M. Encke on the Newly discovered Planet. 181 



A sufficient and well-regulated supply of oxygen gas might 

 perhaps remedy this defect. 



Our apparatus consists of a copper lamp with two tubes 

 lying close together, and each containing a wick formed of 

 flat cotton rolled up into a cylinder; and a cylinder of lime, 

 about three-eighths of an inch long and one-eighth of an inch 

 in diameter, inclosed in a thin copper case. The pipe con- 

 veying the oxygen gas from the gasometer terminates in a 

 small jet, inclining upwards, which lies between the two wicks 

 slightly parted to receive it, and within rather less than one- 

 eighth of an inch from the circular disc of lime, and about 

 one-fourth of an inch above the lower edge of the copper case. 

 We find that the common chalk of this neighbourhood fur- 

 nishes a lime which gives a better light than that from the 

 Bristol, or any other limestone we have tried*. 



Mr. Collins, philosophical instrument-maker to the Royal 

 Polytechnic Institution, makes lanterns for dissolving views 

 and microscopes, fitted up with the spirit and camphine light, 

 and will be happy to show its effect to any gentleman who may 

 wish to see it. His address is " 2G Francis Street, Tottenham 

 Court Road," and at the Polytechnic Institution. 



I am ever, my dear Sir, faithfully yours, 



John Georgr Children. 



XXXIl. On the Newly discovered Planet. By M. ENCKEf. 



THE new planet, the orbit and present position of which 

 had been announced a priori by M. Le Verrier of Paris, 

 was discovered almost immediately at the Berlin observatory 

 by Dr. Galle : the very first night the Hora XXI. of the Aca- 

 demy's star-maps (which have been prepared with such extra- 

 ordinary care and accuracy by Dr. Bremiker) was compared 

 with the heavens, and thus afforded the most brilliant proof 

 of the truth of theory, and the wonderful sagacity with which 

 M. Le Verrier had made use of the existing data. With 

 this confirmation, so far exceeding any expectations which 

 could have been previously entertained, the name of M. Le 

 Verrier will ever be connected, and acquire in consequence of 

 it a celebrity as justly merited as it is unexampled in respect 

 of the mode in wliich it is gained. 



From the slowness of the motion of the planet, the obser- 

 vations hitherto made at the Berlin observatory, although 

 they extend to twenty-five days, may all be connected with a 

 star occurring in Bessel's zones, the mean place of which was 

 prelin)inarily assumed to be 



327° 5G' 56"-4- 1 3° 26' 9"-6 



* Drummond also obtained the must biilliunt light from ciialk lime. 

 t From the Bcrichten dcs Akad, der Wissenchaftcn zti Berlin,Oct. 22, 1 846. 



