64 Royal Astronomical Society. 



x = r. [9-9991563] . sin {v + 186 56 50) 

 y=r. [9-4735634] . sin [v +108 29 45) 

 x=:r. [9-9807954] . sin [v + 95 51 36) 



Hind's Comet {October 18, 1846). 



"A few minutes before 4 o'clock on the morning of October 19, 

 a very faint telescopic comet was discovered here, with the large re- 

 fractor. It was just bright enough to bear a slight illumination 

 sufficient to render visible the thick wires of the micrometer. By 

 observations extending over ratlier more than one hour, or until day- 

 break put a stop to them, the comet was found to have a direct mo- 

 tion in right ascension, of about four minutes in time daily, and a 

 southerly motion in declination of about eleven minutes. Every 

 night for three weeks afterwards was cloudy when the comet was 

 above our horizon, and the observations of October 18 are, there- 

 fore, all we have been able to procure. Mr. Petersen, M. Riimker, 

 and Mr. Brorsen, though immediately apprised of the discovery by 

 Prof. Schumacher, have had no better success, owing to the overcast 

 sky. The comet was compared instrumentally with jS Leonis, for an 

 approximate position, and subsequently, by means of a wire micro- 

 meter, with a star of the 9th magnitude. 



" The instrumental comparisons gave, — 



Greenwich M. T. R.A. Dec. 



h m s h m s o / h 



Oct. 18. 16 15 11 11 59 491 +14 59 32 



17 6 17 11 59 57-5 +14 59 8 



" By four micrometrical measures with the small star, the comet's 

 right ascension was 38^-08 less than that of the star, and its decli- 

 nation 4' 26"- 1 greater than that of the star, at l^" 54'" 16^ Green- 

 wich mean time. We are not yet in possession of the accurate po- 

 sition of this star. 



"This morning (Nov. 11) the sky was clear in the east for the 

 first time since the date of the comet's discovery. A careful search 

 was made for it, without success." 



Observations of Double Stars, made at Poonah, SyCapt.W. S.Jacob. 



The telescope is by Dollond, 5 feet focal length, and mounted on 

 an universal equatorial stand, which mounting is not, however, so well 

 adapted to high as to low latitudes. The telescope is a pretty good 

 one, but shows rather large discs ; hence Capt. Jacob has found no 

 advantage in employing a higher power than 152. With this power 

 he can generally measure angles of position when the stars are l"-5 

 apart. The distances are not to be much relied upon, as " little can 

 be done in that department without clockwork." More than half 

 the stars are taken from Smyth's Cycle, the remainder are such as 

 are too far south to be seen in England. Many of these, though 

 discovered by Capt. Jacob, will probably be found in the forthcoming 

 catalogue of Sir J. F. W. Herschel. In attempting to determine the 



