62 Meteors of November 24-27, 1872. 
of major axes, or longitudes of perihelia, by differential ac- 
tion, the total action would, undoubtedly, entirely scatter the 
group at the earth’s nodes. 
In fact, instead of regarding the meteors as a stream we ought 
rather to look upon the group as coming together near the 
perihelion,—or near the node,—and then scattering widely, to 
reassemble, perhaps, after a complete revolution in the orbit. 
A resisting medium cannot account for the observed effect, for 
this does not change the longitude of the perihelion of an orbit. 
It seems to me, therefore, that the periodic meteors cannot 
have been brought into the solar system as a stream, but that 
the forces which have scattered the comets are those acting 
near the perihelia of their orbits. As a probable corollary, 
we may infer that whatever force divided Biela’s comet into 
its two principal parts was one acting near the perihelion. 
If we consider the orbits of the meteors of Nov. 14th, the 
cine discussion is simplified. That shower is sharply 
differences of inclination of the orbi 
e size of the radiant is therefore due almost exclusively 
sion of the node of the group, as a group, equally forbids great 
ts. 
Art. VIIL.—Discovery of anew Planet ; by James C. WaTSON. 
(From a communication to one of the Editors. 
On the 25th inst. at 7" 30™ I discovered in Taurus a planet hith- 
erto unknown. It is large and bright, resembling a star of the 9th 
magnitude. The unfavorable state of the weather has prevented 
me from obtaining any observations later than the 26th. The fol- 
lowing are the places observed: 
1872 
" Ann Arbor m. t. a é 
Nov. 25, 9° 49" $1* 4> 21™ 44°92 +19° 34! 16/2 
25, 10:81. 61 4 21 48°44 19 84. 19°9 
25, 10 47 14 4 21 42°65 10... 34::.18:0 
, 
26, to ee eee 4 20 40°72 +19 34 39°7 
Observatory, Ann Arbor, Nov. 30, 1872. 
