46 THE SEARCH FOR THE PLANET NEPTUNE. [2 



August 12 



Star of Comparison. B. A. of Planet. Decl. of Planet. 



Bessel Z. 127 



127 and 129 



127 and 129 



127 and 129 



127 and 129 



1 97 



J.4U f 



127 

 127 

 127 and 129 



129 



127 



75 Aquarii B. A. C. 7976. 



Not knowing whether Bessel's place of 50 Capricorn! or that of B. A. C. 

 is preferable, I have adopted the mean of the two. The following are the 

 places of the planet given by the means of the above determinations. 



Greenwich mean time. B. A. Decl. 



h. m. s. h. m. s. , ,, 



August 4 13 36 25 21 58 1470 - 12 57 32'2 



12 13 326 215726-13 -13 2 0'2 



in which the errors of R. A. are probably not greater than those incident 

 to results depending on single transits, and the errors of declination, ac- 

 cording to the estimate already given, may amount to 3 or 4 seconds. 



From these places, compared with recent observations extending to 

 October 13, Mr Adams has obtained the following results: 



Distance of the planet from the Sun 30 '05 



Inclination of the orbit 1 45' 



Longitude of the descending node 309 '43 



Heliocentric Longitude, August 4 326'39 



The present distance from the Sun is therefore about a tenth less than 

 theory had predicted. Guided by these results I have been seeking for 

 previous accidental observations of the planet, but without success. The 

 position at the date of the Histoire Celeste is now too near the Sun. 



