On the Co7nel of \S\9. 445 



near the south Hmb, or behind near the north limb, consider- 

 ing that spots have never been seen in the neighbourhood of 

 the poles of the sun. This spot in the middle appeared some- 

 v.'hat larger than double the size of the fourth satellite of Jupiter; 

 it was not an old spot ; indeed, four days before M. Gruithuisen 

 had observed the following spots : 



" Near the uest limb a large spot with nebulosity. 



" Towards the middle, but still a little to the west, three new 

 spots rather large, and some smaller ones. 



" And very near the east limb a small spot. 



" The large spots in the middle were on the 26th of June near 

 the west limb, and had greatly diminished ; that on the east 

 limb had disappeared ; at least it is certain that it had not ar- 

 rived at the middle of the sun in four days. It follows, that the 

 small black spot in the middle of the disc on the 26tb of June 

 was a new spot, or the nucleus of the comet." 



The observations of MM. Brandes and Gruithuisen appear to 

 indicate that between the 2.'?d and 28th of June none of the or- 

 dinary spots seen before or after that period had reached the mid- 

 dle of the solar disc; and the observation made at Hanover by 

 Professor Wildt, appears to confirm that made on the 26th of 

 June by M. Gruithuisen. 



" I observed the sun," says M.Wildt, "^ about the 26th of June, 

 one or two days sooner or later, and I saw an undefined spot, of 

 which I still recollect the size and the situation. I believe it was 

 the comet I saw upon the sun ; my observation was made towards 

 seven in the morning, and might have indicated the situation and 

 the size of the comet. It is perhaps the only time that I did not 

 commit my observation to writing; but the spot was so faint, 

 and so indeterminate, that it appeared to me of little interest. 

 It is truly to be regretted that the idea of a comet had not oc- 

 curred to me. The fact of not having written down my observa- 

 tion leads me to think that it must have been on the 26th of 

 June; for I am aware of circumstances which might have de- 

 prived me of the opportunity on that day. If then the calcula- 

 tions of M. Olbers were confirmed by my observations, I should 

 be inclined to believe that it was the comet which I saw on the 

 sun's disc." 



" I will not decide," adds M.Olbcrs," whether what MM.Grui- 

 thuisen and Wildt saw upon the stm (at the period of the passage) 

 was really the comet, or an ordinary spot. However, none of the 

 spots seen before the 26th of June could be on that day in the 

 middle of the disc ; and M. Brandes could not perceive at twelve 

 o'clock the spot observed at eiglit by M. Gruithuisen: these 

 two facts appear very remarkable. It is to be regretted, that 

 there has not been any decisive observation of a phoenomenon so 



interestiui; 



