[ 49 s J 
XLVII. Remarks on the Mutations of the 
Stars ; by Tho. Barker, Efq ; ^Lyndon, 
in Rutland : Communicated by the Rev . 
W. Stukcley, M. D. F. R. S . 
Read i^6o’ 3 I, T T * s we ^ known there have been feve- 
A ral alterations among the fixed ftars : for 
inftance, Ptolemy’s ultima Jluvn , a firlt magnitude ftar, 
is in Dr.Halley’s catalogue of the fouthern conftellations 
only a third magnitude : and in much lefs time, the 
of the Great Bear, which Bayer feems to have 
judged juft of the fame fize with the other fix, is 
grown far duller than any of them. Some ftars alio 
have quite difappeared, while again new ones, not 
feen before, have been difcovered : and there are 
others periodically larger and fmaller. Two very 
remarkably bright, yet fhort-lived, ftars, have been 
alfo feen, one in Cafiiopeia, the other in Serpen- 
tarius j which breaking out, at once, with greater 
luftre than any other fixed ftar, gradually faded, and 
changing to different colours, in about a year and 
half were no longer vifible. But, I think, no one 
has yet remarked, that any lafting ftar was of a dif- 
ferent colour in different ages : Greaves, on the con- 
trary, takes notice, that the colours of the ftars and 
planets are the fame now as the antients obferved ; 
which is, I believe, very true in general : for Pto- 
lemy, in his catalogue of ftars, fays, Ardturus, Al- 
debaran, Pollux, Cor Scorpii, and Orion’s Shoulder 
(with another to be mentioned prefently), are Jtto- 
x ippos, reddifh : and the five here mentioned are ftill 
of 
