for the year 1881. xiii 



the astronomical work generally for the years 187G, 1877, 

 1878, and 1880 will soon be in the press. 



The great telescope continues to do well, and amongst 

 other work done with it during the past year a very fine 

 series of photographs (in negative) of the moon have been 

 obtained, duplicates of which have been sent to the Royal 

 Astronomical Society in London for publication in England. 

 The members of this Society will be glad to learn that 

 there is every prospect of our Observatory being soon fur- 

 nished with a new transit circle of the most modern form of 

 construction, and of dimensions and power sufficient to cope 

 with the increasing requirements of astronomical science. 



The astronomical event of the year in Australia was the 

 apparition in the Southern Hemisphere of a large comet in 

 May last, which afterwards becoming visible in the Northern 

 Hemisphere, afforded an opportunity for obtaining an 

 extended series of observations for important investigations 

 as to the constitution of these strange bodies. The comet 

 was first seen by Mr. Tebbutt (the well-known amateur 

 astronomer, of Windsor, N.S.W.), on the evening of 22nd 

 May, who reported it to our Observatory. We first 

 observed it on 22nd May, and subsequently obtained a good 

 series of measures of its positions. Its northerly motion 

 carried it beyond our reach on the morning of loth June, 

 and it was not seen again until 22nd June, when it became 

 visible in the Northern Hemisphere. As there is generally 

 some interest attaching to the question of " Who first saw 

 the comet ?" I may state that, so far as can be ascertained, 

 it was seen in Australia on 22nd May, and in the Argentine 

 Territory, South America, on 26th May, so that Australia 

 may claim the first sight of the interesting stranger. 

 Whether this comet was new to us telluric mortals, or an 

 old friend returned, cannot be stated with certainty ; some 

 astronomers incline to the belief that it is identical with the 

 one of 1807, there being great similarity in the elements 

 of its orbit. If it be a return of this comet, it has come 



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