BY JOHN TEBBUTT, JUN. 143 



to upwards of a degree. I accordingly proceeded to a closer approxi- 

 mation founded on the observations of the 1st, llth, and 20th, and 

 arrived at the second set of elements here given. I have not yet 

 had an opportunity of comparing these elements with the inter- 

 mediate observations, but hope to be able to do so in time for the 

 next meeting of the Society. On the whole, I think set II. will 

 be found to be as close an approximation as can be obtained 

 from the first three weeks observations unconnected for parallax. 

 I hope to be able to enter more at length into the subject when 

 the observations of the comet have been completed and fully 

 reduced. I shall also then have an opportunity of comparing 

 the results with those derived from the more accurate and 

 extended observations of European and American astronomers. 

 No notice of the discovery of the comet has appeared in the 

 Astronomisclie Nacliricliten up to the 14th June, the latest date 

 received ; but in the Illustrated London News of July 12th, I find 

 the following item of news : 



" A new comet was discovered on the 3rd instant at Marseilles, 

 by M. Tempel, in the constellation Cassiopea. It is rapidly 

 journeying towards the polar star, and will soon, it is believed, 

 be visible to the naked eye." 



On calculating back for Greenwich mean midnight, July 3rd, 

 from elements II, I obtain the following for the apparent place 

 of the comet : R, A., = 76| degrees ; declination = 64 degrees 

 north. 



This position is on the confines of the constellation Cassiopea, 

 so I think there can be little doubt that the comet discovered by 

 M. Tempel is the same as that which is now the subject of 

 observation here. The next mail from England will probably 

 satisfy us on that point. From the date of discovery till about a 

 week before it became generally visible here, the comet was 

 traversing the northern hemisphere beneath our horizon. 



I will now give a few interesting particulars, founded on the 

 elements. The comet when first seen, on the evening of the 1st, 

 was distant about thirty-three millions of miles from the earth, 

 and was slowly receding from us. It passed its perihelion on 

 the evening of the 23rd August, its distance from the sun then 

 being ninety-one and a-half millions of miles. There is no comet 



