C 65 3 
VII. Remarks on a correction of the solar tables required by Mr. 
South’s observations . By G. B. Airy, Esq. M. A. Fellow of 
Trinity College , Cambridge , and Lucasian Professor of Ma- 
thematics in the University of Cambridge. Communicated by 
Dr. Young, F. R. S. &c. 
Read February i5> 1827. 
The discordances between the sun’s true JR, as observed 
by Mr. South, and his calculated jR, as given in the Nautical 
Almanac, follow a law so simple, as to justify us in attributing 
them principally to the errors of the solar tables. The only 
exceptions to this assertion are the differences of March 1st, 
December 22d, and December 23d, 1822 ; and upon exami- 
nation of the sun’s calculated for several days, previous 
and subsequent to those days, it appears that there is some 
irregularity in the second differences. I imagine therefore 
that some small errors have been accumulated in the calcu- 
lations for those days ; but as this is merely conjectural, I 
have not thought myself at liberty to reject them in the fol- 
lowing computations. 
A single inspection of the discrepancies, is sufficient to show 
that they are almost entirely produced by an error of the epoch, 
and an error in the place of the perigee. With these errors 
only I begun my calculations ; but finding that the construc- 
tion of the solar tables (contained in Vince’s Astronomy) gave 
great facilities for introducing an error in the eccentricity, I 
begun my calculations again, supposing the epoch, the place 
of the perigee, and the eccentricity, or the greatest equation 
mdcccxxvii. K 
