on the periodical Star in Collo Ceti. 339 
days I may expeft to fee it about Chriftmas, not being 
vifible at prefent. 
Dec. 18, 1777, 1 faw the periodical ftar in collo ceti. 
It appeared in the very place where, about a fortnight 
ago, I imagined (but was not fure) there was a faint ap- 
pearance of it. It was in magnitude about equal to £ 
but not fo large as 
Jan. 26, 1778, The periodical liar was larger than <?, 
but lefs than v. Being taken up with other obfervations, 
I paid no more attention to it during the reft of this 
period. 
Sept. 18, 1779, The periodical ftar was vifible to the 
naked eye, when I firft looked for it. 
Oft. 6, 1779, The periodical ftar was exceedingly 
bright this evening. It exceeded x and /3 ceti; which 
latter, I muft here obferve, is confiderably larger than 
the former, and affords a proof of the change in the 
magnitude of the fixed ftars; as we can hardly fuppofe 
bayer fhould have made a miftake in the magnitude of 
the two firft ftars of this conftellation. 
The apparent magnitude of 0 ceti was not round but 
elliptical, when oblerved through the telefcope, and not 
very well defined; but as it was too near the horizon, 
(c) £ is marked by eayer as a ftar of the fourth magnitude, and £ of the 
third. 
Vol. LXX. Z z 
this 
