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IV. — On the New Star in the Constellation Auriga. By Professor Ralph Copeland, 

 Astronomer-Royal for Scotland. Together with Observations of the Same. By 

 Dr L. Becker. With a Plate. 



(Read 15th February 1892.) 



The discoverer of Nova Aurigse is the Rev. Thomas D. Anderson of Edinburgh, D.Sc. 

 in Classical Philology. Dr Anderson is " almost certain " that he saw the star at 2 a.m. 

 on January 24 of this year ; it was then slightly brighter than x Aurigse. Unfortunately, 

 he mistook it for 26 Aurigse, which it precedes by about 6 m 39 s , merely remarking to 

 himself that the star was brighter than he had previously thought it to be. Twice in the 

 following week he made the same observation at about the same hour of the night. At 

 last, on the morning of January 31, it flashed upon him that, after all, the star was not 

 26 Aurigse, and that 26 Aurigse had a much greater right ascension. He consulted a 

 small star-map, and the discovery was made. Regretting that he had not earlier com- 

 pared the map with the heavens, and thinking that the star might be well known to 

 astronomers, Dr Anderson wrote an anonymous postcard to me on the same morning 

 bearing the words : — " Nova in Auriga. In Milky Way, about two degrees south of 

 X Aurigse, preceding 26 Aurigse. Fifth magnitude, slightly brighter than x-" I may 

 add that Dr Anderson's plant consists of a small hand spyglass adapted to astronomical 

 purposes by removing the front pair of lenses from the eyepiece. In this state it 

 magnifies about ten times, and, of course, gives inverted images. Dr Anderson hopes 

 that amateurs, although provided with only the most modest appliances, may, by his 

 unexpected success, be induced to persevere in their observations. 



I have examined a large number of star-maps and catalogues, ancient and modern, 

 without finding any previous record of the new star. Several stars are mentioned by 

 Sufi as being visible in the tenth century which we cannot now identify, but they seem 

 certainly to have no connection with the Nova. Two stars named " the Shaker " and 

 "the excellent Milch Camel" may, however, possibly be identified by a study of certain 

 Arabian authors referred to by Sufi. 



As to our observations of the Nova at the Royal Observatory, its place has been 

 found by differential methods by Mr Heath, First Assistant Astronomer, using the 

 transit instrument, and by Mr J. A. Ramsay, student of astronomy, observing with the 

 Mural Circle. The mean co-ordinates for 1892*0 derived by them are : — 



R.A. = 5 h 25 m 3*25±0-"02 (9 obs.). DecL = +30° 21' 48-"76±0-"09 (7 obs.). 



Already on the night of February 1, a small spectroscope revealed the presence of 

 bright lines, of which some account was at once telegraphed to the Central Station for 

 Astronomical Telegrams at Kiel, and also to the President of the British Association, 



VOL. XXXVII. PART I. (NO. 4). K 



