322 P>'of. Hardmg^s Ohservatiom of' the Comet. 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE PRESENT COMET, BY PROFESSOR 

 HARDING OF GCETTINGEN. 



From observations of August 21, 27, and Sept. 2, Professor Harding de- 

 rived the following parabolical elements : 



Time of Perihelium, 1822, October 23, 2h. 45' 1" 

 Long. ofPerih. .... 272° 28' 31" 

 Long, of ft - - - - 92 24 SO 



Inclination of orbit ... 52 28" 46 



Log. of shortest distance - - 0"062358 



Motion retrograde. 

 The comet was discovered by Pons at Marlia, July 13, and by Gambard 

 at Marseilles, July 20. In Germany it was first found on the 20th August : 

 when it was nearly visible by the naked eye. Mi\ Enke at Seeberg has 

 clearly convinced himself, by comparing earlier observations made at Mar- 

 seilles Mith those of August and September, that its orbit is elliptical, and 

 he has found the following elements. 



Time of passage through the Pe- ) October 24 -99374, Mean Time of 



rihelium 



Long, of Perih, 

 ft ■ 



^ 



270°31'30"-7 

 93 04 52-4 

 52 39 41 8 

 00545019 

 0-96617805 

 1-5253033 



Seeberg. 



Inclination 



Log. of shortest distance 



Eccentricity 



Log. of half the great axis 



Motion retrograde. 

 These elements agree with the arc described during two months to 0'5. 

 Mr. Enke is now engaged in further correcting them by later observations, 

 which, however, musi, soon be closed, as the comet will become invisible in 

 the twilight. 



ADIPOCIRE OF CORPSES. 

 The adipocire or fatwax of putrified carcases, which is quite different 

 from cetine and cholesterine, consists, according to Mr. Chevreul {Ann. de 

 Cfirm. xviii. 65), of margarine acid, sebacic acid, and an orange yellow prin- 

 ciple, and is formed, according to experiments, by the action of the carbo- 

 nate of ammonia, which is disengaged by putrefaction upon animal sub- 

 stances. 



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