80 B. A. Gould on a new variable Star. 
it showed nothing of the nature of acomet. I thought it grew 
brighter during that evening, but will not be certain. I believe 
hose who carefully observed its magnitude pronounced it a 
seemed inclined to question this, but did not profess to be sure 
of his oelcmed in that respect. There can be no doubt that 
during at least part of that night, the stranger star was fully as 
bright as Alphacca; I think brighter. Sunday morning it did 
not seem to have changed in luster, but Sunday night it was 
only of the third magnitude, and since that time it has gradually 
faded from sight of the naked eye. On Tuesday night it was 
taken note of at the Washington Observatory, and I suppose it 
- ahd not necessary for me to carry this memorandum any 
urther.. 
© 
Arr. XIIL—New and Brilliant Variable Star; by B. A. GOULD. 
(In a letter to the Editors dated Cambridge, Jo une 9, 1866.) 
On Monday evening, May 14, Mr. S. C. Chandler, Jr., of the 
U.S. Coast Survey, while engaged i in observing the magnitudes 
of fixed stars, by comparison without optical aid, perceived a 
brilliant star not a degree from ¢Corone. At 11 P.M. he esti- 
mated its light as between that of 8 and y Herculis, rather nearer 
to the latter; it was decidedly brighter than 9 Boiss, and at 
least two- thirds of a magnitude brighter than ? or 7 Coronex. 
The sky had been obscured for several successive nights, but 
Mr. Chandler is confident that, three weeks previous (at which 
date he had examined the region with care), no star of sufficient 
brilliancy to attract attention was visible in this place. 
On the ensuing evening, May 15, at 9 p. m., Mr. Chandler and 
myself examined the star together, and eae in Any wien its 
brilliancy as not essentially different from that of 8 Coronsz or 
y Herculis, and as right between the two. It was very 
ere ek fainter than 3 Bod 
two pelos and was ver near t the ait af vuibiliey to the 
ith 
similar in Hercules sand Serpens, both at 98 and at 
135; and a he terval between these comparisons it had di- 
minished by not less than a tenth of a magnitude. 
On the 20th, it was no longer reeptible by the unaided eye, 
but was easily | seen and conic by means of an opera glass 
Subsequent observations have been made by Mr. 
and myself on the 24th, 28th, 31st May, and this evening, June 
; these being the only nights when the exceedingly unfavor- 
