152 Bpyal Astronomical Society* V,>.,v 



The second comet was discovered at Rome at the observatory of 

 the Collegio Romano, by our Associate, Signor Francesco de Vico, 

 on the night of August 22. Considerable interest is attached to this 

 comet, its period of revolution appearing to be only five and a half 

 years. At the latter end of September it was easily seen with a 

 small telescope ; but, after that time, it became rapidly fainter, and, 

 during the first week in December, was visible only with instruments 

 of very great power. Another revolution of the comet will be com- 

 pleted in the early part of the year 1 850. 



A third comet was discovered on the evening of December 28, by 

 M. d' Arrest, of the University of Berlin. It is stili visible. The 

 elements somewhat resemble those of the second comet of 1793, for 

 which Burckhardt computed an elliptical orbit of about twelve years' 

 period; but the perihelion distance of the comet in 1793 was r4, 

 while that of the present comet is only 0-9, a difference far too large 

 to admit of the identity of the two bodies, except in the case of enor- 

 mous perturbations. 



Your Council will conclude this Report with one remark. It is 

 obvious, from what has been stated, that this is a period of great ac- 

 tivity, and that all parts of practical astronomy are in full cultiva- 

 tion. It may, perhaps, be rather a proof of this than the contrary, 

 that the number of communications forwarded to the Society to be 

 read at the ordinary meetings has materially decreased within the 

 last few years. We may easily suppose that, as the work of the 

 Observatory becomes more arduous, its superintendent has less time 

 for the consideration of points which are not immediately connected 

 with annual duties ; and it is certain that nothing diminishes the 

 occasional power of contributing to Transactions in the private as- 

 tronomer, so much as self-devotion to some great branch of the sub- 

 ject, pointed out by personal taste or strong inducing circumstances. 

 But, nevertheless, it ought to be remembered that the Memoirs of 

 the Society are not merely the depository of facts, processes, or rea- 

 sonings, which it is right to preserve. Though they may finally be- 

 come nothing more, if it be right to apply such words to so import- 

 ant a function, yet it must be remembered that, on its first appear- 

 ance, each volume is the impulse and stimulus of its day, the sug- 

 gester as well as the receptacle of thought, the cause of future as 

 well as the proof of past progress. The ordinary meetings of the 

 Society must dwiftile, to the serious diminution of its utility, unless 

 they be nourished by communications of interest. And even grant- 

 ing that the magnitude of the objects on which astronomers are en- 

 gaged at any one time, renders it almost impossible for them to 

 supply the Memoirs at the equable rate hitherto maintained, it must 

 not be forgotten that there are many points connected with the the- 

 ory and practice, and, above all, with the history of astronomy, which 

 are constantly arising out of every research, directly or collaterally. 

 Those to whom such things present themselves, are especially re- 

 quested by the Council to bear in mind that any interesting inform- 

 ation, however inadequate to be the basis of a formal paper, finds its 

 immediate use at our meetings, and its record in our Monthly Notices. 



