159 



attention. The observations of it made here, are the 

 first among those which hitherto have become known. 

 In all places, attention has been drawn to it, and 

 measurements made ; so that, in spite of the season of 

 the year, we may expect a beautiful series of observa- 

 tions, which may produce great results. As far as the 

 matter has been developed to the present moment, I 

 think that I must recognise again a working of polar 

 forces. The further pursuit, however, will justify, I 

 hope, a more than superficial opinion. 



Owing to the use of the incomparable heliometer, 

 the observations of the new planet have been conducted 

 with an exactitude far exceeding that of the best obser- 

 vations of the meridian. The full benefit of its use 

 will not, however, be enjoyed unless the positions of 

 the stars with which it is compared, are determined 

 with equal accuracy. The whole force of the meri- 

 dional observations is, therefore, brought to bear on 

 the latter, and at my suggestion, Dr. Busch is not 

 troubling himself about the planet itself. I have also 

 requested Encke and Schumacher* to assist in deter- 

 mining the position of the stars. The former has 

 received from hence a series of excellent observations 

 to serve as materials for determining the orbit, and will 

 receive a continuation of them in a few days. It is 

 most fortunate that I arranged and published in the 

 first volume of my "Astronomical Researches" the 

 result of the extensive investigations I had made into 

 the exact reduction of observations by means of the 

 heliometer ; but for that, in my present useless state, 

 Wichmann would be unable to reduce exactly, and 



* Encke, Director of the Observatory at Berlin ; Schumacher, Director at 

 Altona. TR. 



