428 IPHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I76O. 



XLI. Observations on the Comet seen in January 1760. By Javies Short f M.A.^ 



F.R.S. p. 465. 



A comet has made its appearance near the constellation of Eridanus, a little 

 to the westward of Orion. Last night (Jan. 9) Mr. S. took its transit over the 

 meridian, and likewise its declination. Its nucleus was small, subtending an 

 angle of not more than 5 or 6 seconds, but very visible through a 2-feet reflec- 

 tor magnifying about JO times. Its motion is to the westward, with a consider- 

 able velocity, seemingly about 2° in a day ; for about an hour and a half after 

 taking its transit, hejudged it had advanced about 10 or 12 minutes; which was 

 about the rate of the great comet, when it first was seen in the end of the year 

 ] 743. This comet is very visible to the naked eye, though no tail could be per- 

 ceived ; and therefore he concluded it was going down to the sun. 



Mean time. 



Comet passed the meridian Qth Jan. 1 760, at 9^ 8"* 53' 



Its declination south 2** 1 5' O'^ 



Rigel Orionis passed the meridian at g^ 4/"^ 49* 



XLIL Observations on the same Comet. By the Rev. J. Michelly M.A. p. 466, 



The first observations gave its distance from K Orion, is 3° 29'; from Rigel, 

 11° 46'; from Betelgeuse, 17° 10'; and from Sirius, 12*^56'. All these obser- 

 vations were made between a quarter and half an hour past 9, and in the order 

 here set down. At 1^ 22™, its distance from Rigel was 7^ &\ at 1^ 24™, from 

 Betelgeuse 15^53'; and at 1^ 36™, its distance from Sirius was 17° 36'. 



XLIIL An Account of the same Comet. By Nicolas Munckley, of Lincoln s^ 



Inn, Esq. p. 467. 



Jan. 9, 1760, Mr. M. observed what appeared to be evidently a comet, west 

 of the constellation of Orion, over the two stars marked /a and v in the river Eri- 

 danus, but nearer the latter than the former ; right ascension about QQ^, decli- 

 nation about 3'' s. It was something dimmer and larger than either of these 

 stars ; and through a telescope appeared magnified, and surrounded with a broad, 

 faint, ill defined haziness, like the last comet, such as plainly distinguished it 

 from any thing else in the heavens. 



XLIF. Of the same Comet. By Mr. Mark Day. p. 469. 

 Mr. D. Jan. 9, about 3 o'clock, observed the comet in the southern hemi- 

 sphere, near the northern extremity of the river Eridanus, tending towards Pega- 

 sus, and thought it would cross the ecliptic about 20° in Aries. It moved one 

 degree in less than one hour and half ; but seemed too hasty to give the astrono- 



