232 
M. Celoria remarks that possibly from the advanced age which 
Toscanelli had attained, and the inclement season at which the 
comet was visible, the Florentine astronomer has not left for the 
comet of 1472 a representation of its track relatively to the stars 
as he has done for those of 1433, 1449, and 1457, nor an 
ephemeris of positions as in the case of the comet of Halley at 
its appearance in 1456; but two pretty definite places are as- 
signed in Toscanelli’s manuscript for January 9 and 17, and 
with the help of provisional elements a third position for 
January 22 is deducible. Still, in determining the most probable 
orbit, M. Celoria has found it desirable to utilise the one definite 
observation on January 20 which has been left by Regiomontanus. 
The principal available data are :— 
Comet’s Comet’s 
Paris Mean Time Longitude Latitude 
January 9°6326 193 0 +13 0 
17°6007 190 20 26 30 
20°4021 185 12 46 3 
22°2347 IIO 30 +80 32 
Two orbits result from the discussion of these positions, and 
M. Celoria concludes that it is difficult to decide which is pre- 
ferable. These orbits are as follows :— 
Orsit III. 
Feb. 29.94555 
Orit IT. 
Perihelion passage | 1472, Feb. 29°89097 
Paris meantime | 
° ‘ “ ° 4 a“ 
Longitude of perihelion 30) 14756) =. 39 46 2 
Ne ascending node 296 7 49 ... 285 53 25 
Inclination ies TAT -46)... 9 9 54 
Log. perihelion distance 9'68072 ... 9°68654 
Motion—Retrograde. 
Both sets of elements have the degree of precision compatible 
with the nature and number of the observations, and beyond 
doubt afford a closer approximation to the true orbit than either 
of the previous computations. Perhaps we may attach a slightly 
greater weight to M. Celoria’s orbit II., from which it appears 
that the nearest approach to the earth took place at midnight on 
January 22, when the comet in right ascension 293°°5 and de- 
clination +76°°6 was distant 0'0652, with an apparent motion 
of 40° of a great circle daily. On this day Toscanelli refers to 
the interference of moonlight, and it appears certain that the 
presence of the moon must have greatly diminished the imposing 
aspect of such a comet while in the earth’s vicinity. In fact we 
find that the moon was at the first quarter on January 18, and 
consequently at full soon after the nearest approach of the 
comet, when the theoretical intensity of light was one hundred 
times greater than at the end of the first week in January. 
One of the European chronicles dates the first appearance of 
the comet on December 25, 1471, when it will be found from 
elements (II.) that it was in right ascension 194°°4, declination 
+ 5°°5 at 6a.m. in London ; intensity of light, 0°38. In a quaint 
description of the comet’s track by John Warkworth, Master of 
St. Peter’s College, Cambridge, and a contemporary, which was 
published in the PAz/os. Mag. and Journal of Science, vol. xiv. 
(1839), we read : ‘‘ And some men saide that this sterre was seen 
ii or iii oures afore the Sunne rysynge in Decembre iijj days before 
Chrystynmasse in the Southwest . . . ;” calculating for 6 a.m. 
on December 21 we find the comet was in right ascension 193°°8, 
declination + 5°°2: it would consequently be near the meridian 
two hours or so before sun-rise, instead of the western quarter of 
the sky. It is clear that as regards position it might have been 
found three weeks earlier than Toscanelli’s first observation. 
Warkworth says the comet disappeared on February 22. The 
Chinese saw it on February 17 approaching one of their constella- 
tions composed of a, 5, &c., in Pisces, and it is added in Biot’s 
translation ‘‘ elle fut longtemps a s’effacer ;”’ calculation gives the 
place in right ascension 11°°9, declination + 0°°7, intensity of 
light 3°3, in the early evening at Pekin on that date. 
M. Celoria’s notice contains the geocentric track of the comet, 
according to both sets of elements, from January 9 to February 
27. There is some reference in Pingré to a comet at the beginn- 
ing of May, 1472, when the comet of Regiomontanus and 
Toscanelli would rise in Central Europe before 2 a.m., with an 
intensity of light about equal to that it possessed at the previous 
Christmas. 
NAT ORE 
[¥uly 9, 1885 
ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 
WEEK, 1885, /ULY 12-18 
(For the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 
Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, is here 
employed.) 
At Greenwich on July 12 
Sun rises, 3h. 59m. ; souths, 12h. 5m. 20°7s. ; sets, 20h. 11m. ; 
decl. on meridian, 21° 56’ N.: Sidereal Time at Sunset, 
15h. 35m. 
Moon (New on July 12) rises, 4h. 31m.; souths, 12h. 20m. ; 
sets, 20h. 2m. ; decl. on meridian, 16° 47’ N. 
Planet Rises Souths Sets Decl. on meridian 
.- m. h. m. h. m, Cee 
Mercury... 5 18 13 14 21 10 20 23 N. 
Venus Biss 5 D3e25) 21 15 19 30 N. 
Mars I 28 9 40 17 52 22 54.N. 
Jupiter So IS) ee. ban: 22° 3. «LOWS ees 
Saturn 232 =. 10 42 ... 18/52) —-eeeenoene 
Occultation of Star by the Moon 
Corresponding 
July Star Mag. Disap. Reap angle = See 
inverted image 
h. m h., m. Oly tie 
18 ... m Virginis ... 6 Io 10 10 27 184 215 
Phenomena of Jupiter's Satellites 
July h. m. July h. m. 
13... 20 50 IT. oce. disap.| 15 ... 21 15) “Te trepr 
14... 24 38 I. occ. disap. 
The Occultations of Stars and Phenomena of Jupiter's Satellites are such 
as are visible at Greenwich. 
July h. 
een Mercury in conjunction with and 5° 39’ 
north of the Moon. 
Hy oa EG Venus in conjunction with and 5° 22 
north of the Moon. 
TS ey, Jupiter in conjunction with and 3° 7’ north 
of the Moon. 
Ly) eel: Mercury in conjunction with and o° 11’ south 
of Venus. 
GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
Dr. GorrscHeE, formerly a professor in the University of 
Tokio, has, as we have already intimated, returned to Europe 
after a long journey in Korea, during which he acquired much 
information with regard to that country. The length of his 
journey was over two thousand miles, and he visited all the eight 
provinces of Korea, as well as 84 out of the 350 districts. The 
main object of Dr. Gottsche’s explorations was to ascertain 
whether coal and other useful minerals existed in the country ; 
but, on account of influential support which he received he was 
able to obtain from the native authorities information with regard 
to the population, taxation, harvests, trade, &c.. He has also 
collected much statistical information which is wholly new and 
which it is expected will show that the recent English consular re- 
ports are quite incorrect. Amongst others the population of the 
peninsula has been greatly underrated. It has generally been 
put down at nine millions, whereas it really is over twelve 
millions, for the official census from which the former estimate 
is taken only takes into account adults. Dr. Gottsche’s principal 
stations on the journey were Soul, Ichhén, Kwisan, Mangyong, 
Kyongyn, Pusan, Changwon, Cwangyn, Chinsan, &c. He 
was 138 days ex route, and, although this was not rapid, he was 
compelled to neglect some branches of investigation, such as 
botany and zoology, for his main business was with geology. 
In this respect Korea appears to belong to the bordering 
Manchuria. He found but few traces of the high develop- 
ment which the art and science of the country reached in early 
ages, and which made it the instructress of Japan. Dr. Gottsche, 
it is said, intends publishing an account of his journey. 
ProF. BLUMENTRITT, in an article in Globus on the Negritos 
of the Philippines, points out that the notion which was general 
at one time that these aborigines of the Archipelago were 
almost extinct, or absorbed into the Malay population, is an 
error. It may be said with certainty that they no longer exist 
in the Babiuyanes, Batanes, and other groups lying to the north 
of Luzon: but we know too little of the interior of Samar and 
