' and positions of s6 double and triple stars, &c. S^S 



No. XXIV. R. A. 1 7^^ 4™ ; Decl. 26^ 1 8' S. 

 36 Ophiuchi ; H. and S. 243. 



continued. H 



transits of both stars ; Piazzi however, by a comparison of 

 his own observations with those of preceding astronomers, 

 assigns to them quantities, which for 1825.57 would give 

 difference of R. A. (in time) 52".5o, agreeing with our determina- 

 tion to 9-hundredths of a second ; hence also in R. A. as well 

 as in declination, they have, if any, the same proper motion. 



If however the proper motions attributed to them be cor- 

 rect, and if 7ione be enjoyed by A of 38 Ophiuchi, the differ- 

 ence of declination between 36 and 38 should be 5' 23",o73, 

 differing not one second from our determination : and if the 

 proper motion in right ascension attributed to 36 be correct 

 (the star 38 being fixed), the difference of R. A. (in time) be- 

 tween them should be 2' 11". 76 orAy fourteen hundredths of a 

 second, at variance with our observations ; quantities which 

 may be very fairly attributed to errors of observation. 



Hence it follows, that the two stars 36 Ophiuchi and 

 30 Scorpii, although distant from each other more than 

 12 minutes, are journeying together through space ; and that 

 the annual proper motions (i".0756 and i".ii55 toward the 

 south, and o".59 and o".58 toward the west), assigned to them, 

 are true. 



From the above investigation we also learn, that the star 

 38 Ophiuchi has no sensible proper motion ; consequently 

 the observed increase of distance between it and the small 

 star,* if it exist, must probably be sought for, in some pecu- 

 liarity of the latter. -^ 



mass of his observations, (copied from the original possessed by the Unirersity of 

 Oxford,) by Gael Morris, and now in the library of the Royal Society : that any 

 observation of this illustrious Astronomer, " le Modele des Observateurs" of La 

 Place, and whose observations, (in the emphatic language of the same Philosopher) 

 constitute " I'^poque d'ou Ton doit partir maintenant, dans les recherches deli- 

 cates de la science," should be recorded only in perishing manuscript, is to be hoped 

 in these enlightened times, will not remain long an object of regret to Astronomers. 

 * Referred to in page 209, 



