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Mr. Baxendell, F. It. A. S., read a paper entitled 
“ Observations of Comet I, 1861.” 
Although this comet was not at any time a very conspicuous 
object to the naked eye, yet some of the features which it 
presented when viewed with a good telescope at the time of its 
greatest brightness were sufficiently remarkable to render it an 
object of peculiar interest to the astronomer; and I have 
therefore thought that a brief account of the observations 
made with the excellent instruments of Mr. Worthington’s 
observatory might be acceptable to the members of this 
Society. 
My first observation was made on the night of May 3rd, 
1861. The comet was then already visible to the naked eye 
as a dull, hazy-looking star of the magnitude. At 1 Oh. 
17m. 48*7s. G.M.T. a comparison with the star Arg. 
178,8 = 190,112 made with the equatorially-mounted achro- 
matic of 5 inches aperture, and a dark field photographed 
micrometer constructed by Mr. Dancer, gave the comet’s 
apparent place II. A. lOh. 5m. 27*76 Dec. +48° 52' 7*7". 
Turning the 13-inch reflector upon the comet with powers of 
81 and 196, it was found that the nebulosity was more than 
20' in diameter, considerably condensed in the middle, but 
without any distinct planetary or stellar nucleus. There was 
a faint tapering elongation extending about a quarter of a 
degree from the north following side, and stars of the 11th 
and 12th magnitude w T ere easily seen through the comet at the 
distance of half a radius from its centre. 
May 4th. Three comparisons with Arg. 173,122 gave the 
place of the comet at 9b. 26m. 19*3s. G.M.T. R.A. 9h. 52m. 
19-83s. Dec. +45° 18' 28-1". 
With the 13-inch reflector the diameter of the nebulosity 
constituting the head of the comet, carefully estimated by 
comparison with the known diameter of the field of view, was 
22 / . It was much condensed in the middle, but there was 
certaiidy no distinct stellar nucleus. The centre of greatest 
