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282 Scientific Intelligence. 
TV. Astronomy. 
1. Satellite of Neptune.—M. Orro Srruve, in a letter to M. Le 
Verrier, an extract of which is published in the Comptes Rendus, Nov. 
29, 1347, states, that soon after the remounting of the grand refractor 
at Pulkova, he directed it (for the first time during the year 1847) to 
the planet Neptune, and at once recognized the satellite. ‘This was 
discovered a year previous by Mr. Lassell of Liverpool. Mr. Strave 
obtained several measurements of the angle of position, and the dis- 
tance of the satellite from the primary, viz., six in September, two in 
October, and one in November. From these observations, he derives 
the following elements of the orbit, viz. 
Passage of asc. node, 1847, Sept. 27-0 m. t. Pulkova, 
Period of revolution, . - - 5d. 21h. 15m. 
Radius of orbit, = - - - - 17-89 
Longitude of asc. node, - - air FAO? on 579" 
Inclination, - - 34°'8 
The mass of Neptune deduced by Mr. Struve from this semi-axis 
major and period of revolution, is yg}gzth of the mass of the Sun;—a 
value which he considers quite exact; and probably more accurate 
than the usually received mass of Uranus. 
n regard to the supposed ring around Neptune, he states, that 
although he has examined the planet on favorable nights, he cannot 
detect any trace of such an appendage. , 
a session of the American Academy, in December, 1847, ‘* Prof. 
Peirce communicated the following elements of the orbit of the satellite 
of Neptune, computed from the combination of all of Lassell’s and Mr. 
Bond’s observations; and he also communicated the corresponding 
mass of the primary. 
* Time of sidereal revolution, 5 days 21 hours 12°4 minutes. 
Inclination to ecliptic, - - 29°9 
- Longitude of asc. node, (the motion being supposed direct,) 119°8 
Time of greatest northern elongation, Nov. 26°53 Greenw. m. s. t. 
Greatest elongation, . - 165 
Distance of satellite from Neptune, 230,000 miles. 
Corresponding mass of Neptune, tsts5, the mass of the Sun being if 
2. Orbit of the Planet Flora, (Comptes Rendus, Dee. 6, 1847.)— 
The following elements of the orbit of the planet Flora, discovered 
Oct. 18, 1847, by Mr. J. R. Hind of London, were computed by Mr. 
Hugh Breen, Jr., assistant in the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. The 
first set is derived from observations of Oct. 21, and Nov. 1, and 10 ;— 
the second from observations of Oct. 21, and Nov. 9, and 23, allowing 
for parallax and aberration : Ist Elements. 2d Elements. 
App. Eqx. Noy, 10, True Eqx. Nov. 10. 
Epoch, m. t. Greenwich, Nov. 10, 563183 Oct. 21, 026 
Mean anomaly, 18° 14! 87-94 6° 34/ 4921 
Long. of perihelion, 
> . node, 109 
ot oaeh 5 54 46-10 33 
Angle of excentricit 8 11 48 7 20 38“ 
“Meat daily motion,” 
36 28 57 96 44 29 29 ‘97 
45 58: , 
Logar. of somi-axis major, 0-3364896 
