VOL. XXIK.] JPHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. ig7 



and died away, so as in March 1574, after l6 months, to be no longer visible; 

 and at this day no signs of it remain. Its place, in the sphere of fixed stars, 

 by the accurate observations of the same Tycho, was 0^ 9° 17' a I""* >j< 7"'% 

 with 53° 45' north latitude. 



Such another star was seen and observed by the scholars of Kepler, to begin 

 to appear on Sept. 30, O. S. l604, which was not to be seen the day before: 

 but it broke out at once with a lustre surpassing that of Jupiter; and like the 

 former it died away gradually, and in much about the same time disappeared 

 totally, there remaining no traces of it in Jan. l605-6. This was near the 

 ecliptic, following the right-leg of Serpentarius ; and by the observations of 

 Kepler and others, was in 7' 20"^ 00' a I'"* >|< T, with north latitude 1° 56'. 

 These two seem to be of a distinct species from the rest, and nothing like 

 them has appeared since. 



But between them, viz. in the year 1 596, we have the first account of the 

 wonderful star in collo ceti, seen by David Fabricius on the 3d of August, O.S. 

 as bright as a star of the 3d magnitude, which has been since found to appear 

 and disappear periodically ; its period being nearly 7 revolutions in 6 years; 

 though it returns not always with the same lustre. Nor is it ever totally extin- 

 guished, but may at all times be seen with a six-foot tube. This was singular 

 in its kind, till that in collo cygni was discovered. It precedes the first star of 

 aries 1°40', with 15° 57' south latitude. 



Another new star was first observed by Will. Jansonius, in the year ]600, in 

 pectore, or rather in eductione colli cygni, which exceeded not the 3d magni- 

 tude. This having continued some years, became at length so small, as to be 

 thought by some to disappear entirely: but in the years 1657, 58 and 5g, it 

 again rose to the 3d magnitude, though soon after it decayed by degrees to the 

 5th or 6th magnitude, and at this day is to be seen as such in 9^ 18° 38' a l'"^ 

 >jc T> with 55° 29' north lat. 



A 5th new star was first seen and observed by Hevelius, in the year 1670, 

 on July 15, O. S. as a star of the 3d magnitude; but by the beginning of 

 October it was hardly to be perceived by the naked eye. In April following it 

 was again as bright as before, or rather greater than of the 3d magnitude, yet 

 wholly disappeared about the middle of August. The next year, in March 

 1672, it was seen again, but not exceeding the 6th magnitude: since then, it 

 has been no further visible, though we have frequently sought for its return ; 

 its place is g^ 3° 17' a 1"^^ ^ Tj and has lat. 47° 28' north. 



The 6th and last, is that we described from the Acta Berolinensia, in N° 343 

 of these Transactions ; discovered by Mr. G. Kirch, in the year 1 686, and its 

 period determined to be of 404-1- days : and though it rarely exceeds the 5th 



