42 ON THE ORBIT-ELEMENTS OF COMET I, 1880. 
hemisphere. On the evening of the 9th it was accurately observed 
at the Melbourne Observatory, but it had then receded toa dis- 
tance of 53,885,000 miles from the sun, its corresponding distance 
from our planet being 62,205,000 miles. On the evening of the 
17th the Melbourne observers obtained their last position, the 
comet having then increased its distance from the sun and 
to 75,293,000 and 69,508,000 miles respectively. This evening, 
July 7th, while Iam reading this paper to the Society, it has 
minor planets. Assuming that our late visitor is the great com 
of 1843 with a period of 37 years, it will ultimately reach its 
aphelion at a distance of 2,052 millions of miles or within the 
orbit of the planet Neptune, and will then commence its retum 
journey towards the sun, and make its reappearance to the earth's 
inhabitants about the year 1917, ; 
Having now given you as much information as lies in my powel, 
T must take leave of my subject. I trust that in the course of a 
few weeks we shall receive from Europe information more accurate 
and detailed than that of which we are at present in possession. 
The Observatory, Windsor, 
June 26th, 1880, 
