ASTRONOMY. 177 



and Mars upon the inotious of the first periodical comet (II, 1867) of 

 Tempel. The periheliou passage in the year of discovery took place on 

 the 24th of May; those on the two subseijuent returns (both of which 

 were observed) on the 10th of May, 1873, and the 7th of May, 1879, re- 

 spectively ; but M. Gautier finds tluit the ettect of the disturbances will 

 be to delay the return to peiihelion this year until the end of June or 

 the beginning of July. The comet diminished in brightness at each 

 successive return, and is likely on this occasion to be even fainter than 

 in 3879. M. Gautier has published an ephemeris sufficiently accurate to 

 enable astronomers to find the comet when it makes its nearest approach 

 to the earth. It was first discovered on the 3d of Ai)ril, 18ti7. 



Brorsen's comet >•/ short period. — We have not yet met with any inti- 

 mation that an ephemeris of this comet for the approaching reappear- 

 ance is being prepared ; that for the last return, in 1879, was furnished 

 by Prof. L. K. Schulze, of Dobein ; the time of perdielion passage was 

 about elc>'en hours later than his calculation gave it. Disregarding 

 perturbation, the comet would be again due at perihelion in the middle 

 of September next, in which case it would be observable in the two 

 hours before sunrise, in August and September, under somewhat simi- 

 lar conditions to those in 1873. Supposing the perihelion passage to 

 occur September 14.5, the comet's position at that time would be in 

 about E. A. 1540.5 and K P. D. 7Co.2, the distance from the earth 1.41. 

 Since the discovery of this comet within one day of perihelion pas 

 sage in 184G it has been observed at four returns, viz, in 1857, 1868, 

 1873, and 3879. {Nature.) 



The great comet of 1882. — Professor Howe, of Denver, Colo., notities 

 that he has undertaken a definite determination of the orbit of this 

 comet, which will doubtless be a work of some labor. Thus far calcula- 

 tion appears to indicate that the comet was moving in an ellipse, with 

 a period not difiering much from eight centuries ; Kreutz gave 843, 

 Fabritius 823, Frisby 794, and Morrison 712 years ; the orbit of Fabri- 

 tius depends upon the widest extent of observation. Between the ear- 

 liest and latest accurate positions the comet described an orbital arc of 

 340O. 



Those who may have unpublished observations of position of the 

 great comet of 1882 will do well to communicate them to Professor 

 Howe forthwith. (Nature.) 



The great comet of 1882. — In an appendix to the Washington Ohscr- 

 vations, 1880, is an account prepared by Mr. W. C "Wiulock, on the great 

 comet of 1882 as observed at Washington, first with the 9.6-inch ami 

 subsequently with the 26-inch refractor. The latest date on which the 

 comet's position was determined is April 4, 1883. Micrometrical meas- 

 ures of the nucleus were made on a number of evenings, atid from a plate 

 showing its aspect and formation between February 1 and March 3 the 

 difficulty of deciding upon the proper ])oint for observations of position, 

 owing to the existence of several almost equally luminous condensations 

 S. Mis. 33 12 



