[ 46 S ] 
XLI. Ohfervations on the Comet feen in Ja- 
nuary 1760; hy James Short, M. A. 
F. R. S. In a Letter to the Rev . Tho. 
Birch, Z>. D . Secretary to the Royal 
Society . 
Dear Sir, 
Surry-Street, 10 Jan. 1760. 
Read Jan. 10, 
1760. 
A Comet has made its appearance near 
the conftellation of Eridanus, a 
little to the weftward of Orion. Lad; night I took 
its tranfit over the meridian, and likewife its declina- 
tion. Its nucleus is fmail, fubtending an angle of 
not more than 5 or 6 feconds, but very vifible thro’ 
a two feet reflector magnifying about 70 times. Its 
motion is to the weftward, with a conftderable velo- 
city, feemingly about 2 degrees in a day ; for, about 
an hour and a half after I had taken its tranfit, I 
judged it had advanced about 10 or 12 minutes; 
which I find to be about the rate of the great comet, 
when it firft was feen in the end of the year 1743. 
This comet is very vifible to the naked eye, tho’ I 
could perceive nothing of a tail ; and therefore I con- 
clude it is going down to the fun. 
Comet palled the meridian 9th January) 
1760, at------ - -y 53 
Its declination fouth - - - - - a° 15' o" 
Rigel Orionis palled the meridian at - 9 11 47' 49'' 
v I am, Dear Sir, 
Your moll humble fervant, 
Ja. Short,- 
