COMET OF 1889-1896-1903 



255 



27. In order to determine the set of elements which best 

 represents the motion of the comet at the time of discovery in 

 1889, I compared the above elements with those of Bauschinger 

 as determined from the first appearance. The differences, in the 

 sense observed mimis computed, for the two sets of elements are 

 given in the following table, for the dates of the ten normal 

 places used in my computations. 



Giving the above differences the weights used in my computa- 

 tion, I find for the sum of the squares of the weighted residuals 



/AA 

 Poor, 333^''- 1 



Bauschinger, 348 .9 



These show that, so far as the first appearance only is con- 

 cerned, there is very little choice betv/een the two sets of ele- 

 ments. When we consider the three appearances, however, the 

 elements, as above given, represent the comet's motion far better 

 than those of Bauschinger. I have, therefore, adopted Elements 

 IV, and have made them the basis of my further investigations. 

 But in order to take account of the very slight differences be- 

 tween these elements and to show at a glance our knowledge 

 of the movements of this body, I solved the equations repre- 

 senting the first appearance anew and expressed the elements 

 in terms of an indeterminate quantity. 



