1821.] Br. Burney on the New Comet, 299 



the last star in the wing of Pegasus. It was 32° to the east of 

 the sun, and set with Saturn at a quarter past eight o'clock, 

 about W.N.W. but was IS-Jr to the north of that planet. 



Its bright nucleus was surrounded by a diffused coma three- 

 fourths of a degree in diameter, and its perpendicular train was 

 nearly 4° in length when the coruscations were most vivid, through 

 the upper part of which a small star of the sixth magnitude was 

 perceived by the help of a telescope. This is unquestionably the 

 same comet that M. Nichollet, of Paris, is said to have disco- 

 vered in the evening of the 21st ultimo, in the constellation 

 Pegasus, but which, to our knowledge, has not yet been seen by 

 the English astronomers. 



March ^,1821. 



The new comet has changed its position among the fixed 

 stars about two-thirds of a degree, since the evening of the 23d 

 ultimo, when first w^e saw it ; therefore, its apparent motion is. 

 very slow. 



Its north polar distance last evening was .... 77° 40' 



Right ascension 358 35 



North dechnation 12 20 



It is descendino: with an antecedential motion towards the 

 back of the southern fish of Pisces, and by the annual motion of 

 the earth, the sun is daily approaching it. 



It will come to its periheHon two or three days before the 

 vernal equinox ; but previous to that time, probably, it will be 

 lost to our view in the solar rays in the evenings. It sets soon 

 after eight o'clock, p.m. about W.N.W. 



Its train last evening, at one time, was between 5° and 6° 

 long, and will continue to increase in length and splendour till 

 the comet comes to its nearest point to the sun ; for then the 

 heat communicated to it is increased by his proximity. 



Neither the nucleus nor train is so splendid as the comets that 

 appeared here in 1811 and 1819; it more resembles the comet 

 in 1807, except the colour of the body, the present one being 

 more brilliant. 



MarcJiM, 182\. 



The new" comet came to its perihelion to-day; namely, within 14*^ 

 of the sun. It has only lessened its right ascension half a degree^ 

 and its north declination four-fifths of a degree since the even- 

 ing of the 24th of February last, when it was first seen here ;. 

 but by the annual motion of the earth, its distance from the sun 

 is decreased about 16°. Now it is advanced too far in the solar 

 rays to allow us to make further observations on its position in 

 the evenings. At the close of this month, it will begin to set 

 after the sun ; and with a clear horizon an hour before sunrise, 

 there will be a chance of seeing it rise about E.N.E. during the 

 ensuing month. 



The weather lately has been unfavourable for seeing the comet 



