304 E. C. Pickering—New Planetary Nebule. 
that the spectra of over ten thousand stars are often examined 
in this time. 
The first sweep was made on July 13, and revealed in a few 
minutes a bright point of light wholly unlike the lines formed 
by the stars. This proved to be a new planetary nebula having 
the earch for 1880 R. A. 18" 25-2™ and Dec. —25° 13’. Its 
isk is so small that it can scarcely be distinguished from a 
tae and ers not probably have been detected with an 
ordinary eye-piece even if brought into the field ‘of view. 
Measures of its light show that it is about eight magnitudes 
fainter than A Sagittara or of about the eleventh magnitude on 
the scale of Pogson. e next evening another new nebula 
was found somewhat fainter than this, but with a larger disk. 
Its position for 1880 is R. A. 18" 48" and Dec. —28° 12’. 
This region was selected since it ga four of the fifty pre- 
viously known planetary nebuls. Sweeps on several subse- 
ci evenings in this vicinity and alsoirhee revealed nothing 
ne 
On August 28 an object entered the field having a very 
oh aes spectrum. Two bright bands were seen near the 
a faint continuous spectrum e position of this 
object 108 1880 was found to be R. A. 18" 1™ 17°, Dec. —21° 16’. 
It therefore is identical Nore the star Oeltzen No. 17681. 
Its position was observed once by Argelander and twice in 
the Washington zones. Tt pe therefore have had nearly 
its present spree and brightness over thirty years ago. It 
appears to lightly fainter than Oeltzen No. 17648 which 
precedes it about a minute and is 4’ north, so that even a small 
change in its light can be easily detected hereafter. A careful 
examination of the spectrum shows that the bright portions are 
longer than they are wide, and accordingly that they are bands 
not lines. is view was confirmed by see rag a 
spectroscope of the usual form to the telescope. The 
refrangible band extends from eral Ninn length 5800 to 5850, 
the other from 4670 to 4730. A third band was suspected at 
about 5400. All that piste are only approximate, and 
should be Deane at some aeeraary we He spectroscopy is 
e a special study. A large telescope is needed, since at 
best the spectrum of so faint a star will not be easily measured. 
It will be noticed that the first of these bands is in the yellow 
not far from the D line, but of somewhat less wave-length. 
The other band isin the blue between the F and G lines. 
This spectrum is unlike that of any other source of light so far 
as is yet known. It is difficult to know in what class to place 
this body. From its spectrum of bright bands on a faint con- 
tinuous back-ground, we might place it with the nebuls, since 
most of the planetary nebulz seem to have a faint, continuous 
