“1799-] 
that perfons are found who have time or 
Opportunity to notice it. At this time 
it excited a fingular terror; they acted 
the’ ‘* Comet, or the End of the World,” (la 
Comete, ou la Fin du Monde), at the 
Vaudeville. RUGGIERI made an artifi- 
cial comet, in fire-works, at the Lyceum ; 
and it greatly refembled the beautiful 
comet of 1744, which I well remember 
having feen, and which was the moft afto- 
nifhing one of this age. 
Dec. 6, 1798, atnight, Citizen Bou- 
VARD difcovered a finall comet in the 
conftellation of Hercules. This is the 
twenty-fourth new one: it was obferved 
till the xith, when it difappeared in 
Aquarius ; it moved eighteen degrees per 
day. Thus, although it only appeared 
five days, it will furnifh grounds where- 
with to calculate its orbit. Dr. OLBERS 
{aw it alfo at Bremen. 
The 29th Nivofe (Jan. 28}, Citizen 
DANGOS, at Tarbes, faw a comet pals 
ever the fun hike a black fpot. This 
new and fingular obfervation may be of 
ufe when we fhall become acquainted 
with a great number of comets ; but we 
are totally ignorant of the route of that 
which was feen that day on the fun. 
An important and celebrated enterprife 
has furnifhed new hopes to afironomy and 
geography. 
The 26th Ventole (March 26) govern- 
ment demanded -fele& aftronomers and in- 
ftruments for a fecret expedition: we 
learned foon after, that the famous Gene- 
ral BUONAPARTE was to be at the head 
of it. I could only point out the Citizens. 
NOUVET, QUENOT, and MecHAIN, jun. 
they made preparations for this honour- 
able miffion, and fet out the 5th Floreat 
{April 24); they embarked at Toulon 
May 10, and the debarkation took place 
in Egypt the 14th Meflidor (July 2). £ 
entertain no doubts but this voyage will 
prove ufeful to geography, and even to 
aftronomy. 
I have written to all the aftronomers 
in Europe, to defire them to co-operate 
by obfervations: corre{ponding to thofe 
which may be made by the aftronomers: 
of the expedition. 
Young Bernier, of Montauban, re- 
quefted to be of this voyage; but the 
meafurés: we took for this purpofe proved 
to be too late. ZI have recommended to 
our aftronomers to take the level of the 
Mediterranean and Red Seas. It has been 
often faid that there is a great difference 
between them ; but I am not of that opi- 
nion, Ihave wrote to Spain, te procure 
D 
¢) 
Liftery of Aftronomy for 1798. 
the level of the South Sea, and of the 
} 40¢ 
/ 
gulph of Mexico at the ifthmus of Pa- 
nama, relative to which certain difhculties 
have been raifed.. 
The obfervatory at Gotha is the fineft 
and moft ufeful one at prefent inGermany. 
The Duke has expended on it more than 
.200,000 francs: an example which ne 
other prince has exlubited or followed- 
The director of the obfervatory, M. nz 
ZACH, is one of the moft celebrated aftro- 
nomers in Europe. I had tong felt an 
inclination to ¥ilit and become acquainted 
with this fole monument of aftronomy 
which it remained for me to fee; in imi- 
tation of Halley, who went from Eng- 
land to Dantzig in 1679, to infpect the 
obfervatory of Hevelius, and, in concert 
with him to judge of the accuracy of his 
obfervations. I found that M. pe 
ZACH can obferve the Polar ftar to a fe- 
cond, in heu of a hundred feconds of 
uncertainty, to which we have been ex- 
pefed. 
Many aftronomers of Germany, ap~ 
prifed of this project, repaired to us.. 
‘Lhele conferences feaved to augment our 
emulation.’ FE have brought back 1200 
afcentions of zodiacal ftars, obferved by: 
M. De Zac with the fine ft pafflage-in-. 
{trument in the world, each obfervation 
having been: made many times : they will 
appear with 3000 declinatioms, which E 
have fent to M. pr Zacu, in.an im- 
portant work which he. is preparing on 
altronomy, in 2 vol. ottavo, and of 
which two-thirds are already printed. 
M. Bope brought us trom Berlin the 
defigns of his third chart of the ftarry 
heavens: there are to be twenty of them; 
and this valuable aftronomical collection 
will contaiir 13,000 ftars, or 8c00 more 
than there were before. He has reduced 
yooo of thofe by LacartLe; he has ob- 
ferved #500 himfelt to fill up fome va- 
eant fpaces, and Citizen LerraNncors 
has furnithed him with the remainder. 
Here will be found the zoco nébulous 
{pots of Herfchel, and from 5 to 600 
double ftars of that celebrated aftronomer. 
We have made two new conftellations, 
the prefs of Guthemburg, and the globe 
of Montgolfier. P paaisibe Ms ys 
M. Wurm came from Wirtembure 
(diftance 100 leagues). The Duke of 
W irtemberg ‘prefthted him. with a grati- 
fication of Bod francs for his journey. 
He has given me affurance that he would 
collate again tke new ftcreotype‘tables of 
Citizen FrkRMin Didor) inorder that 
this undertaking, which may sffure for 
ae ati title 
