^6z Hojal Bocielj of London, 



be in its greatcft proximity to the earth -- 1,6025, and there-* 

 fore the nioil favourable time to look for its fatcljites, if there 

 are any, tomealure its diameter, and to examine its nebulofity. 

 About this time the planet will alfo be in its greateft geocen- 

 trical latitude = 17' 9', and a little later fhe will have her 

 jireateft retroorade motion, about 13' in right afcenfion per 

 day. The north declination will increafe till the beginning 

 of'Aoril, and about the ninth of the fame month the motion 

 in declination will commence to the fouth. It appeared to. 

 iTie that the Ceres has fome change of light. I imputed it at 

 lirft to our hazy atmofpherc this winter; but Mr. Schroeter 

 of Lilienthal, and Mr. Olbcrs of Bremen, fent me word that 

 they have obferved the fame, and they believe that it is the 

 planet which is fubjeft to fuch changes of light. Mr. Her- 

 fchel will tell us befl whether it is fo. I have fome hopes 

 to find the planet in antient catalogues of flars. Mr. Meltier 

 was verv near it in the year 1779. The famous comet of 

 that vear ran jull over the northern wing of Virgo, as now, 

 and the new planet was not very far diltant. if the comet 

 bad attained two months fooner the completion of Virgo, 

 Mr. Melfier mufl; infallibly have obferved the Ceres then, 

 becaufe he determined all the little liars in the vicinity of the 

 comet; the planet would have been in the way of the comet, 

 and fo, of courfe, he would have catched the little planet in 



1799. 



If my obfervations are acceptable to you, dear Sir, only a 

 little hint, and I fliall continue, with pleafure, to give you 

 further intelligence. 



i am, with the greatefi: efteem and regard, 

 very refpecHully, moft honoured Sir, 

 Your obedient liumble fervant, 



Francis Baron de Zacii, 



Lieut. Col. and DireBor of See: erg 



Olfen'otory, near Gothay Saxony. 



On the 29th of April and the 6th of May, the reading of 



Count Bournon's paper on corundum was cnitinued, and 



on the 13th of May was concluded. It furnifhcs a complete 



and Icicntific mine'ralogical defcription of thatfublhnce. 



On the 6th and 13th of May there were read two papers 

 communicated by Dr. Herfchcl, giving an account of his 

 obfervations during the late line weather upon the two new 

 celcllial bodies difcovcred by M. Piazzi of Palermo, and Dr. 

 Olbersof Bremen, and by them refpedively called Ceres IV-r- 

 dinandca, and Pallas. In our Magazine for March laft, fome 

 account was sriven of a former paper bvDr. Herfchcl, where- 

 in he formed Im ctlimate of the magnitude of Ceres by com- 

 paring 



