COMET OF 1889-1896-1903 231 



Elements II. 

 Epoch, 1903 September 18.5 Greenwich Mean Time. 



> 1903.0 



With these elements an ephemeris was computed for August, 

 September and October, 1903. 



The comet was rediscovered by Aitken on August 18, 1903, 

 at which time it was a little north following the ephemeris. 

 With four observations, as published by Aitken, a normal place 

 was formed for August 22.5 and the ephemeris gave the fol- 

 lowing differences in the sense observed minus computed. 



Aa= + o" I8^8o 

 Ad ^ -f i^ 20^^.90 



which was not as satisfactory as had been hoped. Aitken' re- 

 ported the comet as faint and small and a most difficult object 

 to observe ; the above differences in a and o are not large, there- 

 fore, being little greater than the apparent diameter of the comet 

 itself 



The perturbations, as computed in 9, were applied to Ele- 

 ments II and the osculating elements representing the appear- 

 ance of 1889 found. With these a partial ephemeris was com- 

 puted and a normal place formed for 1889 September 18.5 and 

 with Elements II a normal place was formed for 1896 Septem- 

 ber, 9.5. Comparing these normal places with that for 1903, 

 as given above, I find that Elements II represent the three ap- 

 pearances in the following manner ; the differences being given 

 in the sense, observed minus computed : 



Lick Ol>servito'y Bulletin, No. 49. 



