1 8a French Board of Longitude. 



lively their correftncfs. Theory, to which recourfe was 

 again had, fliowed the caufe of the error, and the method 

 by which it might be rectified. The papers tranlmitted as 

 anfvvers to the queftions propofed by the National Inftitute 

 two years ago, and proclaimed in the public fitting of the 

 J5th of Germinal hft, (April 5th,) have fhrovvn great light 

 on the equations lately invented for the motion of the apo- 

 geum and node. But aftronomers at that time had not been 

 invited to turn their attention to all the elements of which 

 the lunar tables are compofed : this labour would have been 

 too much difproportioned to the time propofed for the com- 

 petition. One fuccefs often creates a defire, and fometimes 

 furniflies the means of obtaining another. What has been 

 fo happily executed already, proves the poffibility of doing 

 ftill more, and of procuring to aftronomy lunar tables more 

 corredt and more lafting. Nothing remains after eftablifh- 

 ing the epochs, the fecular motion, and their inequalities, 

 but again to difcufs, by comparifon with a great number of 

 accurate obfervations, the precife quantity of the different 

 equations which enter into the calculation of the moon's 

 place. This is the queftion which the French Board of 

 Longitude now propofes to the aftronomers of every country. 

 The conditions to be fulfilled are : 



ift. To difcufs and eftablifh, by comparifon with a great 

 number of good obfervations, the value of the co-efficients 

 of the inequalities of the moon, and to give for the longi- 

 tude, latitude, and parallax of that planet, formulae ftill 

 more corre6l and complete than thofe which have ferved as 

 the foundation of the tables now in ufe. 



3d, To conftru£l from thefe formulae tables of fuffi-cient 

 extent and accuracy for calculation. 



The prize will be fix thoufand francs (250/.) The Board 

 of Longitude does not fix any period far the competition, 

 and will adjudge the prize to the firft pei'fon who (hall have 

 fulfilled the above conditions. 



The competitors will addrefs their papers to the J^ureau 

 des Longitudes, Palais National des Sciences et Arts a Paris, 

 They njuft not be infcribed with the name of the author, but 

 only wjt,U a fenliCftp^ or jxipilo, aad ms^y be accooip^nied 



with 



