£66 
[Oct. 1, 
Literary and Philosophical Inlelligente. 
An excellent announcement of it from the Observatory at Paris, inducer! 
me to look for it. Clouds prevented on the SOtli, but on the Slst of August 
it was seen here, at about half past eight in the evening, with an altitude of 
about 11®, 
R. A. about 149® | 
N. D. 35®, nearly. 
It had then to the west a star in the head of Leo minor, and was proceeding to¬ 
ward ^ and y. in the adjoining hind foot of-Ursa major. It had the appearance of 
a star of t'ue fourth or fifth magnitude, immersed in a hazy light, extending only a 
degree in diameter, including the central liglit. 
Continual clouds and mist prevented my seeing it again till the 5th of Sep- 
temher. 
Its appearance then was extremely different. At about eight in the evening, it 
had a train of about 4® f, divided near the upper extremity, where it diverged 
someti)ing like wings. It had a very thin light; but the nucleus now appeared 
like a scar of the second magnitude seen through a mist. 
On the 6th it was again seen, with a train of about 6°, and fanning out to a 
breadtii of about 3° at the farther extretuity. The nucleus bright; and the whole 
object striking to the naked eye. 
On the 7th, the train was evidently divided by a darkened shadow nearly down to 
the head, and thence widening to the extremity; a brightish star came in contact 
with the Coma about tiiree quarters of a degree from the headland appeared some¬ 
what obscured. 
On the Sth, two stars were seen in the open space, between the two nearly equal 
branching divisions of the train. 
The train was now longer and narrower near the head, and had more the form of 
an hyperbolic than a parabolic section; the central light brighter than before, and 
haling more the distinct appearance of a planetary disk. 
On the 9ih, the train was not altogether so striking; the head, which had ap¬ 
peared less bright, was again vivid. 
On tiie 10th, the train was much increased in length, and, a little after midniglit, 
was more tr.an 7® in length, and had a fine silvery lint. Distance, at about-half 
past eigiit, from y and t Ursa nearly equal, and about 11® of declination below 
them. 
On the 11th, the comet shone beautifully, witli a train of above 7®. 
Stars through the thinner part of the train, or through the dark space, did not 
appear to suffer any diminution of light or any refraction. 
Tills evening we observed ^ and T;> in their ecliptical conjunction in 20® of Sa¬ 
gittarius, very fine and striking. 
On the 12ch and 13th, we continued to have a very good view of the cr-met. 
On tiie 14th, the comet shmie occasionally through considerably dense clouds, 
like the Moon, The incurvation of the train was now discernible, it being a little 
cunc.-ive on the leading, and convex on the following,side. 
On the loth, the comet was truly splendid. Curvature of the train distingnish- 
able, but not great. Train extenrlliig coward y of Ursamajor, obliquely, about nine 
in the evening, and nearly reaching it. At twelve at uight, the train was extended 
far into the ;quare of Lrsa major, and, as being always nearly in opposition to the 
Sun, vvasltlmost perpendicular. The dense part of the irain 8®, the thin, which 
was yet discernitjle, by gentlv agitating the tube of the night-gla.ss, lull four more; 
in the whole, lirerefore, twelve; near the head, of a bright silver, partaking of a 
palish gold tint; and from this it quickly shaded off,by imperceptible gradarioiis, to 
the tiiii nest light loinginabie. I used a screen to the i.bject glass ot my telescope, 
widenhig from it idve a trumuet, for seven or eigiit incites. 1 iiis and three leet 
atui a lialf refractor, of Dollond, are tlie same which I used for tiie comet of 1807. 
I have no glass which combines sufficient power wilh sufficient light to enable me 
to say unv thing‘concerning the nucleus. 
Tbr ' omet ot 1807 had a viucleus of great brilliancy ; and so had that of 1770. 
I had iio opportunity at that time of judging tnuch of the comet of 1770, tor I only 
saw it widi iiie naked eye. Its nucleus, however, had a brilliant bluish ligfit ; tli^ 
tiam was considerably larger for aii evening or two than the present; but, I think, 
11‘jt 
