24: HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY. 



scope was immediately turned upon the planet. It was 

 observed at Cambridge by Mr. Bond, October 21st; it 

 was seen at Washington October 23d, and was regularly 

 observed there till January 27th, when it approached 

 too near the sun to be longer followed. 



Le Terrier, although quite a young man, thus estab- 

 lished at once an enviable reputation. He was literally 

 overwhelmed with honors received from the sovereigns 

 and academies of Europe. He was created an officer of 

 the Legion of Honor by the King of France, and a 

 special chair of Celestial Mechanics was established for 

 him at the Faculty of Sciences. From the King of Den- 

 mark he received the title of Commander of the Koyal 

 Order of Dannebroga ; and the Eoyal Society of London 

 conferred on him the Copley medal. The Academy of 

 St. Petersburg resolved to offer him the first vacancy 

 in their body ; and tlje Eoyal Society of Grottingen 

 elected him to the rank of Foreign Associate. 



Thus were the predictions of Adams and Le Terrier, 

 with regard to the direction of the planet, at the present 

 time, wonderfully fulfilled ; but the observations of a few 

 weeks sufficed to show that this body was not pursuing 

 the orbit which these mathematicians had prescribed for 

 it. Elements founded upon the hypothesis of a circular 

 orbit were computed within the first month by Adams, 

 Galle, and Binet. These agreed very nearly with one 

 another, and coincided especially in showing the distance 

 from the sun to be about 30. M. Talz ; of the Mar- 

 seilles observatory, endeavored, early in the year 1847, 



