138 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



2. Observations on Encke's Cornet^ 1848, made at the Cambridge 



Observatory. 



" The observation on the 27th of August was an instrumental read- 

 ing corrected by a neighbouring star. ' The comet is a misty patch of 

 light, faint and without concentration.' ' Its light is coarsely granulat- 

 ed, so that, were it not for its motion, it might be mistaken for a group 

 of stars of the 21st magnitude.' 



*■'■ Aug. ^Qth. A slight elongation is suspected in the direction 

 south-preceding, position 240°. 



" Aug. 2\st. The comet is close to a star of the 12th magnitude, 

 which interferes with the observations. 



" The determinations on the 29th, 30th, and 31st may be uncertain 

 to the amount of 10" or 15". The difficulty arises not so much from 

 the faintness of the comet as from its want of concentration. 



" Sept. 26th. The comet shows a brush of light towards the sun. 



