cj thi newly difcovered Star, 59 



X. Ti is the opinion of many aftronomers, and I am in- 

 clined to agree with them, that there are fevcral other pla- 

 nets of the Hke kind ftill nndifcovered. But as aftronomers 

 either feldom obferve liars beyond the 7th magnitude, or are 

 fatisfied with obferving them once, or at molt twice, there 

 is reafon to doubt whether thefe planets will be eafily difco- 

 vered. Had I not been accuftomed to obferve ftars four, 

 five, or fix times, and even more, I (hould certainly not 

 have difcovered the one in qneftion. Re examining-, as was 

 the cafe, after a long time, the obfervations of the ift and 

 2d of January, and finding that they did not agree, I lliould 

 have fearched in the fanie place of the heavens for this new 

 ftar, and, not finding it, fhould have clalTcd it among the 

 number of the doubtful ones 3 a thing I have been too often 

 obliged to i\o with others, the obfervations of which I was 

 prevented from continuing by the inclemency of the weather. 



XI. Oriani, Bode, and Von Zach, had fcarcclv fecn the 

 obfervations of the irt and 23d of January, which I commu- 

 nicated to them on the 24 th, adding cjt the fame time that 

 on the lolh the ftar from being retrograde hud become direct, 

 when they were of opinion that it was a new planet ; and 

 they next concluded that its elements were the fame as thofc 

 which I had conjeftured. But as the fiar after the 23d began 

 to decreafe fenfibly in magnitude and in light, being uncer- 

 tain whether this ought to be afcribcd to its receding rapidly 

 from the earth, or rather to the ilate of the atmolphere, 

 which after that period became more overcaft and obicure; 

 I began to entertain fome doubts refpcfting its nature, and 

 to believe that, in all probability, it was a comet and not a 

 planet. It was only by calculating all the obfervations that 

 my doubts were at length diffipatcd; but, on account of other 

 avocations and the bud fiate of my health, I was not then 

 able to pay proper attention to them. Finding myfelf fonie- 

 what better in April, I refolved to calculate my ol)fervations; 

 but having brought on a fecond indifpofition while fixing the 

 meridian of the metropolitan church, and being reduced to 

 a weaker ftate than before; being uncen^ain at what time I 

 lliould be able to rcfumc my fiudies, and anxious to com- 

 municate my obfervations to the above-mentioned meritorious 

 adronomcrs, I tranfmitted them to Lalande at Paris, Oriani 

 .'It Milan, and Bode at Berlin. As yet, however, I have re- 

 ceived no anfwer but from Bode, who, on feeing my further 

 obltrvaiions, is more and more confirmed in his fir(t opinion, 

 and only feems a little furprifed that, as I was much inclined 

 |u my tirf\ letter to Oriani, to confider my new ftar as a planet, 



I fhould 



