1802.] 
For ihe Monthly Magazine. 
Farther account of the NEW PLANET. 
HE Planet having been loft Pc 
M. Piazzi’s ilnefs, on the 1rth of 
Februaty,,1861, after he had obferved it 
for fix weeks; and it never having been 
feen out of his obfervatory, the aftrono- 
mers were reduced to thie neceflity of en- 
deavouring to find it, after eight months, 
by elements of its orbit deduced fromi his 
obfervations. He had given elements in 
a-circular orbit, and Dr. Burkhardt, at 
Paris, and Mr. Gaufs, at Bremen, ellip- 
tical elements. Baron Zach publifhed 
calculations of its place from Dr. Burk- 
hardt’s elements, in his monthly journal, 
and the aftronomers of Europe have la- 
boured to find it by thefe calculations 
and their own, but in vain. Mr. Gaufs, 
of Brunfwick, probably excited bythis dif- 
appointment to try to produce more exact 
élements, fucceeded in the attempt, and 
calculations made upon them have been 
alfo publithed in the fame monthly journal, 
and fortunately been the means of finding 
the planet again, which was obferved by 
Baren Zach, at the Gotha Obfervatory, on 
the 7th of December laft year, and by Dr. 
Olbers, at Bremen, on the rit day of Ja- 
nuary this year, as it had been difcovered 
by M. Piazz on the rft of January of the 
preceding year. Dr. Olbérs obferved the 
planet, without knowing it, making a 
right angle with two flars in the right 
wing of the conftellation of the Virgin ; 
and, looking again the next night, was 
ftruck with the appearance of the figure 
of the triangle being changed, which 
fhewed a motion that pointed out the pla- 
net tohim. He thought he was the firft 
who had obferved it fince it had been lof, 
- but Baron, Zach afterwards publifhed an 
account of his having feen it before, on 
. the 7th of December, but, not being cer- 
tain of its being the planet, waited before 
he publifhed any thing till he could verify 
his obfervation by the return of fine wea- 
ther, which was not till the latter end of 
the month. ‘Thus thefe two learned gen- 
tlemen may both be confidered as difcove- 
rers, fince each found it without the afift- 
ance of the other; and if either of the 
obfervations had been wanting, we fhould 
have been in pofleffion of the planet by 
the obfervation of the other. We muft, 
,however, always gratefully acknowledge 
our principal obligations are to M. Piazzi ly 
the original difcoverer, though he let it~ 
afterwards flip through his fingers, and 
by withholding an early, free, and ample 
communication of his difcovery from the 
learned world; hazarded the total lofs of 
Montuiy Mac, No, 85. 
Further Acconnt of the New Planet. - 
205 
it to the eet: generation, to be difcover- 
ed again, perhaps by accident, in fome 
future age. We are, however, now in 
full poflefiion of sy without fear of lofing — 
it again, except only in the fun’s rays, in 
like manner as the’other planets, to emerge’ 
from them again on the contrary fide of 
the fun, and froman evening ftar turned 
into a morning one. 
Mr. Gaufs’s elements of the orbit of 
the planet in an ellipfis, are as follow : 
s é 
Epoch of 1801 = 2 7 46 32 
Place of aphelium TO 26 27.38 
Afcending node = 221 0 44 
Inclination mt, O) TOn RG. apni 
Mean diftance 2,7673 
Periodic time 1681 days, or four year¢ 
and feven montis. 
Mean daily heliocentric motion 12! 
50", 914. 
Eccentricity 0,0825017 to the mean 
diftance taken as uhity. 
Greateft equation of centre 9° 27" 41”. 
Thefe elements give the longitude 
greater by a degree than Dr. Olber’s ob- 
fervations ; while’ Df. Burkhardt’s ele- 
ments give it near 8° lefs, and M. Piazzi’ 8 
circular elements near 17° lefs, 
The planet was firft obferved by M. 
Mechain, the aftronomer of the National . 
Obfervatory at Patis, on the and of janu- 
ary, who fent an account hither: and it 
was obferved at the Royal Obfervatory at 
Greenwich, oi) the third of this month. 
It has been alfo obferved by Alexander 
Aubert, Efq. at Highbury Place; by 
Stephen Lee, jun. Efq. at Hackney; 
George Gilpin, Efq. at the Royal Society 
apartinents, Somerfet Place; and by Dr, 
Herfchel, at Slough ; who have commu- 
nicated their obfervations to the Royal So- 
ciety. It will take fome time to deter- 
mine its apparent diameter with any ex- 
a€tnefs, it being fo fmall. Although M, 
Piazzi reckoned it “ie when it was farther 
off than at prefent, it appears here much 
fmaller’; the ae ee royal has efti- 
mated it at 2!’ *, Herfchel, at one fe- 
cond, als Be the cafe with hie ten 
feet refleting telefcope. It is expected 
to be in oppofition to the fun the latter 
end of March. ASTROPHILUS, 
 Feb..27, 1802. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
| HE letter from ne Lettfom, in your 
Jk Magazine for January, and thae 
_figned Varro, in your laff Number, are on 
a “fubjett very interefting to the lovers ofa 
E good 
