Comets. 219 



329. In August a comet appeared in the N.W. It ap- 

 proached very near to 8 Sagittarii, and was visible for three 

 weeks . — (Ma-tuoan-lin. ) 



336. On February 16 a comet was seen in the W. near 

 ^Andromedas; it was also seen near a Arietis. — (De Mailla, 

 iv. 349.) In Europe a comet of extraordinary magnitude 

 was seen a year or more before the death of the Emperor 

 Constantine, which happened on May 22, 337. — (Eutrop. Hist. 

 Bom. x. 8.) Pingre and Hind consider these comets to be one 

 and the same, in which case it must have been visible for 

 fifteen months. 



340. On March 25 a comet was seen in the neighbourhood 

 of /3 Leonis. — (Ma-tuoan-lin ; De Mailla, iv. 363.) 



343. On December 9 a comet was seen. Its R.A. exceeded 

 that of k Virginis by T. — (Gaubil.) 



350. On January 7 a comet with a tail 10° long, and ex- 

 tending westwards, was discovered near k Virginis. — (Gaubil.) 



358. On July 12 a comet appeared, but no position is 

 given. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) 



363. In August — September a comet appeared near 

 a and k Virginis; it subsequently passed to near a Herculis 

 and a Ophiuchi. — (De Mailla, iv. 413.) During the reign of 

 Jovian, or towards the end of the year, comets are said to 

 have been visible in the daytime. — (Ammian. Marcell. Bex. 

 Gest. xxv.) 



369. From the 2nd to the 7th moon an extraordinary star 

 was visible in the western boundary of the circle of perpetual 

 apparition. The 2nd moon commenced about March 25 ; the 

 7th about August 20.— (Hind.) 



373 [i.] On March 9 a comet appeared. It traversed the 

 following sidereal divisions, or its R.A. coincided with the 

 following stars : — e Aquarii, a Librae, k Virginis, a Virginis, 

 7 Corvi, a Crateris, and v Hydras. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) It is not 

 impossible, however, that the comet did traverse these constel- 

 lations, in which case the element must have been very small. 



373 [ii.] On October 24 a comet appeared near a Herculis 

 and a Ophiuchi. — (Ma-tuoan-lin.) Hind thinks that this was 

 probably Halley's comet, which may have arrived at perihelion 

 during the first week of November. 



374. In January — February a comet was visible near 

 fi" Scorpiiand <y Sagittarii. — (De Mailla, iv. 437 ; Ma-tuoan-lin.) 

 These positions would also apply to Halley's comet at this 

 epoch, so it is at present uncertain whether this or the preceding 

 was that body. — (Hind.) 



375. A few days before the death of Valentinian, which 

 occurred on November 17, comets were observed. — (Ammian. 

 Marcell. xxx.) 



