ORBIT ELEMENTS OF COMET / 1896 (PERRINE). 83 
DETERMINATION OF THE ORBIT ELEMENTS OF 
COMET / 1896 (PERRINE). 
By C. J. MERFIELD, F.R.A.S. 
[Read before the Royal Society of N.S. Wales, June 2, 1897.] 
Tue object of this short paper is to present the Society with a 
detailed account of the calculation of the orbit elements of Comet f 
1896, which the author has discussed with the best data available. 
This comet, which was discovered by Mr. Perrine of the Lick 
Observatory, California, on November 2, 1896, was observed by 
various European and American Observatories from the time 
of discovery until about the 20th of December of the same year. 
Owing to the comet’s position in space, it was lost to view during 
the latter part of December 1896, also during January 1897. 
After the perehelion passage 1897 February 8, the comet, which 
was receding from the earth before this date, again approached 
our planet, and would be well placed for southern observers. 
During the evening, 1897 February 22, Mr. J. Tebbutt, r.R.a.s. 
of Windsor, was successful in obtaining an observation of this 
apparition. From this date and until 1897 April 27, the author 
has been supplied with about thirty observations taken by that 
gentleman. The comet, which did not attain to the brilliancy 
expected, has been faint and difficult to observe, so that Mr. 
Tebbutt was forced to abstain from further observation after the 
27th April. 
Preparatory to this discussion, approximate orbit elements 
were computed from observations taken by Mr. Tebbutt on the 
5th, 10th and 15th of the month of March 1897, with the follow- 
Ing result : 
T = 1897 Feb. 8-168615 G.M.T. 
wo = 172° 25’ 1-14 
6° 29’ 10-82 } Mean equinox 1897 
t = 146° 11’ 3”-78 
Log q = 0:0263786 
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