ASTRONOMY. 



[MOTBS oic COMETS. 



On March 29th, it was teen in ft Aquarii and a 



Equulei. On April t'.ih, it had a tail 10" lung, and iu 

 motion waa towards the west On April 10th, the tail 

 was 60 long, and separated into two portions. On April 

 its tnil was undivided, and its length was 60. On 

 . 14th, the length of the tail was 80, at which time 

 tin- comet was in the constellation Hydra. After this 

 time the length of the tail decreased considerably, and on 

 April -.>tli. it was seen for the last time, with a tail only 

 3 long. Pingre, after having carefully investigated all 

 the preceding observations, deduces an orbit which ap- 

 pears in a table at the end of this section : there are ream >us 

 for inferring that it was probably an apparition of Hal- 

 ley's comet, which, from some errors in the published 

 accounts, will not agree with the observations. There 

 also appears to be a doubt as to the year of this appear- 

 ance the Latin accounts agreeing consistently in placing 

 it in 838, whilst the Chinese give 837. Were two comets 

 seen, or is there an error in the Chinese account ? The 

 account of an anonymous Latin historian differs, both in 

 date and position. It is nearly as follows : It was first 

 seen in Virgo, and, pursuing a retrograde course, it tra- 

 versed successively Leo, Cancer, and Gemini, all in the 

 space of twenty-five days, and finally disappeared in 

 Taurus, under the feet of Auriga. Pingre's orbit, which 

 is based on the Chinese observations, will not agree with 

 the latter path ; and we may infer, with some reason, 

 that the year was 838, and the comet of which the Latin 

 historian speaks was that of Halley. 



855. In this year, an anoieut clironicler mentions two 

 stars being seen iu the month of August, on ten succes- 

 sive occasions. They were possibly comets, the larger being 

 always visible, but the smaller not so freqently. A comet 

 was also seen in France during 20 days. 



875. On June 6th, an extraordinary blazing comet was 

 seen, with a fine tail. It appeared first in Aries, and 

 was visible during the whole month of June. This comet 

 was supposed, at the period, to be the announcement of 

 the death of the Emperor Louis II. 



891. In China, on May 12th, a fine comet was seen in 

 Ursa Major, with a tail 100 in length. This comet is 

 also mentioned in the Saxon annals. Pingre was of 

 opinion that this comet was identical with that of 10012 

 and lOiJl . 



895. A fine comet, whose tail was 100 long, was 

 visible in China, on June 25th. It was first seen near < 

 and c of the Great Bear, and in the course of its appear- 

 ance it passed over Corona, part of Hercules, and Ser- 

 pentarius. The length of the tail increased to 200, 

 which, however, Pingre asserts is difficult to believe. 



905. In this year, the European and Chinese annals 

 mention the appearance of a great comet in the mouths 

 of May and June. 



912. In this year the Latin authors relate that a comet 

 appeared in the month of March, for fourteen days, in 

 the north-west. A Greek author mentions its duration 

 as being forty days. 



931. A comet was visible in Cancer, in the months of 

 May, June, and July of this year. 



939. On the 10th of July of this year a long eclipse of 

 the sun was seen ; and in Italy, during eight successive 

 nights, a comet of great splendour was beheld. 



942. A comet waa seen in October of this year, for 

 upwards of twenty days, in .the western heavens. Its 

 motion was towards the east. Its head waa faint, but 

 the tail projected and resembled smoke. 



975. In the autumn of this year a comet is mentioned 

 by the Latin and Chinese historians. In China it was 

 seen on August 3rd in Hydra ; its tail was 40 in length. 

 The comet during the time of its appearance, which was 

 for eighty-three days, passed through the constellation 

 Cancer to the space between -y 1'egasi and a Andromeda*. 

 Pingre remarks that there is a considerable similarity in 

 the above path to that of 1556, which is supposed, with 

 great probability, to be identical with that of lL'i',1. 

 Taking iu perihelion passage a few days before the end 

 of 976, July, Pingre finds that it might have been seen 

 about the llth of July, which Father Ganbil states to be 

 the caw in China. On August 3rd it would have been 



in conjunction with the sun, but its northerly latitude 

 being considerable, it would rise some time before it, ami 

 might leave, as mentioned, a tail 40 long. Its i 

 would then be retrograde, apparently through th. 

 stellations of Cancer, (icinini, Taurus, and Aries, in 

 which latter sign it would probably be visible about the 

 mouth of October. There is sufficient accordance in 

 the above, to give this opinion of Piugre's considerable 

 eight 



989. An appearance of Halley's comet is supposed to 

 have occurred in the autumn of this year. On August 5th 

 it was seen in the constellation of Gemini, and, pursuing 

 a retrograde direction, it passed through the constel- 

 lations of Leo and Cancer. Buckhardt has computed an 

 orbit from the rough account of the Chinese annalist, 

 which appears in our table. 



1000. A comet of extraordinary brilliancy was seen this 

 year for nine days ; but there appears to be some doubt 

 as to the exact period. 



1066. In the April of this year the Chinese and Euro- 

 pean annalists mention that a comet of great brilliancy 

 was seen. It was supposed to be the forerunner of the 

 conquest of England by William duke of Normandy. 

 The orbit has been computed by Pingre, from the Chinese 

 annalists, and there appears a strong probability of its 

 identity with that of 107". 



1097. Although the comet of this year was only seen 

 for a very short time (in Europe only fifteen days), it is 

 remarkable as projecting two rays or tails, which were 

 directed to the east and south-east respectively. In 

 China, on October 6th and 9th, its tail was noted as being 

 respectively 30 and 50 in length. On October 6th it 

 was seen in China near a and /* Librae. On October 16th 

 it was seen near the head of Hercules. It ceased to be 

 visible in China on October 25th. 



1106. A great and fine comet was seen in Palestine on 

 February 7th, and in China on February 10th. It was 

 seen on February 7th in Pisces. Its tail was similar in 

 colour to the whiteness of snow. Its appearance lasted 

 for fifty days. In China, on February 10th, its tail was 

 60 in length, and extended from Gemini to Orion. 

 During its apparition, it traversed the path from the end 

 of Pisces to the end of Taurus. There is some similarity 

 supposed to exist between this comet and that of 1 686. 



1222. In the months of August and September, a 

 comet of extraordinary magnitude, very red, and accom- 

 panied with a great tall, was seen. In China it was ob- 

 served on September 10th, beneath the feet of the 

 Virgin, Arcturus, and Berenice. It disappeared on 

 October 8th. 



1231. A comet was seen in China, on February 6th, in 

 Cygnus ; its magnitude was equal to Saturn. From the 

 recorded path, Pingre has calculated an orbit, which 

 appears in our table. 



1264. A great and celebrated comet, of which all the 

 historians make mention. It is supposed to be identical 

 with the comets of 975 and 1556. It was visible for 

 some months at least three, probably four. Its disap- 

 pearance occurred the same day as the death of Pope 

 Urban IV., or on October 3. I'iugre and Dunthorue 

 have calculated its orbit. 



1265. An historian mentions that, at the commence- 

 ment of autumn of this year, a comet was seen with a 

 long tail, which commenced to shine after midnight. 



1266. In the month of August of this year a comet 

 was visible in Franco. It was also seen at Constanti- 

 nople, near the sign of Taurus ; there appears some 

 doubt, however, with respect to this last account. It is 

 questionable whether the comets of 1205 and 1266 be 

 not identical. 



1299. On January 24th of this year a comet was seen 

 near Columba. It was visible for sixty-three days. 

 Pingre has deduced its orbit from all the observa- 

 tions. 



130L A great comet, which is mentioned by the 

 Latin historians as having occurred at the time of the 

 autumnal equinox. It was also seen in China for forty- 

 six days, comment-in:; with September 16th. The ele- 

 ments deduced by Pingrfe are very uncertain, but Mr. 



