334 THE BEE, OR March 2, 



of aftronomy at St. Peterfburgh ; who informs us, that 

 a circular orbit, whofe radius is about nineteen times 

 the diftance of the earth from the fun, will agree very 

 well with all the obfervations that have been made dur- 

 ing the 1 781. As the truth of this calculation depend- 

 ed upon its orbit being circular, which I have heard 

 no confirmation of, and on account of the great nicety 

 required in obferving the figure of fo fmall a portion o£ 

 that immenfe curve, uhich the planet has defcribed 

 fince the J'car 1781, it muft be owned, the weight I 

 laid upon this calculation was but fmall. 



Some aftronomers are of opinion, that the new planet 

 IS the ftar, that is marked No. 964 in Mayer's catalogue. 

 This feems to be confirmed by feveral obfervations that 

 have been made on purpofe to find it, in that part of the 

 heavens where it ftiould have been, if a fixed ftar, ac- 

 cording to the catalogue, but without fuccefs ; and that 

 this planet's apparent place in the year 1736, ouglit 

 to have been that of Mayer's ftar (on the 15th of Septem- 

 ber 1756, Mr. Mayer difcovered that ftar). If this is 

 allowed, profeftbr Robifon thinks that the calculations 

 refpefling it may proceed with eafe. Others are of opi- 

 nion, that the new planet is the fame with the ftar No. 

 ^4. of the JBritrannic catalogue. As it is a long time 

 fince I have heard any accounts concerning it, I would 

 wifh to learn through the channel of your paper, from 

 fome of your ingenious correfpondents, which of the ftars, 

 viz. No. 964 of Mayer's catalogue, or No. 34 of the 

 Britannic, aftronomers in general have pitched upon to 

 be the fame with the Georgium Sidus, and how they 

 have determined its diftance from the fun, figure of its 

 orbit, Sec ? The giving the above a place in a coi- 

 ner in your ufeful publication will much oblige 

 Your moft obedient humble fervant 

 Edinhurgh ^ ID 



January 2']th i']()i. ^ 



