from MazapiL Mexico. 51' 



HIT. Its orbit WHS cjilculated by Gambart, of Marsella, who also 

 discoveriHl that this comet was seen in 1772 and 1805, from the 

 identity of its orbital data. Gambart and Chiusen undertook 

 the calculation of the elements of its orbit, and found that its 

 complete revolution around the sun would be effected in seven 

 years approximately. Damoiseau studied minutely the time at 

 which it would again reach its perihelion, taking into account 

 planetary disturbing influences. From these studies it was de- 

 duced that the comet would collide with the earth on the 29th 

 of October, 1832, and all Europe was in concern as that period 

 api^roached. 



But on again examining the question, it was found that, 

 although the comet would touch the earth's orbit on the 29th 

 of October, the earth itself would not arrive at the same 

 point until the 30th of November, that is to say, a month later — 

 the distance between the two bodies being twenty millions of 

 leagues. 



Later observations, in 1832, corrected the elements of its orbit, 

 and data were obtained as follows : 



Reached perihelion in 1832 on Nov. 26th. 



Inclination of plane of its orbit, ----- 13° 13' 



Longitude of ascending node, ----- iio° 



Perihelion distance, - 0.88 



Motion, - - - direct. 



Duration of revolution, 6.62 years. 



In 1839 it could not be seen, owing to the unfavorable position 

 of its orbit at the time of its perihelion, in the first days of July, 

 and since it was computably near the sun and lost in its rays. 



In 1846 it should have passed through its perihelion on Feb. 

 12th. From Dec. 21st, 18-15, M. Encke, in Berlin, had already 

 observed the comet of Biela, and on the 13th of January, 1846, 

 to the great surprise of the observers, the comet appeared separ- 

 ated into tivo portions (having been seen the day before without 

 alteration), and on subsequent days the parts separated more and 

 more until, on the 12th of February, the day of its perihelion, 

 the distance between the two fragments was already 310,000 kilo- 

 meters. 



In 1852, it should have jiassed through its perihelion on Sep- 



