56 CORRECTED ELEMENTS OF NEPTUNE. [3 



NOTE. Extract of a Letter from Professor Schumacher. 



" I have received to-day a very interesting letter from M. Le Verrier. 

 The star observed by Lalande on May 10, 1795, is undoubtedly the planet 

 (Neptune). On consulting the original MSS. it appears that he observed 

 the planet on May 10, and also on May 8 ; but in printing the Histoire 

 Celeste, these two observations, supposed to be of the same fixed star, were 

 found discordant. Hence the observation of May 8 ivas not printed at all, 

 and to that of May 10 were affixed the two points, signifying doubt, which 

 are not in the MSS. The MSS. observations stand thus:"*- 



Middle Wire. Third Wire. Zenith Distance, 



h. m. s. h. m. s. / // 



May 8 7'8 141124 595440 



Planet 11 36'5 60 8 17 



10 Planet 11 23 '5 60 7 19 



14 11 50-5 59 54 40. 



Observations of Neptune since its Reappearance. 

 CAMBRIDGE. Northumberland Equatorial. (Prof. Challis.) 



Greenwich M. T. li. A. N. P. D. 



h. m. s. h. m. s. / // 



1847 May 6 15 13 49 22 9 53'40 101 55 53'1 



ii 15 24 11 21 10 9-03 101 54 38'0 



"Neptune was compared with a star in Bessel's Zones 127, 129, 

 R. A. = 22 h 15 m 11 s , and Bessel's place was employed. On May 6th, the ob- 

 servation was difficult from twilight and unfavourable atmosphere." 



Greenwich M. T. R. A. N. P. D. 



h. m. s. h. m. s. o / // 



1847 May 26 14 58 36 22 10 3672 101 52 33'5 



June i 14 5 4 22 10 39'86 101 52 27'0 



" The planet was compared on May 26 three times with B. A. C. 7740 

 and twice with a star in Bessel's zones 127 and 129, R A. = 22 h 15 m 11 s . On 

 June 1 it was compared five times with the former star and four times 

 with the latter. The places of the stars are taken from the British 

 Association Catalogue and from Bessel." 



* The mean places of the star for 1800, by Schumacher's Tables, are 



R. A. 14 12 0-83 N. P. D. 101 8 19-4 



11 59-81 8 17-8 



There is probably an error of I* in one of the observed R. Ascensions. 



