Astronomy. 375 



supposing the flattening of the earth fo be -rr. lu other stations the 



/Coo 



difference is almost nothing, and in some there is a retardation. All these 

 differences cannot be ascribed to errors of observation. M. Duperrey agrees 

 with Captain Sabine, in ascribing them to a want of homogeneity in the 

 earth, considered in its mass, or to simple variations of density in the su- 

 perficial strata. Both observers have remarked, that the acceleration takes 

 place in volcanic countries, and the retardation on sandy and clayey dis- 

 tricts. From M. Duperrey 's observations, coraparetl with those of M. 

 Freycinet, it follows that the flattening of the earth for the southern he- 

 misphere is -— , and for the northern are ^^^.—ie Globe, Avril B, 1827. 



2. Ohservaiory at Vienna. — The Emperor of Austria, in imitation of the 

 late Emperor of Russia, has purchased for the imperial observatory at 

 Vienna, a telescope by Fraunhofer, similar to the one at Dorpat, and 

 described in this Journal, No. iv. p« 306. 



3. Comet of June 1S27. — "M.Gambard discovered on the 20th of June, 

 and M. Pons of Florence on the 21st, a small comet situated in one of the 

 feet of Cassiopeia. It is invisible to the naked eye, and was rapidly ap- 

 proaching to the Pole. 



4. Comet of Aufru.si 1827. — On the 3d August M. Pons of Florence 

 discovered a small comet in the constellation of the Lynx. It was moving 

 towards the north west. 



5. M. BesseVs Corrections on Bradley's Observations. — In the correc- 

 tions which M. Bessel has suggested for Bradley's observations, and which 

 have been recently published by the Board of Longitude, there is a passage 

 wjiich seems to require some illustration. His remark on p. 259 of vol. ii. 

 is printed as follows : — 



1.0 and 2.0 (Orionis) 40. 2. 6. 12. 37. 38. 33. 0. 1.0. 

 Now, it would not be easy for a common reader to make out what this 

 1.0 at the end can mean ; and the alteration of the arrangement which is 

 suggested in note (%,) would, as it is printed, only increase the difficulty. 

 The passage in the printed observations is as follows : — 

 1.0-1 42. 2. 6. 10. 29. 31. 3. 



2. J 40. 14. 10. 0. 38. 21.25. 



No constellation is here assigned to the stars by Dr Bradley, and M. Bes- 

 sel means to point out that both l.o and 2.o belong to Orion, but that the 

 correction of the numbers refers only to the zenith distance of l.o. It was 

 to distinguish the different parts of the correction that note (z) was add- 

 ed ; but here the printer has substituted 10 and 20 for Lo and 2.o, which 

 destroys the meafJing of the whole. 



Oxford, July 14, 1827. S. P. R. 



