294 SCIENTIFIC EECORD FOR 1882. 



Swift, + 90° to + 450 ; Brooks, + 45° to + 15°, and Baraard, + lo'^ 

 to — 450. 



"4. To the other observers, who, from college duties or other regular 

 work, can devote a varying i)art only of their time to comet-seeking, 

 smaller zones have been allotted, as follows : Tiffany, +45° to + 30°; 

 Wendell, + 30° to + 15° ; Sharpless, + 15° to 0° ; Larkin, 0° to — 15°, 

 and Eebasz, — 15° to — 45°. 



"5. Other observers will keep a record of their observations, but can- 

 not agree to sweep regularly enough to take charge of a zone. 



"6. This arrangement of zones secures the sweeping of the sky twice 

 during each mouth, and their relation to each other provides, as well 

 as possible at present, that the same storm, unless very extensive, will 

 not be likely to interfere with both observers in the same region at the 

 same time. 



" 7. One of the important results of an organization will be the accu- 

 mulation of data c6ncerning comets and comet-seeking. It has ac- 

 cordingly been agreed upon by all observers that records of their 

 work will be kept. These will include a statement of the weather, the 

 clearness of the skj^, the time spent in search, the region covered, and 

 any matters of general interest that may be of value. Blanks will be 

 furnished to each observer, including a duplicate set for his own use, 

 and these blanks, being returned on the first of each month, will be 

 regularly x>ublished in such detail as may be necessary in the Science 

 Observer." 



Daylight observations of Wells^ comet. — At the Dudley Observatory, 

 Albany, this comet was observed on the meridian as early as June 5, 

 just before noon, and again on June 11 and 12, 1882. The aperture 

 of the object-glass of the transit-circle is 8 inches ; the focal length of 

 the telescope 10 feet. A detailed description, with engraving of the 

 instrument with which these notable observations were made, will be 

 found in Vol. i of the Annals of the Dudley Observatory. On June 5 

 the comet was not perceived until forty seconds after transit, and was 

 observed with difficulty on a single wire, but the jiositions obtained on 

 the subsequent dates were considered very satisfactory. The true nu- 

 cleus was seen at the observation of June 11, made about sixteen hours 

 after the perihelion passage, and the estimated diameter of the disc 

 was 0".7o. The nebulosity of the coma was uniform and faint, abou^ 

 10" in diameter. It is stated that " while the nucleus was observed 

 for position, the coma was scarcely noticed at all." The atmospheric 

 conditions on this day were such as are well known to conduce to easy 

 ' vision of objects in daylight. " The sky was sparsely covered with 

 cumulus clouds, while the intermediate clear spaces were exceedingly 

 transparent." On June 12 the nebulosity had increased in brightness, 

 but the image was very unsteady, and ''either for that reason, or be- 

 cause of the increased brightness of the nebulous screen, the nucleus 

 pioper could not be seen." 



