64 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



path, and if missing now in the heavens may have been the planet. 

 This comparison was made by Mr. Walker on the 2d of February, a 

 cloudy night. He immediately, by letter of that date, notified the Su- 

 perintendent of the Observatory, Lieutenant Maury, of his expectation 

 that on examination of that region on the next clear night No. 8 

 would be missing. 



" On the 4th of February, Professor Hubbard examined the region 

 and verified the expectation of Mr. Walker. The star was in fact mis- 

 sing. Here, then, was a presumption in favor of their identity. Mr. 

 Walker believed his limits suflSciently extensive to comprise the Nep- 

 tunian region of May 8th and 10th, 1795, The planet was of the size 

 7, 8 magnitude, seldom omitted by Lalande. No star except No. 8 

 fulfilled all the conditions. There is, however, a (:) placed by Lalande 

 after the observation of the star No. 8, which indicates that the de- 

 clination is doubtful ± 5'. Mr. Walker's attention was first called to 

 this circumstance by Professor Peirce. 



The entries in the Histoire Celeste are as follows : — 



Mag. Wire I. Mid. Wire. Wire II. Zen. Dis. 



h. m. s. h. m. s. o i ii 



7,8 14 11 23.5 60 7 \^ -Anow mUsing.) 



2 £i: 6 14 12 3.4 59 33 59 



8 14 11 50.5: 59 54 40 



If then the two (:) only indicate a doubt of 5', there is no contradiction 

 of the possible identity of the star 7,8 mag. and the planet. If, 

 however, the two (:) may be so construed as to make the 1st and 3d 

 star the same in declination as they are in right ascension, then no 

 star is missing, and the heavens are now as in Lalande's time. The 

 difference of magnitudes 7,8 and 8 militates against this supposition, 

 that stars 1 and 3 are the same, 



" Mr. Walker concludes by remarking, that he has stated all the cir- 

 cumstances known to him favorable or unfavorable to the supposition 

 of identity of the star and planet. The decision of the question must 

 be the work of time. In order to establish the priority in determining 

 these elements, if the identity should be confirmed, he had computed 

 his Elements III. upon this hypothesis of identity. The three sets of 

 elements are here given, referred to the mean equinox of January 1st, 

 1847, and to mean time Greenwich." 



