VOL. XXXIII.J PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 13 



Observations on the Comet that appeared in Oct. Nov. and Dec. \T13. By 

 the Rev. Mr. Bradley* M.A. F.R.S. N° 282, p. 41. 



This small comet was first observed in England by Dr. Halley, Octob. 9, 

 between 7 and 8 o'clock in the evening ; it appearing then to the naked eye 

 not much unlike a star of the third magnitude. About 9 he again viewed the 

 comet, and found it considerably moved from its former station, having now 

 passed a small star, which at the time of the first observation was on the other 

 side of it. Comparing the two situations of the comet together, he perceived 

 that its apparent motion at that time was about 8 or 9 minutes in an hour, in a 

 direction towards Sagitta ; and that the comet passed very near, if it did not 

 wholly eclipse the forementioned small star, whose place he afterwards found to 

 be in ;r 7° 22' 15" with 5° I' N. latitude. 



* Dr. James Bradley, an eminent astronomer, was born at Sherborne, in Gloucestershire, in 

 1692, and educated at Baliol college, Oxford, where he took his degrees in arts, and then entered 

 into orders. In 1719 he obtained the living of Bridstow, and afterwards that of Landewy Welfry. 

 Becoming also curate to his uncle Mr. James Pound, at Wansted in Essex, with that gentleman he 

 principally gained his knowledge in mathematics and astronomy. In 1721, on the death of Dr. 

 John Keil, Mr. B. succeeded him as Savilian professor of astronomy at Oxford ; on which occasion 

 he resigned his church livings, agreeable to the rules of the founder. In the course of Mr. B.'s 

 numerous observations, he discovered and settled the laws of the alterations in the fixed stars, from 

 the progressive motion of light, combined with the earth's annual motion about the sun ; as also the 

 nutation of the earth's axis, arising from the unequal attraction of the sun and moon on the differ- 

 ent parts of the earth : the former of these effects is called the aberration of tlie fixed stars, the 

 theory of which he published in 1728 ; and the latter the nutation of the earth's axis, the theory of 

 which appeared in 17-J-7, deduced from 20 years assiduous observations ; by which he communicated 

 to the world two of the finest discoveries in modern astronomy. 



In 1730 Mr. B. succeeded Mr. Whiteside as lecturer in experimental philosophy, in the Museum 

 at Oxford. And, on tlae death of Dr. Halley, he succeeded him as astronomer royal at Green- 

 wich, in 174'2 ; and at the same time the University of Oxford presented him with his degree of 

 D.D. In 1748 the King ordering ,^1,000 to defray the expence of better furnishing the observatory 

 with instruments. Dr. B. employed those excellent artists, Mr. Graham and Mr. Bird, who pro- 

 vided an ample supply of them, to his satisfaction, of which he afterwards made tiie most advan- 

 tageous use during the rest of his life : of his observations an immense number was found after his 

 death, in 13 folio volumes ; which were presented to the University of Oxford in 177f>, on condition 

 of their being printed and published, which however it seems has not yet been accomplished. 



During Dr. Bradley's residence at the royal observatory, the vacant living of Greenwich church 

 vras offered to him ; which however, he thought fit to decline, alleging " that the duty of a pastor 

 was incompatible with his other studies and necessary engagements j" on which the King was pleased 

 to grant him a pension of ^2J0 over and above the astronomer's original salary from tlie Board of 

 Ordnance ; a pension which has been regularly continued to the astronomers royal ever since. Dr, 

 B. died at Chalfont in Gloucestershire, of a suppression of urine, in 1762, at 70 years of age. His 

 communications in the Philos. Trans, extend from the 33d tothe6"2d volume. 



