70 Observations with the Melbourne Great TelescoiJe. 



Sirius to d, cuts it about midway, but I could not get an 

 exact estimate, and clouds put an end to further trials. 

 " 1865, Jan. 14. The new star of yesterday is very plain. 



Position Angle oP Comes 77°"63 by 8 measures. 

 New Star 127-03 2 

 d 163-89 3 



" Interrupted by clouds, which had been threatening for 

 some time ; and I was obliged to close in all haste, to save 

 the speculum from the rain which shortly began to fall. 



" Feb. 4. Clark's Comes very plain ; 1 1th magnitude ; 

 but is too windy for measures. The star of the 13th 

 January very faint, but certainly seen. 



" March 23. Image of Sirius too confused for observa- 

 tion. Comes and .star of 13th January very plainly seen. 



" March 24. The image struck me as having never been 

 better. Comes very plain ; position by 6 measures with 

 405, 76°-31 ; but the star is two hours from the meridian. 

 The star of 13th January, though faint, is undoubtedly 

 seen." 



From this it appears that the new star noted by Lassell 

 with his four feet, at Malta, corresponds with the one last 

 noted by me. From this it seems that a star which had 

 hitherto escaped sucli keen observers as Struve, Lassell, and 

 Mr. Marth, had yielded on an indifferent evening at once 

 to the Great Telescope here of the same aperture, without 

 the eye being directed to it, or biassed by any previous 

 information. Yet it has been said that the definition of the 

 Great Telescope is faulty ! 1 have now had some practical 

 acquaintance with it, and have found that the definition 

 is in direct ratio with the goodness of tlie evening. On 

 one or two occasions the highest powers have been borne 

 with perfect definition, showing that the defects are 

 atmospheric ones not instrumental. 



Micrometer measurements of Alvan Clark's Gomes, 

 Lassell' s Go'inp'^ d, &c., have been executed, and the existence 

 of three new stars, which 1 designate for convenience / g and 

 k on several occasions suspected. They are all nearer y^ than 

 the star d of Lassell's note. Another one suspected by Mr. 

 Le Sueur, h, I have also occasionally suspected, but these 

 objects are so exceedingly faint, if existent, that further 

 observation on some nights of first-rate definition is neces- 

 saiy before making any positive statement. 



