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II. Miscellaneous Observations. By William Herschel, 
LL.D. F.R.S. 
Read December 22, 1791. 
Account of a Comet. 
Last Thursday evening, the 15th of December, about halt- 
after eight o'clock, while I was taken up with observing Saturn, 
my sister looked over the heavens, and discovered a pretty 
large, telescopic comet, in the breast of Lacerta. I viewed 
it in my seven-feet reflector, and with that instrument settled 
its place and rate of moving. At cp 42' 4", 8 true mean time, 
it preceded a small telescopic star 1 i",3 in time, and was 2' 41" 
south of the same. The place of this star I have since deter- 
mined with sufficient accuracy, that it may be found again by 
those who wish to settle it more exactly. It follows the 2d of 
Flamsteed's stars in the constellation of Lacerta, 1' 41", 5 in 
time ; and is 45' 40", 8 more south than the same. The apparent 
motion of the comet on Thursday evening was direct, and at the 
rate of about three minutes of time in right ascension, and a 
little more than two degrees in polar distance per day ; from 
which we may suppose that we shall keep it some time in view. 
Last night I examined it with a twenty-feet reflector, and 
found it to consist of a great light, pretty regularly scattered 
