Willi \ STAB OBSERVED Bl l.U. \NDE. 1 17 



within reasonable limits of Lcvcrricr's coii)|nitcd place on the nights of observation. 

 From L821 to 1832, the term of Bcssel's zone observations, Levcrrier was near the 

 southern point of the ecliptic, and consequently below Bcssel's limit. Brisbane's catalogue 

 is not by me at present, and Taylor's observations at Madras are usually confined to the 

 reviewing of stars in previous catalogues. There remained only Lalande's catalogue 

 which offered hopes of success at present. A sketch of the Levcrrier regions for several 

 periods from 1790 to 1800, soon showed that there were but two nights in which I could 

 expect to find observations of Levcrrier in the llistoire C< leste, viz., those of the 8th and 

 loth of May, 17'.)."). The corrections of the clock and quadrant for these two nights arc 

 nearly the same. Accordingly. 1 made an approximate computation of Lcvcrricr's place 

 on the latter night from my Elements (II.,) using the present radius vector and present 

 orbital motion, viz., 21".6 ± 0".3. This limit appeared to me sufficiently extensive to 

 include the probable place. After reducing the computed R. A. and Dec. from the mean 

 equinox of January 1st, 1817, to the apparent place for May 10th, 1795, and then 

 applying the reductions to Lalande's clock time and recorded zenith distance, I found by 

 this approximate computation the focus of the Lcverricr region, May 10th, 1795, thus, 



Clock lime of transit. Uuailrant rcadlnc. 



* „ ' « v ' 



Leverricr if in II. ('. -fc 7.8 mag.; 13/j. 59w. 2s.; 59° 6' 7"; supposed western limit. 



#■7.8 ; 14 5 17 ; 59 37 21 ; probable place. 



#7.8 ; 14 11 32 ; GO 8 35 ; supposed eastern limit. 



All the stars observed in this region on the 8th of May, 1795, were below the 7.8 

 magnitude, and were found in Bessel's Zones. 



The only star in this region on the 10th reads thus: 



Clock lime of tmnsit. Quadrant readlnc- 

 V ~_ ) v J 



\ I -toire Celeste. •* 7.8 mag.; 1 i/i. 1 Im. 23s. 5 ; 60° 7' 19" 



I was at once struck with the coincidence in quadrant reading of this star with that 

 part of the locus of Levcrrier which has 1 1//. 11m. 23.s.5 for its clock time, and which lias 

 for its quadrant reading 60°7'50". I examined Bessel's 212d Zone, comprising the same 

 region. The Lalande star was not there. 



This computation and comparison with the II. C. was made on the evening of the 2d 

 of February, a cloudy niL r lit. I extended the limits to those which would result from 

 ± 0.0 of difference of average orbital motion since 1795. Still there was no other star 

 in the II. C. which could have been supposed to be Levcrrier. The only other star in 

 this region of double extent, not found in Bcssel's Zones was entered by Lalande as of 

 the ninth or tenth magnitude. 



I immediately drew up a statement of my conviction that the star 7.8 mag.. 11//. 1 lm.23s.5 

 of the II. C. of May loth, 1795, was Levcrrier, and that on search for it the next clear 

 night it would therefore be missing. My confidence was such thai I furnished this state- 

 ment to Lieut. Maury, and submitted a copj made 1 < > r raj private use to my friend- Prof. 

 Hubbard, Prof. Coffin, Lieut. Gillis, Prof. I.ache. and I Vol". Ifenrv. It is proper to add, 



that both Prof. Hubbard and Prof. Coffin, who were familiar with all the steps of the 

 inquiry, expressed their strong belief that the star would be missing on an appeal to the 



