C 277 ] 



XLVIII. Proceedings of Learned Societies, 



llOYAL SOCIETV OF LONDON. 



v>N the ift of April a iliort notice was communicated to 

 the Society of fome oblervation, made by M. Bode of Beilin, 

 relative to the Ceres Ferdinandea. He makes the oppofition 

 of that planet to have been on the 17th of March hift at 

 4'' 36' mean time. 



The red: of the evening was taken up in reading the 

 remainder of Count Jiournon's paper on corundum, noticed 

 in our lalh The readuig was continued on tlie 8th, but 

 uithout getting through the paper, of which, from its nature, 

 being chiefly a delcriptiou of the forms of cryftals, we can 

 give no account in a fhort notice. 



On the i_5th and 22d there was no meeting, owing to their 

 falhng in Paffion week and the Ealler hoHdays. 



FRENCH NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 



Account of the labours of the Mathematical and Phyfical 

 Sciences during the fecond quarter of the year 10. 



Mathematical Part, read by C. Delambrc, fecretary. 

 Jtjlronomy — Piazzi's Planet — Neiv Lunar Lrptatlons. 



About the beixinnino; of December Baron Von Zach ob- 

 ferved Piazzi's lUr in a group of others; but, having nothing 

 to diflinguidi it from them, he was not able to find it again, 

 and to aflure himfelf tliat ho had ieen it, til! towards the end 

 of that month. Dr. Olbers had oliferved it alfo at Bremen 

 about the fame time. 'Ihe diihculty which aftronomers ex- 

 perienced in finding it, mud be afcribed to its fmallnefs and 

 the unfavouraI)Icnefs of the weather; for, according to the 

 tlemenls which M. Gaufs deduced from the obf.rvaiions of 

 Pia/.zi, an inltrument could be eafily direrted to the altitude 

 of this ftar, and in two minutes it woidd l)ave been in the 

 middle of the telefcope. liiforc we receivetl this intelligence 

 from Germanv, we endeavoured to take advantage of every 

 nionicnt when the (kv was favourable. C. Mechain, whofe 

 refearclies were lefs interrupted, and who had obfcrvcd all 

 the fmall liars among which the planet could rea|)pear, per- 

 ceived it, for a moment, on the 23d of January; but day 

 having furprifed him too foon, he could only examine in 

 hade the configuration of the liars which occupied the field 

 of the teIcfco])e. On the 24th, however, he examined it with 

 more accuracy. On tlie 25lh lie conununicatcd to us his 

 oblervation. 'Ihvre remained then no more diflicultv. In 

 S 3 ' the 



