4 MR. J. baxendell's observations of comet I. 186J. 



gave the comet's apparent position at 9^ 57"^ 30^*5^ R.A. 9^ 

 ^m 238-25, Dec. +26° 11' 26"- 1. 



At 13*^ 15"* sid. time the angle of position of the axis 

 of the tail was 103°* 2. At this time the angle of position 

 of the comet's radius vector was 74°' 5 ; the deviation there- 

 fore amounted to 28°* 7. 



With the 5 -inch achromatic the tail appeared to be half 

 a degree in length; but with the 13 -inch reflector it was 

 fully one degree, though fainter than when last observed, 

 and still much less in breadth than the diameter of the 

 head. The average diameter of the head was about 20' ; 

 but the nebulosity extended further on the south preceding 

 side of the point of greatest condensation than on the 

 north preceding or north following sides. There was still 

 an entire absence of any stellar nucleus. To the naked 

 eye the comet appeared as a star about equal in brightness 

 to fi Leonis. 



May 14th. Notwithstanding the moonlight, the comet 

 was still visible to the naked eye, and in the 5 -inch achro- 

 matic with a power of 68 it was about 10' in diameter. 

 The tail, however, could not now be seen. 



May 17th, 10^ 25"^. The comet, though at a very low 

 altitude and with strong moonlight, was still very easily 

 seen with the 5 -inch achromatic, and did not appear to have 

 diminished since the 14th instant. This was the last 

 opportunity I had of observing it. 



Lalande's stars Nos. 19,168 and 17^987 occur in BessePs 

 Zones Nos. 454 and 347, and BessePs places have been 

 used in making the reductions. 



