) as preposterous, and it was astonishing to 

 find it referred to the zodiacal light by observers, who, if they really 

 saw it, as they alleged, ought to have known better. Believing that 

 very few in Glasgow had an opportunity of seeing it, I have taken the 

 liberty of bringing it under the notice of the Society, for the purpose 

 of describing the position of the tail, as I observed it on the evenings 

 of Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th of March, about 8 o'clock, 

 as much confusion seems to exist, amongst people generally, as to what 

 was, and what was not the tail. It so happened that the zodiacal 

 light was unusually well seen last month, and the corruscations of the 

 aurora horealis were also of frequent occurrence. 



This comet, which seems to be quite a new one, was first observed 

 in England by Mr. Short, of Christ Church, Hants, on the 16th, 

 and by Sir John Herschell on the 17th of March, and the latter 

 distinguished astronomer immediately communicated his observations 

 to the " Times." It was simultaneously observed by Professor Arago 

 and others in Paris, and at a much earlier date, in the south of Europe. 

 The length of the luminous matter forming the tail has been estimated 

 at about 70 degrees ; more than 45 degrees were measurable above our 

 horizon, extending from the constellation Lepus through Fluvius 

 Eridanos, and becoming lost in the haze above the horizon ; at Yale 



