Dr. Herschel’s Ohfervations on a Comet . 
December 22, about half after five o’clock in the morning, 
I viewed it again, and perceived that it had moved apparently 
in a dire&ion towards S Lyr2e, or thereabout. I had been en- 
gaged all night with the twenty-feet inftrument, fo that there 
had been no leifure to prepare my apparatus for taking the 
place of the comet ; but in the evening of the fame day, I 
took its fituation three times, as follows : 
1 , ’ 
^* / // 
Dec, 22. at 23 42 19 fidereal time, the comet pafled the wire, 
at 23 49 24 j 3 Lyras palled the fame. 
Difference 
7 
5 
1 s 
very accurate. 
at 23 
5 2 
5 2 
the comet pafled, 
at 23 
59 
O-i 
CO 
(3 Lyras pafled, 
Difference 
7 
6 
accurate. 
at ° 6 35 the comet pafled, 
at o 13 40 /3 Lyrae pafled, 
Difference 7 5 very accurate. ^ 
1 ' 1 1 
I found in every obfervation the fmall ftar which accotnpa* 
nies j 3 Lyrae exadly in the parallel of the comet. 
Thefe tranfits were taken with a ten-feet reflector; and the 
difference in right afcenfion, I fhould fuppofe, may be de- 
pended upon to within a fecond of time. The determination 
* For this fmall tfar fee my Catalogue of Double Stars, in the Philofophical 
Tranfa&ions for the year 1782, Part I. Clafs V. Star 3. where its diflance and 
polition are given, and confequenily its parallel may be found* 
alio 
